ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills face the Seattle Seahawks for a week eight matchup on Sunday afternoon. The Bills are paying a visit to Seattle for the first time since 2016.
The Channel 2 sports team each gives a key to the game before things get underway inside Lumen Field at 4:05 p.m. Sunday.
Jon Scott — Bills run game
We know Sean McDermott believes in running the football. Many others, from offensive coordinator Joe Brady to Josh Allen and the players, agree it’s what sets up everything.
While it’s a passing league and I firmly agree the offense should be carried by the arm of Allen, Sunday I’m shifting focus to the ground.
Seattle’s run defense ranks 28th in the NFL entering Week 8, allowing an average of 146.1 yards per game on 4.97 yards per attempt, also 28th in the league.
The Bills' rushing numbers collectively don’t pop off the page, tied for 19th in the league at 116.3 yards per game.
However, as McDermott pointed out this week, sometimes the eye test and tape review better indicates the success rate over the stats themselves. The Bills have eclipsed that season average in four of their seven games, failing to run for over 100 yards in just two of the seven.
None of the three Bills running backs have gone for over 100 yards in a game, but James Cook and Ray Davis each have been productive when given a larger workload.
Weather also forecasted to be very Seattle-like, with rain and temperatures in the 50s.
We know Allen can sling it around in any conditions, but I think the plan out the gate will be establish the run and then hit them with the pass.
Jonathan Acosta — Encore performances at WR
Last week against the Titans, the Bills got the typical game they’ve received out of Khalil Shakir this season, leading the team in receptions and being a security blanket for Josh Allen.
Aside from Shakir, though, Buffalo got two notable performances at the wide receiver position.
First, Amari Cooper made an immediate impact in his Bills debut, rebounding nicely from a drop on his first target. Cooper tallied four receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown in the third quarter that kick started the Bills’ second half offensive blitz (27 second-half points).
Shining even brighter though was rookie wideout Keon Coleman. Coleman had the best game of his young NFL career, posting a career-high 125 receiving yards on four catches, which landed him Rookie of the Week honors on Thursday.
Was last Sunday a possible preview of what’s to come for the Bills this season with the addition of Cooper?
The Bills' newest wideout said this week he’s already starting to feel more comfortable in the offense, developing rapport with Josh Allen, and is ready to play an even larger role in his second game with the team.
"I think that's why they traded for me," Cooper said Thursday. "Definitely ready for an increased role. Definitely ready for more opportunities and I'm ready to pounce on them."
In addition, Coleman continues to grow and look more comfortable as he progresses through his rookie season.
Encore performances in Seattle from their productive games last week against Tennessee will be pivotal for a Bills team facing the possibility of a high-scoring game at Lumen Field against the Seahawks.
Seattle’s offense ranks 8th in the NFL in both points (25.7) and yards (368.3) per game. With Geno Smith leading an offense that has talent at receiver and a star running back in Kenneth Walker III, the Bills’ offense can’t afford a poor showing on the road like it had in Baltimore and Houston earlier this year.
Having the rookie and the vet at receiver carry over their strong showings from last week to the Pacific Northwest is the main thing I’ll be looking for on Sunday.
Lindsey Moppert — Start fast
The Bills have created a recent trend of starting slow and lifeless, relying on second-half adjustments to capitalize late in games.
A perfect example of this came in the team’s week seven matchup against the Titans. Buffalo trailed Tennessee 10-7 at halftime before going on to score 27 additional and unanswered points in the second half.
This new tendency isn't just an offense or defense issue either, it’s been happening on both sides of the football.
This week at practice, many players and coaches emphasized the importance of getting off to better starts and discussed how they can work to fix it.
“In all but maybe one or two games we really haven’t clicked early on,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said. “It’s taken us a couple drives to feel out what the defense is doing and getting into a rhythm. Getting off to a fast start is our utmost important thing going forward.”
This acknowledgement is now coming at an ideal time as the Bills travel to face a Seattle Seahawks team and offense that is known for its explosiveness and pass-heavy tendencies.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith leads the league in total passing yards with 1,985 as well as yards per game at 283.6.
It will be critical for the Bills offense to set the tone early while the defense works to contain Smith and his targets. Early dominance can also help to hush a loud and rowdy Lumen Field atmosphere.
The Bills should also get additional help on offense now that Josh Allen’s newest weapon and receiver Amari Cooper has settled into his new role and team. Cooper recorded four catches for 66 yards and one touchdown on just 19 snaps in his Bills debut.