5 Bills strengths the Patriots need to contend with
The Bills have been hard to read so far this year. They looked helpless offensively against the Ravens, then helpless defensively against the Jets, then absolutely dominant against the Cardinals.
Here are five areas the Bills have been the best in this season:
1. Running the ball
The offense overall hasn’t been pretty for Buffalo, but the rushing attack, led by Lesean McCoy, has looked very good. The team is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, and have scored four rushing touchdowns through three games. The Patriots are one of only five teams with more.
2. Stopping the run
As much as the Bills focus on the run when they have the ball, they do the same when lining up against offenses. Only the stingy defenses of the Packers, Giants, and Jets have held runners to fewer yards per carry than the Bills’ 3.4. While Matt Forte did have a big game in Week 2 with 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns, it was a case of volume above all else: he did it on 30 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per rush.
3. Shutting down quarterbacks in scoring range
While the rush defense inside near the goal line hasn’t been great for Buffalo, quarterbacks have had a tough time getting anything going once they cross the Buffalo 30 yard line. Joe Flacco, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Carson Palmer combined to complete just 11 of 27 passes for a touchdown and three interceptions against the Bills on plays inside the 30 so far this year. They are tied for fourth in the league with just two passing touchdowns allowed.
4. Protecting the ball
Some of the best defensive teams in the NFL haven’t made it easy on themselves by turning the ball over on offense: the Jets have 10 turnovers, the Panthers 8, and the Giants 7. The Bills, meanwhile, have given the ball up just twice, both on interceptions by Tyrod Taylor. Only four teams in the NFL have managed fewer.
5. Potential for dynamic defense
The Bills’ defining characteristic has been their unpredictability, but they have showed an ability to explode on both sides of the ball. Their five-sack, five-turnover performance against Arizona was dominant, and Taylor connected with receivers on 84 and 71-yard touchdowns against the Jets. The Patriots should hope they get the weaker version of the Bills that showed up in Week 1 if they want to easily improve to 4-0.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com