By Tyler Smith, Sports Assignment Editor
After years of disappointment and mediocrity, Buffalo Bills fans went into the 2020 NFL season with cautious optimism. Through the league’s first four weeks, that optimism turned into excitement. The Bills began the year 4-0 for the first time since Marshawn Lynch was the team’s leading rusher. The time before that? Jim Kelly was slinging the rock.
So, these are uncharted waters for folks in Buffalo. The city and strong fan presence here at Bonas have praised the team’s play. Super Bowl aspirations and wild predictions have flooded my text messages and Twitter timeline. Since then, however, the Bills have dropped two straight games to the undefeated Tennessee Titans and reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. Those postseason desires and longing for success have turned to worries and woes, but I believe those thoughts are a tad premature. The Buffalo Bills are still a very competent organization that I believe has the talent to make a deep run in the NFL playoffs.
At a glance, the Bills’ two losses don’t look too damaging. The Titans look like they have the most explosive offense in football, and the Chiefs are eight months removed from a Super Bowl win and have the most talented quarterback I think I have ever seen. Combine those two elements with the postponements of each of the last two games, and there is a sliver of justification behind them. Although both losses come from two of the AFC’s elite, though, Buffalo also considers themselves in that top tier of teams. If the Bills want to cement their place as a serious championship contender, their issues need to be addressed and quickly.
The most glaring concern, without a doubt, is the team’s run defense. Buffalo has allowed 788 rushing yards through six weeks, good for sixth worst in the NFL. For reference, the team was top ten in yards allowed on the ground in 2019. The departures from guys like Shaq Lawson, Star Lotulelei and Lorenzo Alexander certainly contribute to the drop-off in run defense, but to totally switch from elite run-stoppers to glorified matadors is still troubling. Hopefully surrendering 245 yards on the ground to the pass-heavy Chiefs Monday night lights a fire in Buffalo’s trenches. Perhaps a trade-deadline move for an interior defensive lineman could be a hole-filling possibility.
That is not where the problems end for the Bills, though. One of the many Buffalo football takes I have heard so far this season is that quarterback Josh Allen is in the heart of the MVP race. Well, after watching the past two weeks, he looks far from it. After completing over 70% of his passes in the first four weeks, that number has dipped below 60% in the two losses. Even though the rain plagued the Monday night matchup with Kansas City, 120 passing yards on 27 attempts (14 completions) is unacceptable, especially with the team playing from behind for the entire second half. Keep in mind that 62 of those yards came on one drive late in the fourth quarter. For a team that has relied on its high-powered offense to win games, struggling quarterback play cannot bode well for Bills fans.
If the Bills want to remain a force in the AFC, there are a few things that need to happen. First, the Bills need to learn to play a full four quarters. Buffalo has been outscored in the second half of all but one game so far this year. For a young coaching staff that I believe ranks near the top of the NFL, it needs to show the world it can adapt to issues mid-season and use past wounds to its advantage down the stretch. Next, the team needs to be fully healthy. Multiple big-time players have gone down with injuries early this year, so lineup consistency has been a mess. The acquisition of veteran cornerback Josh Norman helps, but not when both Tre’Davious White and Levi Wallace are sidelined. Just ask Derrick Henry how he appreciated their absence. Matt Milano, the team’s third-leading tackler last season, has been out of action since the beginning of the month, only appearing in three games so far. Milano began practicing Wednesday with his gameday status up in the air. Number-two receiver John Brown has also missed time this season. Get the full roster back on the field and they’ll be in business.
Aside from the mishaps and disadvantages we’ve seen over the past two weeks, the Buffalo Bills remain a 4-2 football club. Josh Allen might not be the league’s most valuable player, but he remains among the league leaders in passing yards and touchdowns. He looks more polished than any season prior, and this offseason obtained a Ferrari of a wide receiver in Stefon Diggs. Diggs has totally opened up the offense and instantly became the Bills’ first true number-one receiver since… Eric Moulds? Terrell Owens? The wide receiver position in Buffalo has been a constant struggle over the years and it looks like the Bills finally have their guy.
Luckily, the Bills’ week 7 matchup comes against the New York Jets, who Buffalo easily took care of in week 1. Not to make any guarantees, but the outlook is good against a team that looks more suited for the XFL rather than the big leagues. A nice tune-up game before facing the division-rival Patriots and undefeated Seahawks the following two weeks suits Buffalo well. Get healthy, get Josh Allen back on track and hope that Ed Oliver and the run defense tighten up after being an embarrassment thus far. The Bills sit at the top of the AFC East, but with Miami playing surprisingly well and New England still manned by Bill Belichick, a division title will be no cakewalk.
Overall, I do believe Sean McDermott and the Bills’ staff figure out their issues. This roster is way too talented not to be in the running to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LV.
