UPDATE 2015/08/31: The Buffalo Bills have named Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback for the 2015-16 NFL season. The Bills have also decided to release RB Fred Jackson, ending his nine-year career with the team.
We’re only weeks away from the start of the 2015 NFL season and excitement is definitely building for the much-awaited return of America’s most popular sports league. One of the teams to watch out for this year is the Buffalo Bills who are hell-bent on ending their 15-year playoff drought this campaign.
Can Buffalo surprise in the AFC East this year? Read on below as we take an in-depth look at the Bills’ chances this season. While you’re at it, you can check out our AFC East win total predictions here.
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2015-2016 Buffalo Bills Preview
Overview
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Buffalo Bills will head to the new season with high expectations after their strong performance last campaign. The Bills are coming off their first winning season in 11 years after posting a 9-7 slate in 2014. Key to Buffalo’s solid showing last season was its excellent defense. The Bills ranked fourth in both points allowed per game (18.1) and yards allowed per game (312.2). They also finished first in sacks (54) and in third down defense (33.2%).
That defense is about to get stronger with the arrival of new head coach Rex Ryan. Love him or hate him, the guy’s a defensive genius. In his six seasons as head coach of the Jets, Ryan provided the New York franchise with some of the best defensive seasons in their team history. During that stretch, the Jets ranked first in the NFL in passing yards allowed (204.3), opponent first downs (1,667), yards allowed per defensive play (4.9) and opponent completion percentage (55.7). The Jets also ranked second in total yards allowed per game (306.9) over that six-season span.
With Ryan at the helm and with the Bills lineup stocked and loaded this season, it will be interesting to see how the Bills will fare in the AFC East division this year.
Offseason Review
To make sure they won’t miss the playoffs for the 16th straight year, the Bills attacked the offseason like never before. It all started on March 3 when they agreed to send linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for star running back LeSean McCoy. Given Ryan’s preference for a run-oriented offense, it was no surprise that the Bills pulled the trigger on this blockbuster move.
The offseason maneuvering didn’t end there for the Bills. Buffalo further solidified its offensive ranks, signing tight end Charles Clay, wide receiver Percy Harvin as well as quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor. In Clay, the Bills have acquired a dynamic half-back, capable of lining up in the backfield as a lead-blocker for LeSean McCoy in coordinator Greg Roman’s power-running offense. Clay has proven to be a mismatch in the passing game as well. In his breakout 2013 season for Miami, he caught 69 passes for 759 yards and seven touchdowns.
In a shocking development, Taylor will open the 2015 season as the Bills’ starting QB. He defeated EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel in the race for the coveted job. He was solid this preseason, completing 24 of 31 passes for 236 yards. It’s interesting to note, though, that Taylor has never started an NFL game before. He only appeared in 14 games in four seasons as a backup in Baltimore, with Taylor recording just 35 pass attempts.
Buffalo’s defense got a major boost as well, re-signing defensive end Jerry Hughes to a five-year $45 million contract. He’s tallied 10 sacks in each of his past two seasons with the Bills. Hughes’ deal helped soften the blow of the departures of Alonso and Brandon Spikes.
Alonso was named the Pro Football Writers Association Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. Alonso finished third in the NFL with 159 tackles during that year, adding two sacks, four interceptions and four passes defensed. Spikes, on the other hand, recorded 54 tackles in a limited, run-stuffing role for Buffalo last season.
Key Player – LeSean McCoy
One of the main reasons why the Bills failed to get over the playoff hump last season was their anemic offense. They finished 26th in the NFL in total offense last year with an average of just 318.8 yards per game. It certainly didn’t help matters that their running game failed to live up to their achievements the previous season.
In 2013, the Bills averaged 144 rushing yards per game, second-best in the NFL. Last year, Buffalo’s rushing attack dropped to 25th in the league, with an average of just 92.6 yards per game.
The Bills addressed that specific problem by acquiring one of the best running backs in the league in LeSean McCoy. In six seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, McCoy rushed for 6,792 yards and 44 touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He finished last season with 1,319 rushing yards, third-most in the NFL. McCoy’s total rushing yards in 2014 were only 163 yards less than the Bills had as a team.
With offensive coordinator Greg Roman now running the show for the Bills, we can expect McCoy to be the focal point of the Buffalo offense this upcoming season. During his time in San Francisco, Roman’s Niners teams were never ranked below eighth in the league when it came to yards on the ground. In his last three seasons with San Francisco, the 49ers were ranked 4th, 3rd, and 4th in rushing yards per game. McCoy will be more than happy to carry that offensive load for the Bills. He’s the only NFL player to top the 300-carry benchmark the past two seasons.
The Bills need McCoy’s production now more than ever with Buffalo parting ways with club legend Fred Jackson. The 34-year-old running back was released by the Bills on August 31, thus ending his nine-year association with Buffalo. Jackson was the Bills’ leading rusher last season, gaining 525 yards on 141 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He also led the team with 66 catches. In 1,279 career rushing attempts for the Buffalo, Jackson rushed for 5,646 yards and scored 30 touchdowns.
Key Game –@ New England (November 23)
If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. The Buffalo Bills have a fantastic opportunity to do just that when they lock horns with the defending champion New England Patriots at Foxborough on November 23. To add more spice to this AFC East matchup, this game will be played under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
There has never been a better time for the Bills to put a stop to New England’s dominance in the division with Tom Brady suspended for the first four games of the season because of his role in Deflategate. This Week 11 contest is bound to be a battle royale with both teams surely fighting for their playoff lives at this juncture.
The Bills defeated the Patriots, 17-9, in the corresponding fixture last season. New England had nothing to play for as it already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Nevertheless, it was Buffalo’s first ever win at Gillette Stadium.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
LeSean McCoy thrives in Greg Roman’s offensive system and records another 300-carry season. With McCoy attracting plenty of attention on the offensive end, wide receiver Sammy Watkins finally lives up to his promise in his sophomore year. With Buffalo’s defense still one of the league’s best, the Bills finally snap their 15-season playoff drought in 2015.
Worst Case Scenario
It all boils down to McCoy’s health. If the wear and tear finally takes a toll on McCoy’s body, it’s going to be another long season for the Buffalo Bills. Their offense this year is built around McCoy’s ground game so it’s crucial for the Bills that he remains perfectly healthy this season.
Complete Schedule
WEEK
DATE
OPPONENT
TIME (ET)
1
Sunday, Sep 13
Indianapolis Colts
1:00 PM
2
Sunday, Sep 20
New England Patriots
1:00 PM
3
Sunday, Sep 27
@ Miami Dolphins
4:25 PM
4
Sunday, Oct 4
New York Giants
1:00 PM
5
Sunday, Oct 11
@ Tennessee Titans
1:00 PM
6
Sunday, Oct 18
Cincinnati Bengals
1:00 PM
7
Sunday, Oct 25
@ Jacksonville Jaguars
9:30 AM
8
BYE WEEK
9
Sunday, Nov 8
Miami Dolphins
1:00 PM
10
Thursday, Nov 12
@ New York Jets
8:25 PM
11
Monday, Nov 23
@ New England Patriots
8:30 PM
12
Sunday, Nov 29
@ Kansas City Chiefs
1:00 PM
13
Sunday, Dec 6
Houston Astros
1:00 PM
14
Sunday, Dec 13
@ Philadelphia Eagles
1:00 PM
15
Sunday, Dec 20
@ Washington Redskins
1:00 PM
16
Sunday, Dec 27
Dallas Cowboys
1:00 PM
17
Sunday, Jan 3
New York Jets
1:00 PM
Writer’s Prediction
Buffalo barges into the playoffs for the first time in 15 years with a solid 10-6 slate. The Bills’ title dreams quickly end, though, as they suffer a quick first-round exit. Create a betting account now if you think the Bills can live up to all the hype this season.
