The best way I can think of to describe the 2014 Buffalo Bills is, “what a strange, strange trip it’s been.”

Turning away from your “anointed” quarterback of the future in favor of a 32-year-old journeyman signal-caller who had started just one game in the last two seasons would normally signal trouble on the horizon. But strangely enough, when this list, his rookie season still places him in some rarified air.

Watkins’ 89.99 Reception NEP mark, which ranked 19th among all wide receivers in 2014, was the eighth-best season by any Buffalo receiver since 2000.

Depending on who is under center in 2015, and if Rex Ryan will allow it to happen, there’s no reason why Watkins cannot continue to grow as a route-runner and pass-catcher.

The Bad

Picking between the lack of a rushing attack and the early-season failure at quarterback for the top spot on this list was a tough decision, but let’s start under center.

It’s becoming clear that Manuel might not pan out as a viable NFL starter, which is a shame considering the draft capital the Bills invested in him. Manuel saw just 137 drop backs in 2014, and finished 34th in Passing NEP on a per-play basis, just slightly behind Charlie Whitehurst.

I wrote about Manuel’s viability (or lack thereof) during the preseason, and it’s looking more and more like it’s coming to fruition. With Kyle Orton now retired, it will be interesting to see what the team chooses to do in 2015.

Speaking of Orton, what he did as the team’s starter in the final 12 games was rather historic for the Bills. But as Brandon Gdula explained in excellent detail here, while he was great in comparison to former Buffalo passers, he was nothing special considered in larger context.

While the quarterback situation was a messy one, the running backs in Buffalo were just as unsettled. According to our metrics, the Bills ranked 29th in team rushing efficiency.

Injuries plagued the group, hitting C.J. Spiller once again. Anthony Dixon was the only running back on the roster to play in all 16 games, finishing as the team’s second-leading rusher. Fred Jackson was the only real constant tallying 1,026 total yards, but just 3 total touchdowns. The Bills scored just seven rushing touchdowns all season, including one each from Orton and Manuel.

While Jackson’s raw stats were impressive considering his age, he was relatively inefficient on a per-carry basis. Jackson came in 40th in Rushing NEP per carry (-0.08) among all running backs with at least 100 carries. Trent Richardson,who's career is evaporating right before our eyes, finished just behind Jackson at -0.09.

Moving Forward

The Bills made a splash by hiring Rex Ryan as their new head coach after the season ended and, by doing so, showed what kind of team they want to become in the future. Ryan is an excellent defensive mind and coach, but his teams have never really produced substantial results on offense.

The existing talent on defense in Buffalo allows Ryan an excellent opportunity to make a seamless transition and sport a top unit. On offense however, it could be a different story.

The quarterback situation must be addressed, and finding a true feature back would certainly help as well. The moves they make this offseason will go a long way in determining if they can finally make the jump and become a playoff team for the first time this century.