Looking for Poz flaws? Bills rookie doesn't have many

Big deal. You knew he could play. Heck, anyone who watched Penn State the last few years knew it.

What we didn't know is how he would adapt to the pro game, with Posluszny dropping into the second round of this year's draft before Buffalo came to the rescue. The truth is the Bills couldn't wait to take him. They had him ranked ahead of the University of Mississippi's Patrick Willis, and Willis was the 11th pick of the draft. Posluszny was the 34th.

The Bills thought he was a perfect fit for their team, and he is. But he's a perfect fit for the city, too, and the people here know it. Those No. 51 jerseys you saw in the stand weren't old Takeo Spikes uniforms; they were new Posluszny models.

"You see that, and it makes you feel great," said Posluszny. "Especially since I haven't made a play yet in a real NFL game. It's like, wow, that's pretty exciting.

"But along with that there's a certain responsibility. People like you now, and you don't want to do something that will make them regret buying your jersey and wearing your number."

Tell me that's not refreshing. When I hear a rookie talk about responsibility, my ears perk up. When I see him play like Posluzsny, I start to pay more attention. When I see him act like Posluszny, I start to root for the guy.

"I believe you have responsibility as a role model when you're on the field," he said. "You have to do your job in a manner that's respectful to you, your family and the organization -- which means you can't do anything ridiculous.

"You have to do your job the way you're supposed to, play the game the way it's supposed to be played, and represent your team the best way you can and not flip off the crowd."

Somebody dial Madison Avenue. This guy is too good to believe. Somebody dial Park Avenue, too. If the NFL is looking for a future face of the league, I just found one. Just give him time.

"I want to play on great teams," Posluszny said. "I want to win a Super Bowl. Losing is awful. I want to be on great teams, have a successful career and play as well as I can. When it's all said and done I want people to look back and say, 'He played hard, and he did things the right way.' To say, 'He did things the right way on the football field, so I know he will do the right things for us.'"

I don't know if Buffalo has itself a winning team this year, but it found a winner at middle linebacker. If Paul Posluszny is as good as he seems, the Bills -- no, the NFL -- have a hot ticket to sell.

"I feel really comfortable here," Posluszny said. "I like the situation. I'm a low-key guy. I love Buffalo. It's a blue-collar, hardworking city. I know what cold is. So none of that stuff bothers me. I want to make plays to show I'm supposed to be here."