Ravens Vs. Bills Q&A With BuffaLowDown Experts

2. Who steps up in the absence of Marcell Dareus? Will this hurt the Bills’ ability to stop the run?

Anytime you lose one of your most talented players on defense it’s going to hurt the team. The Bills will definitely miss Dareus but Rex Ryan is good at plugging in players when needed and using them in a way that amplifies their skill sets. The main player who will need to step up is Corbin Bryant who had to fill a similar role when the Bills lost Kyle Williams last season. Bryant has shown he can hold down the fort in the absence of one of the Bills best defensive players and you can expect him to repeat that performance this year while Dareus serves his suspension. The Bills should still be solid against the run, especially with the addition of thumper Brandon Spikes at middle linebacker who is known for his ability to stop opposing rushing attacks.

3. Is LeSean McCoy still an elite running back? You guys love to run the ball. I noticed that the Bills parted ways with Karlos Williams. How’s the overall running back group look? 

Yes, LeSean McCoy is elite. This was one of my biggest takeaways from last season. I’ve seen McCoy play for several years but I never realized how good he really was until watching him suit up for the Bills last season. His burst, agility, and vision are still there. Despite being banged up early in the year and missing time, he still showed he could regain his old form. He dazzled on many plays leaving me with my jaw dropped open over how he was able to make a cut or juke a defender into missing.

The loss of Karlos Williams could end up hurting the Bills because they didn’t replace him with another power running back. Reggie Bush was signed as the Bills second running back but he runs more like McCoy than Karlos Williams. Mike Gillislee is back and he will be used mostly on sweeps and plays around the edge to take advantage of his speed.

If there is any back that can fill in for Karlos Williams, it’s rookie Jonathan Williams who has shown in the preseason he has the ability to run through the tackles with some force. The Bills have a nice stable of running backs which is good because Greg Roman loves to call on his backs early and often in games.

Next: The Strengths & Weaknesses Of The Bills