Buffalo Bills Preview and Prediction

Team Preview

The Buffalo Bills enter the new NFL season off a streaky 2016-17 campaign that saw the team have four losing streaks of at least two games. The Bills also had two winning streaks of at least two games, including a four-game streak that included W's over the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.

For a more consistent 2017-18 season, the running game will be the focus... on each side of the ball.

A season ago, the Bills had the NFL's most rushing yards per game (164.4), 15 yards more than any other team. LeSean McCoy led the charge, racking up 1,267 yards and 13 touchdowns on 234 attempts. Buffalo also had a pair of 500-yard rushers in quarterback Tyrod Taylor (580 yards, 6 TD) and Mike Gillislee (577 yards, 8 TD). This year, McCoy will again be the workhorse and I would expect similar numbers. Gillislee is now a member of the New England Patriots, so 2016 fifth rounder Jonathan Williams is ready to assume the backup role. Look for Williams to get plenty of touches, as the Bills should again be a run-first team.

Taylor will again line up behind center to start the season. After boldly naming Taylor as the starting quarterback for the 2015-16 season, the QB has put up two nearly identical seasons in terms of statistics. Taylor passed for just over 3,000 yards in each of the last two years, adding 20 and 17 touchdowns, respectively, and six interceptions each year. The 28-year-old will need to step up his passing production if the team's offense wants to remain balanced and have a shot at improving its record.

At wide receiver, the Bills will have a new look without Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins, who are both now on the Los Angeles Rams. The same day the Bills dealt Watkins, they acquired Jordan Matthews from the Philadelphia Eagles. Matthews enjoyed a three-year stint in Philly to start his career, recording over 800 yards in each season; he caught eight TD's in each of his first two seasons before tallying just three last year. Matthews will be joined by 2017 second round pick Zay Jones and former Carolina Panther Corey Brown. Former San Francisco 49er Rod Streater and Oakland Raider Andre Holmes also join the mix. This is one of the more underwhelming WR groups in the entire NFL. Jones is going to have to immediately turn into a 1,000-yard receiver if this team wants to show any presence of a passing game.

Tight end Charles Clay should serve as one of the team's top targets in the passing game after a 57-catch, 552-yard, 4-TD season a year ago. He should see most of the looks in the red zone while McCoy and Williams see looks out of the backfield.

On defense, the Bills allowed the sixth-least amount of passing yards per game (223.9) but allowed the fourth-most rushing yards a game (133.1). The team did not make any free agent splashes to sure up the run defense but did draft linebackers Tanner Vallejo (sixth round) and Matt Milano (fifth round).

Fellow LB Preston Brown (139 total tackles) now leads the defense after the departure of leading tackler Zach Brown (149 tackles). Ramon Humber and former San Francisco 49er Gerald Hodges will look to replace Zach Brown while Lorenzo Alexander (12 ½ sacks, 76 total tackles) fills out the LB core. Vallejo and Milano should see some snaps throughout the year, especially if the Bills struggle against the run again and need to shift some players around.

The Bills have a nice collection of defensive lineman, led by Kyle Williams and his 65 tackles and five sacks. Jerry Hughes added six sacks while Marcell Dareus looks to regain his form after playing in just eight games last year. The return of Dareus could definitely help this team in stopping the run. 2016 first-rounder Shaq Lawsom battled through injuries during his first season in the NFL. If he can get healthy and remain fresh throughout the year, double-digit sacks are a real possibility. Adolphus Washington, a 2016 third-rounder, serves as one of the top backup d-lineman.

The Bills completely revamped their secondary. Gone are Corey Graham, Ronald Darby and Stephon Gilmore. In with former Cleveland Brown safety Jordan Poyer, former Ram CB E.J. Gaines and former Green Bay Packer CB/S Micah Hyde. First round pick Tre'Davious White should also open the season as a starting cornerback. Only time will tell how well the group gels together, but it's hard to imagine the new regime outproduces the former secondary core.

2017-18 Schedule/Predictions 1 - vs New York Jets (W) 2 - at Carolina Panthers (L) 3 - vs Denver Broncos (L) 4 - at Atlanta Falcons (L) 5 - at Cincinnati Bengals (W) 6 - BYE 7 - vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L) 8 - vs Oakland Raiders (L) 9 - at New York Jets (L) 10 - vs New Orleans Saints (L) 11 - at Los Angeles Chargers (L) 12 - at Kansas City Chiefs (L) 13 - vs New England Patriots (L) 14 - vs Indianapolis Colts (W) 15 - vs Miami Dolphins (W) 16 - at New England Patriots (L) 17 - at Miami Dolphins (W)

Season Record: 5-11, 3-3 AFC East

To be frank, I don't like what the Bills did during the offseason and this preseason with their roster. The organization failed to address a clear weakness at wide receiver while also letting a strong secondary walk away. The replacements in the secondary may make the Bills' defense much, much weaker. The Bills run-first offense would then be forced to score points quickly with a subpar passing game. Things look bleak for the Buffalo Bills as they enter the 2017-18 campaign.

Next AFC Team Up - Los Angeles Chargers

Sources not listed in article: ESPN - stats; Ourlads - depth chart; Playoff Predictors - schedule/record projections.

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