ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Here are my five thoughts on the Buffalo Bills’ game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday at Soldier Field:
1. The Bills are the pivot masters of the NFL.
Adjusting to severe weather is nothing new for this team, which had to play a home game at Detroit last month (and deal with abbreviated practices) because of a major snowstorm. That win against Cleveland not only ended a two-game losing streak, but also began the Bills’ current run of five wins in a row.
Therefore, it’s unlikely the blizzard that forced them to travel to Chicago Thursday, a day earlier than planned, will present any major problems for this game. Though the players and coaches have had their routine disrupted, once again, they’ve had the chance to be settled in at the game site and be able to focus on final preparations.
2. It’s easy to be more than slightly uncomfortable to see the continued trend of the Bills’ offense being overly reliant on Josh Allen.
Last Saturday night, the Miami Dolphins’ defense did a good job of reducing the potency of the Bills’ passing attack, while eliminating any threat of the running game outside of Allen. As usual, it was all about Allen making things happen with his legs and passing arm.
The fact Allen was the one element of the Bills’ offense the Dolphins could not stop is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, it provides encouragement that Allen, as usual, can take over games at any time and overcome even the best of what defenses have to offer (which was mostly the case vs. Miami). On the other hand, it generates concern that the offense can be rendered one-dimensional and even with new faces involved in the scoring, as was the case last Saturday night, expecting Allen to carry the load could at some point be expecting too much.
It might not happen against the Bears. It might not even happen the following week at Cincinnati or in the season-finale against New England. But the playoffs will present greater challenges.
3. Justin Fields and the rest of the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense are going to be a significant test for the Bills’ defense, which has shown considerable vulnerability dealing with the run.
Fields has steadily become one of the more dangerous dual threats in the league. If he does any noticeable damage Saturday, it will likely be with his legs. Fields leads NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards with 1,000, averaging seven yards per carry, and has eight rushing touchdowns. Allen has 705 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry, and has six rushing TDs.
Though Fields can make his share of big pass plays, he does not have a good enough cast of targets to create much of a worry for the Bills or any other opponent. The Bears’ passing attack ranks last in the NFL.
Assuming he’s able to play and healthy enough to perform at a reasonably high level, Matt Milano should be able to keep enough of an eye on Fields to prevent his movement from becoming more than the Bills’ defense can handle. The steadily improving health and play of Tre’Davious White should also help with reducing Fields’ passing opportunities and force him into mistakes.
4. It’s hard not to view Mitch Morse’s concussion with concern that goes beyond his missing the Bears’ game.
The concussion Morse suffered last Saturday night is Morse’s third since 2019 and sixth of his NFL career. That raises questions about whether he’ll be available through the final two games of the regular season and/or at least the start of the playoffs.
The Bills’ offensive line struggled badly after Morse departed the Miami game. The Dolphins were able to consistently bring pressure through the center-guard gap and clog the middle against the run.
If the Bills have an Achilles heel, it is their lack of offensive line depth. Morse’s absence could prove to be a lingering issue for the line and the offense in general.
5. Just how important is it for the Bills to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs?
I don’t think it’s nearly as important as some might believe. The Bills’ failure to advance in the postseason last January had nothing to do with their divisional-round playoff game against the Chiefs being played at Kansas City. The Bills found a way to turn a sure victory into a loss, something that could have just as easily happened at Highmark Stadium.
I think the team’s strength, compared with prospective postseason opponents, should continue to allow it to be successful home or away. Of course, if the Bills have a bye, creating a two-game path to the Super Bowl, their chances of reaching the big game should be as strong as any team.