So, there will be  no reduction in the three-game suspension handed down to Bills running back Marshawn Lynch.  The NFL announced Monday that Lynch’s appeal has been denied, and the three-game suspension stands.

From a competitive standpoint, it’s a big blow for the Bills.  Lynch is a key figure in the Bills offensive attack.  He is a brutally tough runner who punishes opposing defenses, and despite the good work turned in by Fred Jackson last year, and the contributions expected from veteran Dominique Rhodes, the Bills are not as good without Lynch.

That said, long term, the suspension might be just the wakeup call Marshawn needs.  The loss of salary is important as well.  If Lynch is going to be a succesful NFL player, he has to break out of the pattern he’s established in his first two offseasons—brushes with the law that result in legal issues.

No doubt, the fact that his guilty plea to a misdemeanor gun charge was the second incident in a one-year span figured heavily into Roger Goodell’s original suspension, and his decision not to lessen that suspension.  The Commissioner, like the Bills orgranization, is trying to send a serious, painful message to Lynch.

Here’s what I wrote back in March, before the three-game suspension was announced:

Not only do I think Lynch will get a suspension, I think he would benefit from one.  Twice in the last year he has had run-ins with police, once involving his car, the second time involving an unregistered weapon.  He clearly is on the wrong path, struggling to adjust to the life of a professional athlete.  No doubt, his tough upbringing in Oakland has left him ill prepared to handle money, free time, and all the other perks professional athletes enjoy.  But Marshawn will turn 23-years old in April, and it’s time for him to grow up.

The Bills would struggle on the field without Marshawn Lynch for a game or two next season.  But in the larger picture, it’s just what he and the team needs.  A suspension without pay would seem to be the one thing that would get Lynch’s attention.  It would force him to find new companions, think before taking risks, and protect his incredible talent and potential to excel in the NFL.  It could prolong his career by shocking him out of his current path and emphasizing to him how much he has to lose, if he loses his profession.   

Now that we’re only weeks away from Lynch’s 3-game punishment, the reality sets in.  The Bills could use him against the Patriots, Bucs and Saints.  But they won’t have him.  And the competitive considerations in this case are outweighed, by the importance of Marshawn getting his life on track, and focusing on building a long and productive NFL career.