Question: If the Bills didn’t fix their run game issues against the New York Jets, when on earth were they going to do it?
Answer: it was time.
While Josh Allen has been effective this season for the most part, Buffalo’s offense has not been this season what it was in 2020. Back then, the Bills ranked fifth in Offensive DVOA. Coming into Week 10 in 2021, they ranked 19th. The primary issue has been a run game that’s even less effective than it was last season, and it wasn’t great last season. That’s also exacerbated by Buffalo’s offensive line, which can charitably be called… uh, not so great. The Bills have the NFL’s best defense, but if the offense doesn’t flip the script, it might not matter come playoff time. The nadir was last Sunday’s 9-6 loss to the Jaguars, in which Allen was blitzed a ton and couldn’t seem to throw his way out of it.
With that loss, the Bills fell to 5-3 on the season, putting them just ahead of the ascending Patriots in the AFC East race. Now, it would be up to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and his staff to scheme things up on the ground.
So far, it’s working pretty well. There was this eight-yard touchdown on a nifty fly sweep by receiver Isaiah McKenzie…
Wheels brought to you by @_IsaiahMcKenzie.
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/tygQCnnAjS
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 14, 2021
…and this I-formation outside run, leading running back Matt Breida to a 15-yard score.
Matt Breida x2‼️
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/7hup0JqwSH
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 14, 2021
Then, running back Zack Moss decided to get in on the action with a one-yard touchdown run in which he just picked through Gang Green’s overwhelmed defense.
That made the score 37-3 in Buffalo’s favor, and gave them three rushing touchdowns on the day. The Bills had scored just eight rushing touchdowns in their first eight games, and that included three by quarterback Josh Allen.
Schemed up or not, the Bills can be a very dangerous team if this run game improvement can stick throughout the season.
