B
Bob McGinn
Guest
By BOB McGINN
Quite possibly the poorest game of Aaron Rodgers’ career took place the last time the Green Bay Packers played the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills of coach Doug Marrone won that December day in 2014 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 21-13, largely because Rodgers was far off the mark and didn’t come close to solving a defense coordinated by Jim Schwartz.
Rodgers completed 17 of 42 passes for 185 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, both by backup safety Bacarri Rambo. His passer rating of 34.3 is the lowest of his 169-game career, counting playoffs.
His completion percentage of 40.5% is the lowest of his 161-game career as a starter.
When the teams meet again Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Bills will have a different coach (Sean McDermott), a different defensive coordinator (Leslie Frazier) and nine different starters on defense.
The two remaining starters, defensive end Jerry Hughes and defensive tackle Kyle Williams, are pillars of a front that set the tone for the Bills’ 27-6 ambush Sunday of the Minnesota Vikings. If they are as successful as they were in Minneapolis, the Packers and Rodgers should have a fight on their hands.
“I don’t think we took them too lightly,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I think they came out and kicked our butts.
“I told our guys all week long, ‘This defensive line is going to come after you. They’re not going to sit in there and read. They’re going to come after you and after you.’
“Then they were bringing a fifth guy quite a bit of the time. They did a good job covering and we didn’t make them pay.”
It took a 4-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Kyle Rudolph with 2:59 remaining for the Vikings to avoid their first shutout at home since 1962. Cousins turned the ball over three times as the Bills, a 16 ½-point underdog, became just the fifth NFL team since 1990 to win facing a point spread of 15 points or more.
“If you’re going to look past us to the next week,” Hughes said afterward, “we’re going to show you how the Buffalo Bills play football.”
The Packers were favored by 4 ½ points late in 2014 against a Bills club that finished 9-7. They’re favored by 10 now despite suffering an upset defeat of their own Sunday, 31-17, in Washington.
“It’s just hard to bet against the Packers when they’re coming off the game they just came off of,” an executive in personnel said. “Had they won that game and were flying high they’d be primed for an upset. If you can’t get focused now and come in and play fairly well …
“Minnesota went to sleep on them. I don’t think the Bills will sneak up on the Packers like they did Minnesota. I’ll say Green Bay, 24-17.”
Buffalo still was looking for the next Jim Kelly in 2014 when the old Bear, Kyle Orton, engineered one of the team’s biggest victories in years over the Packers. Judged by early returns for rookie Josh Allen, the Bills might finally have their man.
“Josh Allen is a real up-and-comer,” a personnel man for an AFC team said. “Now they need to get him some help.
“LeSean McCoy is still a heck of a back, and he’d be a great help to his young quarterback, but if he’s out again (rib injury) that offense will really struggle. Even after ‘AP’s’ (Adrian Peterson) explosion last week I can’t see the Packers giving up a lot of yards to any of McCoy’s backups.
“The Bills don’t have anybody who really scares you as a receiving target. Kelvin Benjamin is a big jump-ball target but he’s a one-trick pony that way. Take him out of the game and who else remotely threatens a defense, even one with young corners?”
Buffalo’s defensive front did far more damage against Minnesota’s vulnerable offensive line than Green Bay’s front did 10 days ago at Lambeau Field.
“The Bills sure did (dominate),” said one scout. “That was the difference in that game.”
Another scout predicted the Packers would win 27-10.
“The Packers’ greatest challenge will be dealing with Buffalo’s defensive line, which is the strength of the unit and the whole team,” said the personnel man. “They will be tough against an average at best Green Bay running game and could get to Rodgers.
“McDermott is a good defensive-minded coach so that side of the ball will give 12 & Co. all it can handle for a while. But Buffalo just isn’t realistically good enough to play over their heads two weeks in a row on the road against the NFC North’s best.
“That said, I can’t believe what Buffalo did in Minnesota. Wouldn’t have given them a snowball’s chance in hell. Goes to show how week to week the NFL can be.”
OFFENSIVE SCHEME
Coordinator – Brian Daboll (first year).
Key assistant coaches – Juan Castillo, offensive line/run game; David Culley, quarterbacks; Terry Robiskie, wide receivers.
Notes: Coach Sean McDonough fired coordinator Rick Dennison in January after the Bills finished 29th on offense. Daboll was the coordinator at Alabama in 2017 after spending 10 years in New England and shorter stays as coordinator in Cleveland, Miami and Kansas City. It’s a misdirection-type offense with plenty of run-pass options. Daboll mixes personnel groupings and formations while scaling back reads for rookie QB Josh Allen. He isn’t ready to dissect a defense yet. The Bills rank 31st in yards (246.0), 29thin points (50) and tied for 10th in giveaways (four).
What scouts say: “It’s different now just because of the quarterback (change). He’s catering things now for (Josh) Allen. They want to make sure they keep the reads relatively simple.”
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters – Kelvin Benjamin (6-5, 245, 4.65 before the draft in 2014); Zay Jones (6-2, 200, 4.49).
Key backups – Andre Holmes (6-4 ½, 210, 4.50); Robert Foster (6-1 ½, 196, 4.45); Ray-Ray McCloud (5-9 ½, 185, 4.53).
Notes: Benjamin, who dropped two passes in the first quarter Sunday at Minnesota, was acquired from Carolina in October for third- and seventh-round draft choices. He’s off to a poor start with just six receptions for 58 yards. Jones, a second-round pick in 2017, played 75.3% of the snaps as a rookie but caught just 27 passes and dropped a bunch for a 9-7 playoff team quarterbacked by Tyrod Taylor. Foster, an undrafted rookie from Alabama, is a deep threat. He dropped a 45-yard bomb against the Vikings.
What scouts say: “Not great. Most of them have size. Benjamin is a big target but his focus is inconsistent. Not great speed. He’s a box-you-out guy.” … “Zay does have good speed. He’s still unpolished. His routes are OK. He is athletic and can get vertical on you.” … “(Speed) is kind of Foster’s thing. Holmes played well at Oakland. More of a possession guy. Lanky guy. He’s not going to threaten you.”
TIGHT ENDS
Starter – Charles Clay (6-3, 255, 4.73).
Key backups – Khari Lee (6-4, 253, 5.04); Jason Croom (6-4, 246, 4.67).
Notes: Daboll loves using tight ends. The snap counts are 123 for Clay, 59 for Croom and 33 for Lee, the best blocker of the group. Clay has started 91 games for Miami and Buffalo. He has 322 career catches.
What scouts say: “Clay lacks great size but still has pretty good athleticism. He can mismatch you on certain people. He’s more of a threat against linebackers and some strong safeties. He’s not a front-line, elite tight end.”
OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters – LT Dion Dawkins (6-3 ½, 320, 5.10); LB Vladimir Ducasse (6-4 ½, 329, 5.25); C Russell Bodine (6-23, 308, 5.20); RG John Miller (6-2 ½, 315, 5.23); RT Jordan Mills (6-5, 316, 5.35).
Key backups – C-G Ryan Groy (6-4 ½, 320, 5.14); T Conor McDermott (6-5 ½, 305, 5.40).
Notes: The Bills are without three starters from last year: LT Cordy Glenn, LG Richie Incognito and C Eric Wood. Incognito and Wood retired, and Glenn was traded. Dawkins, who made 12 starts as a rookie, was a second-round pick in 2017. His long arms (35 inch) compensate for his height. Ducasse, 30, has started 44 games in nine seasons for five teams. Bodine, a four-year starter in Cincinnati, was allowed to walk because the Bengals thought he was too slow to block at the second level. He made his first start for the Bills in Game 3 after Groy, a former Badger, was benched. Miller has 35 starts in four seasons. Mills, who is the cousin of Green Bay CB Tramon Williams, has 69 starts in six years. He started for the Bears in 2013-’14. On Tuesday, the Bills traded former Packers T-G Marshall Newhouse to Carolina for a conditional draft choice and then signed T-G Jeremiah Sirles to replace him. Carolina will be the sixth team for Newhouse, who played 14 snaps in the first three games.
What scouts say: “Dawkins is pretty athletic and he is a tough guy. Little bit undersized but really aggressive and physical. He plays with everything that he has. Little bit of an overachiever.” … “We never were big fans of Ducasse. It was a lot of hype with him coming out. He’s never lived up to expectations. Yet, he’s got the physical traits that people look at and say, ‘This guy could be something special.’ He couldn’t play tackle so they moved him in to guard where he’s at least able to use his size.” … “Bodine is more of a big-body, phone-booth blocker. He’s not athletic. He’s not a move guy. If he can stand there and get his hands on you that’s how he wins. He can flip his hips and seal you but he can’t move up the field and he doesn’t pull. He’s a smart guy (Wonderlic of 31) and a tough guy.” … “Miller and the others are just overachievers and grunts. Not great size. He’s stocky and he’s stout and he’s got good strength, but they don’t have the athleticism to pull and move. They have to win at the line of scrimmage.” … “Mills, like Ducasse, at least he has the size to kind of look the part but they don’t necessarily play that way for you.” … “It’s funny. With their O-line it’s almost like they pieced together a bunch of also-rans. It’s almost like guys that were rejected every place else.”
QUARTERBACKS
Starter – Josh Allen (6-5, 234, 4.7).
Backup – Nathan Peterman (6-2 ½, 225, 4.81).
Notes: The Bills traded second-round draft choices in 2018 and ’19 to move up from No. 12 to No. 7 and select Allen. After trading Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland in March for a third-round pick, the Bills signed Bengals free agent A.J. McCarron. On Sept. 2, they traded McCarron to Oakland for a fifth-round pick. Peterman, a fifth-round pick in 2017, started the 47-3 loss to Baltimore on opening day and was benched early in the second half after compiling a passer rating of 0.0. Allen, who scored 37 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, has a rating of 76.8 after 2 ½ games. He also has rushed 22 times for 97 yards (4.4) and two touchdowns.
What scouts say: “Allen is a smart guy. Thing you don’t realize about him is just how athletic he is. He’s a big kid with really good athleticism, and he’s got a howitzer for an arm. Right now he’s got to play to an NFL level. They’re trying to limit his reads. It’s first and second read, then get rid of the ball or run. Sometimes he’ll try to extend the play and do too much. He’s prone to making some of those bonehead moves with the ball instead of throwing it away. He can get you down the field and the first-read, second-read stuff.”
RUNNING BACKS
Starters – RB LeSean McCoy (5-10 ½, 210, 4.51) or Chris Ivory (5-11 ½, 223, 4.47); FB Patrick DiMarco (6-0 ½, 234, 4.92).
Key backup – RB Marcus Murphy (5-8 ½, 195, 4.56).
Notes: McCoy sat out the Minnesota game with rib damage suffered 10 days ago against the Chargers. He ranks 29th on the all-time rushing list with 10,153 yards. He also has 446 receptions. Ivory, a 1,000-yard rusher for the Jets in 2015, carried 20 times for 56 yards (2.8) and also caught three passes for 70. Murphy, with his fourth team in four years, is a tough little back capable of making sharp cuts. In Minnesota, he had eight rushes for 33.
What scouts say: “McCoy was on the sideline at the Minnesota game moving around. He could conceivably play but with the guys they’re running with it’s almost like they’re better off just being safe and not rush the guy back.” … “Ivory isn’t fancy. He’s just a pound-the-ball guy. He’s not going to break the big, long run but he’ll get the tough yards and be a four-minute back. He’s just steady. He’s better suited for being your third back than a No. 2. He is tough and holds onto the ball.” … “Murphy is a third-down back. Not a blocking type. More of a receiver. If he can isolate on linebackers then you can take advantage of him. He’s pretty quick and pretty shifty.” … “If something happened with Ivory and they needed the blocking back then DiMarco would be it. Other than that, his role is goal-line and short-yardage. They’re not really trying to give him the ball.”
DEFENSIVE SCHEME
Coordinator – Leslie Frazier (second year).
Key assistant coaches – Bill Teerlinck, defensive line; John Butler, defensive backs; Bob Babich, linebackers.
Notes: McDermott, a disciple of Jim Johnson during a 12-year stay in Philadelphia, coordinated for six seasons in Carolina before replacing Rex Ryan as head coach in January 2017. He took over calling the defense from Frazier at halftime of the second game but gave the duties back to him last week. It’s a 4-3 system emphasizing Cover 2 and Cover 3 zones, a seven-man box and minimal blitzing even though McDermott learned at the elbow of the pressure-oriented Johnson. It’s a one-gap front that constantly is on the move. As Vikings coach Mike Zimmer put it, “They’re going to be playing the run on the way to the quarterback.” The Bills rank 11th in yards allowed (336.7), 24th in points allowed (84) and tied for 14th in takeaways (four).
What scouts say: “Basically, they’re a zone defense. They don’t really isolate their guys a whole lot. It’s a basic two- and three-deep zone.” … “As long as those guys up front play like they played against Minnesota they don’t have to blitz a lot.”
DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters – LE Trent Murphy (6-5 ½, 260, 4.85); DT Kyle Williams (6-1, 303, 5.08); DT Star Lotulelei (6-2 ½, 315, 5.41); RE Jerry Hughes (6-2, 254, 4.65).
Key backups – DE Shaq Lawson (6-2 ½, 267, 4.66); DE Eddie Yarbrough (6-2 ½, 259, 4.75); DE Nate Orchard (6-3 ½, 255, 4.84); DT Harrison Phillips (6-3, 307, 5.18).
Notes: Hughes gave Vikings LT Riley Reiff fits with five pressures. A first-round pick in 2010, he has 42 sacks. Taking dumb penalties has always held him back. On the left side, the Bills would prefer playing Lawson, the 19th pick in 2016, on run downs before using Murphy on pass downs. Lawson, however, missed the last two games (hamstring). A former Redskin, Murphy has enormous hands (11 1/8 inches) and a tough-guy, relentless approach. He just lacks top speed. Murphy rolled his ankle late in the Minnesota game. Williams, a veteran of 13 Buffalo seasons, notched his 45th sack Sunday working inside against Vikings RG Mike Remmers. Lotulelei rejoined McDermott in March, leaving Carolina for $50 million over five years ($25M guaranteed).
What scouts say: “Hughes really is the pressure guy. He can beat tackles on a speed rush and he also has a nice counter move where he can get back inside.” … “Murphy is the ultimate overachiever. He’s a try-hard, Stanford guy. He just keeps coming. He’s an all-effort guy and a fairly good technician. Not super athletic.” … “Lawson hasn’t done much since he was drafted.” … “Kyle Williams is the wide-body. He’s really meant to be a run stuffer interior guy but he actually can get pretty good push. He plays hard as a son of a gun, man. Guys that are unathletic and don’t really have an anchor, he’ll dominant those guys. He struggles with bigger bodies.” … “Lotulelei flashes where you think it’d be tough to block him without double teams. He’s a big run defender.”
LINEBACKERS
Starters – SLB Lorenzo Alexander (6-1 ½, 245, 5.15); MLB Tremaine Edmunds (6-4 ½, 250, 4.55); WLB Matt Milano (6-0 ½, 223, 4.71).
Key backup – Ramon Humber (5-11, 232, no time).
Notes: In April, the Bills traded up to the 16th pick and drafted Edmunds, a tall, speedy linebacker who turned 20 in May. He has played every snap, leads the team in tackles (24) and is tied for the team lead in passes defensed (three). Milano, a fifth-round pick in 2017, flashed his big-play ability against Minnesota. Alexander, 35, still brings it on run downs and from defensive tackle as a bull rusher on passing downs.
What scouts say: “I really like Lorenzo. He’s a solid player who knows the defense. He’s not going to blow assignments. He’s going to fit into his gap and just going to be steady. Not a super great playmaker but plays the game and knows where to be. Much like the guys you always see at New England.” … “He puts his hand down in their NASCAR package and rushes the passer.” … “Milano is a little undersized. Tall and lean. He’s younger (23) but he’s a sharp guy and he plays hard.” … “The kid they drafted, Edmunds, is tall for a middle linebacker. Really athletic and has excellent speed to the ball. If he can get a gap he can run you down.”
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters – LC Tre’Davious White (5-11, 192, 4.52); RC Ryan Lewis (5-11, 192, 4.33); SS Micah Hyde (5-11 ½, 197, 4.57); FS Jordan Poyer (6-0, 191, 4.52).
Key backups – CB Taron Johnson (5-11, 192, 4.47); S Rafael Bush (5-10, 203, 4.47).
Notes: White was the fifth cornerback selected in 2017 (No. 27). Kevin King was the sixth to go (Packers, No. 33). Last year, White finished a distant second to Saints CB Marshon Lattimore in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. On Sunday, he held Minnesota’s Stefon Diggs to 17 yards in four catches. Vontae Davis, the other starter, retired at halftime of the second game. Phillip Gaines, a former Chief nickel back, probably would be starting but suffered a dislocated elbow in Game 2 and remains questionable. Thus, free agent Ryan Lewis made his NFL debut after being signed off the practice squad. Hyde, the former Packer, and Poyer, the former Brown, each had five interceptions in 2017.
What scouts say: “White shadowed Diggs Sunday, and I imagine he’ll match up with the opponent’s best receiver. They’re finding out if he can be a shut-down guy. He plays hard and he is talented and he can play the ball as well. He’s aggressive in coverage.” … “Lewis has mental toughness and a work ethic. He can run like a son of a gun. He’s got speed. He can develop into a pretty good corner. He’s got good size, good toughness and he can run. Still a little bit raw. His pass defense was really good against the Vikings. Average ball skills.” … “Taron Johnson has got pretty good feel playing the ball. He’s also got good short-area quickness more than long speed. I think he’ll always be a nickel.” … “Hyde’s really good at communicating. He has good ball skills but lacks great speed. He plays faster than his timed speed.” … “Poyer is another converted corner. He’s an undersized safety but he’s smart and communicates well. He’s better defending the pass than supporting the run.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Coordinator – Danny Crossman (sixth year).
Personnel – K Stephen Hauschka (6-4, 210); P Corey Bojorquez (6-0, 208); LS Reid Ferguson (6-2, 235); KR Marcus Murphy; PR Marcus Murphy or Micah Hyde.
Notes: Hauschka, the former Seahawk, is off to a five for six start. Since joining the Bills last year he is eight for 11 from 50-plus. On Sept. 2, the Bills cut veteran punter Colton Schmidt and claimed rookie free agent Bojorquez of New Mexico from the Patriots. He didn’t even have an attempt in the exhibition season. His 19-punt averages are 46.3 yards (gross) and 41.5 net. Murphy is a dangerous return man.
What scouts say: “Crossman has been a couple different places and has always put together fairly good teams.” … “Hauschka has always been pretty consistent with pretty good range. He can hit from 50. Most of his kickoffs go into the end zone.” … “Bojorquez is athletic as a punter but he needs to speed up from touch to toe, so to speak. That just needs to go a little bit quicker. Average hands. He just needs to focus on the ball. Just average. I didn’t think he was a boomer.” … “Murphy is a little, quick guy who can make people miss, and he does have some breakaway speed. He’s not going to break tackles.”
Quite possibly the poorest game of Aaron Rodgers’ career took place the last time the Green Bay Packers played the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills of coach Doug Marrone won that December day in 2014 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 21-13, largely because Rodgers was far off the mark and didn’t come close to solving a defense coordinated by Jim Schwartz.
Rodgers completed 17 of 42 passes for 185 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, both by backup safety Bacarri Rambo. His passer rating of 34.3 is the lowest of his 169-game career, counting playoffs.
His completion percentage of 40.5% is the lowest of his 161-game career as a starter.
When the teams meet again Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Bills will have a different coach (Sean McDermott), a different defensive coordinator (Leslie Frazier) and nine different starters on defense.
The two remaining starters, defensive end Jerry Hughes and defensive tackle Kyle Williams, are pillars of a front that set the tone for the Bills’ 27-6 ambush Sunday of the Minnesota Vikings. If they are as successful as they were in Minneapolis, the Packers and Rodgers should have a fight on their hands.
“I don’t think we took them too lightly,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I think they came out and kicked our butts.
“I told our guys all week long, ‘This defensive line is going to come after you. They’re not going to sit in there and read. They’re going to come after you and after you.’
“Then they were bringing a fifth guy quite a bit of the time. They did a good job covering and we didn’t make them pay.”
It took a 4-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Kyle Rudolph with 2:59 remaining for the Vikings to avoid their first shutout at home since 1962. Cousins turned the ball over three times as the Bills, a 16 ½-point underdog, became just the fifth NFL team since 1990 to win facing a point spread of 15 points or more.
“If you’re going to look past us to the next week,” Hughes said afterward, “we’re going to show you how the Buffalo Bills play football.”
The Packers were favored by 4 ½ points late in 2014 against a Bills club that finished 9-7. They’re favored by 10 now despite suffering an upset defeat of their own Sunday, 31-17, in Washington.
“It’s just hard to bet against the Packers when they’re coming off the game they just came off of,” an executive in personnel said. “Had they won that game and were flying high they’d be primed for an upset. If you can’t get focused now and come in and play fairly well …
“Minnesota went to sleep on them. I don’t think the Bills will sneak up on the Packers like they did Minnesota. I’ll say Green Bay, 24-17.”
Buffalo still was looking for the next Jim Kelly in 2014 when the old Bear, Kyle Orton, engineered one of the team’s biggest victories in years over the Packers. Judged by early returns for rookie Josh Allen, the Bills might finally have their man.
“Josh Allen is a real up-and-comer,” a personnel man for an AFC team said. “Now they need to get him some help.
“LeSean McCoy is still a heck of a back, and he’d be a great help to his young quarterback, but if he’s out again (rib injury) that offense will really struggle. Even after ‘AP’s’ (Adrian Peterson) explosion last week I can’t see the Packers giving up a lot of yards to any of McCoy’s backups.
“The Bills don’t have anybody who really scares you as a receiving target. Kelvin Benjamin is a big jump-ball target but he’s a one-trick pony that way. Take him out of the game and who else remotely threatens a defense, even one with young corners?”
Buffalo’s defensive front did far more damage against Minnesota’s vulnerable offensive line than Green Bay’s front did 10 days ago at Lambeau Field.
“The Bills sure did (dominate),” said one scout. “That was the difference in that game.”
Another scout predicted the Packers would win 27-10.
“The Packers’ greatest challenge will be dealing with Buffalo’s defensive line, which is the strength of the unit and the whole team,” said the personnel man. “They will be tough against an average at best Green Bay running game and could get to Rodgers.
“McDermott is a good defensive-minded coach so that side of the ball will give 12 & Co. all it can handle for a while. But Buffalo just isn’t realistically good enough to play over their heads two weeks in a row on the road against the NFC North’s best.
“That said, I can’t believe what Buffalo did in Minnesota. Wouldn’t have given them a snowball’s chance in hell. Goes to show how week to week the NFL can be.”
OFFENSIVE SCHEME
Coordinator – Brian Daboll (first year).
Key assistant coaches – Juan Castillo, offensive line/run game; David Culley, quarterbacks; Terry Robiskie, wide receivers.
Notes: Coach Sean McDonough fired coordinator Rick Dennison in January after the Bills finished 29th on offense. Daboll was the coordinator at Alabama in 2017 after spending 10 years in New England and shorter stays as coordinator in Cleveland, Miami and Kansas City. It’s a misdirection-type offense with plenty of run-pass options. Daboll mixes personnel groupings and formations while scaling back reads for rookie QB Josh Allen. He isn’t ready to dissect a defense yet. The Bills rank 31st in yards (246.0), 29thin points (50) and tied for 10th in giveaways (four).
What scouts say: “It’s different now just because of the quarterback (change). He’s catering things now for (Josh) Allen. They want to make sure they keep the reads relatively simple.”
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters – Kelvin Benjamin (6-5, 245, 4.65 before the draft in 2014); Zay Jones (6-2, 200, 4.49).
Key backups – Andre Holmes (6-4 ½, 210, 4.50); Robert Foster (6-1 ½, 196, 4.45); Ray-Ray McCloud (5-9 ½, 185, 4.53).
Notes: Benjamin, who dropped two passes in the first quarter Sunday at Minnesota, was acquired from Carolina in October for third- and seventh-round draft choices. He’s off to a poor start with just six receptions for 58 yards. Jones, a second-round pick in 2017, played 75.3% of the snaps as a rookie but caught just 27 passes and dropped a bunch for a 9-7 playoff team quarterbacked by Tyrod Taylor. Foster, an undrafted rookie from Alabama, is a deep threat. He dropped a 45-yard bomb against the Vikings.
What scouts say: “Not great. Most of them have size. Benjamin is a big target but his focus is inconsistent. Not great speed. He’s a box-you-out guy.” … “Zay does have good speed. He’s still unpolished. His routes are OK. He is athletic and can get vertical on you.” … “(Speed) is kind of Foster’s thing. Holmes played well at Oakland. More of a possession guy. Lanky guy. He’s not going to threaten you.”
TIGHT ENDS
Starter – Charles Clay (6-3, 255, 4.73).
Key backups – Khari Lee (6-4, 253, 5.04); Jason Croom (6-4, 246, 4.67).
Notes: Daboll loves using tight ends. The snap counts are 123 for Clay, 59 for Croom and 33 for Lee, the best blocker of the group. Clay has started 91 games for Miami and Buffalo. He has 322 career catches.
What scouts say: “Clay lacks great size but still has pretty good athleticism. He can mismatch you on certain people. He’s more of a threat against linebackers and some strong safeties. He’s not a front-line, elite tight end.”
OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters – LT Dion Dawkins (6-3 ½, 320, 5.10); LB Vladimir Ducasse (6-4 ½, 329, 5.25); C Russell Bodine (6-23, 308, 5.20); RG John Miller (6-2 ½, 315, 5.23); RT Jordan Mills (6-5, 316, 5.35).
Key backups – C-G Ryan Groy (6-4 ½, 320, 5.14); T Conor McDermott (6-5 ½, 305, 5.40).
Notes: The Bills are without three starters from last year: LT Cordy Glenn, LG Richie Incognito and C Eric Wood. Incognito and Wood retired, and Glenn was traded. Dawkins, who made 12 starts as a rookie, was a second-round pick in 2017. His long arms (35 inch) compensate for his height. Ducasse, 30, has started 44 games in nine seasons for five teams. Bodine, a four-year starter in Cincinnati, was allowed to walk because the Bengals thought he was too slow to block at the second level. He made his first start for the Bills in Game 3 after Groy, a former Badger, was benched. Miller has 35 starts in four seasons. Mills, who is the cousin of Green Bay CB Tramon Williams, has 69 starts in six years. He started for the Bears in 2013-’14. On Tuesday, the Bills traded former Packers T-G Marshall Newhouse to Carolina for a conditional draft choice and then signed T-G Jeremiah Sirles to replace him. Carolina will be the sixth team for Newhouse, who played 14 snaps in the first three games.
What scouts say: “Dawkins is pretty athletic and he is a tough guy. Little bit undersized but really aggressive and physical. He plays with everything that he has. Little bit of an overachiever.” … “We never were big fans of Ducasse. It was a lot of hype with him coming out. He’s never lived up to expectations. Yet, he’s got the physical traits that people look at and say, ‘This guy could be something special.’ He couldn’t play tackle so they moved him in to guard where he’s at least able to use his size.” … “Bodine is more of a big-body, phone-booth blocker. He’s not athletic. He’s not a move guy. If he can stand there and get his hands on you that’s how he wins. He can flip his hips and seal you but he can’t move up the field and he doesn’t pull. He’s a smart guy (Wonderlic of 31) and a tough guy.” … “Miller and the others are just overachievers and grunts. Not great size. He’s stocky and he’s stout and he’s got good strength, but they don’t have the athleticism to pull and move. They have to win at the line of scrimmage.” … “Mills, like Ducasse, at least he has the size to kind of look the part but they don’t necessarily play that way for you.” … “It’s funny. With their O-line it’s almost like they pieced together a bunch of also-rans. It’s almost like guys that were rejected every place else.”
QUARTERBACKS
Starter – Josh Allen (6-5, 234, 4.7).
Backup – Nathan Peterman (6-2 ½, 225, 4.81).
Notes: The Bills traded second-round draft choices in 2018 and ’19 to move up from No. 12 to No. 7 and select Allen. After trading Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland in March for a third-round pick, the Bills signed Bengals free agent A.J. McCarron. On Sept. 2, they traded McCarron to Oakland for a fifth-round pick. Peterman, a fifth-round pick in 2017, started the 47-3 loss to Baltimore on opening day and was benched early in the second half after compiling a passer rating of 0.0. Allen, who scored 37 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, has a rating of 76.8 after 2 ½ games. He also has rushed 22 times for 97 yards (4.4) and two touchdowns.
What scouts say: “Allen is a smart guy. Thing you don’t realize about him is just how athletic he is. He’s a big kid with really good athleticism, and he’s got a howitzer for an arm. Right now he’s got to play to an NFL level. They’re trying to limit his reads. It’s first and second read, then get rid of the ball or run. Sometimes he’ll try to extend the play and do too much. He’s prone to making some of those bonehead moves with the ball instead of throwing it away. He can get you down the field and the first-read, second-read stuff.”
RUNNING BACKS
Starters – RB LeSean McCoy (5-10 ½, 210, 4.51) or Chris Ivory (5-11 ½, 223, 4.47); FB Patrick DiMarco (6-0 ½, 234, 4.92).
Key backup – RB Marcus Murphy (5-8 ½, 195, 4.56).
Notes: McCoy sat out the Minnesota game with rib damage suffered 10 days ago against the Chargers. He ranks 29th on the all-time rushing list with 10,153 yards. He also has 446 receptions. Ivory, a 1,000-yard rusher for the Jets in 2015, carried 20 times for 56 yards (2.8) and also caught three passes for 70. Murphy, with his fourth team in four years, is a tough little back capable of making sharp cuts. In Minnesota, he had eight rushes for 33.
What scouts say: “McCoy was on the sideline at the Minnesota game moving around. He could conceivably play but with the guys they’re running with it’s almost like they’re better off just being safe and not rush the guy back.” … “Ivory isn’t fancy. He’s just a pound-the-ball guy. He’s not going to break the big, long run but he’ll get the tough yards and be a four-minute back. He’s just steady. He’s better suited for being your third back than a No. 2. He is tough and holds onto the ball.” … “Murphy is a third-down back. Not a blocking type. More of a receiver. If he can isolate on linebackers then you can take advantage of him. He’s pretty quick and pretty shifty.” … “If something happened with Ivory and they needed the blocking back then DiMarco would be it. Other than that, his role is goal-line and short-yardage. They’re not really trying to give him the ball.”
DEFENSIVE SCHEME
Coordinator – Leslie Frazier (second year).
Key assistant coaches – Bill Teerlinck, defensive line; John Butler, defensive backs; Bob Babich, linebackers.
Notes: McDermott, a disciple of Jim Johnson during a 12-year stay in Philadelphia, coordinated for six seasons in Carolina before replacing Rex Ryan as head coach in January 2017. He took over calling the defense from Frazier at halftime of the second game but gave the duties back to him last week. It’s a 4-3 system emphasizing Cover 2 and Cover 3 zones, a seven-man box and minimal blitzing even though McDermott learned at the elbow of the pressure-oriented Johnson. It’s a one-gap front that constantly is on the move. As Vikings coach Mike Zimmer put it, “They’re going to be playing the run on the way to the quarterback.” The Bills rank 11th in yards allowed (336.7), 24th in points allowed (84) and tied for 14th in takeaways (four).
What scouts say: “Basically, they’re a zone defense. They don’t really isolate their guys a whole lot. It’s a basic two- and three-deep zone.” … “As long as those guys up front play like they played against Minnesota they don’t have to blitz a lot.”
DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters – LE Trent Murphy (6-5 ½, 260, 4.85); DT Kyle Williams (6-1, 303, 5.08); DT Star Lotulelei (6-2 ½, 315, 5.41); RE Jerry Hughes (6-2, 254, 4.65).
Key backups – DE Shaq Lawson (6-2 ½, 267, 4.66); DE Eddie Yarbrough (6-2 ½, 259, 4.75); DE Nate Orchard (6-3 ½, 255, 4.84); DT Harrison Phillips (6-3, 307, 5.18).
Notes: Hughes gave Vikings LT Riley Reiff fits with five pressures. A first-round pick in 2010, he has 42 sacks. Taking dumb penalties has always held him back. On the left side, the Bills would prefer playing Lawson, the 19th pick in 2016, on run downs before using Murphy on pass downs. Lawson, however, missed the last two games (hamstring). A former Redskin, Murphy has enormous hands (11 1/8 inches) and a tough-guy, relentless approach. He just lacks top speed. Murphy rolled his ankle late in the Minnesota game. Williams, a veteran of 13 Buffalo seasons, notched his 45th sack Sunday working inside against Vikings RG Mike Remmers. Lotulelei rejoined McDermott in March, leaving Carolina for $50 million over five years ($25M guaranteed).
What scouts say: “Hughes really is the pressure guy. He can beat tackles on a speed rush and he also has a nice counter move where he can get back inside.” … “Murphy is the ultimate overachiever. He’s a try-hard, Stanford guy. He just keeps coming. He’s an all-effort guy and a fairly good technician. Not super athletic.” … “Lawson hasn’t done much since he was drafted.” … “Kyle Williams is the wide-body. He’s really meant to be a run stuffer interior guy but he actually can get pretty good push. He plays hard as a son of a gun, man. Guys that are unathletic and don’t really have an anchor, he’ll dominant those guys. He struggles with bigger bodies.” … “Lotulelei flashes where you think it’d be tough to block him without double teams. He’s a big run defender.”
LINEBACKERS
Starters – SLB Lorenzo Alexander (6-1 ½, 245, 5.15); MLB Tremaine Edmunds (6-4 ½, 250, 4.55); WLB Matt Milano (6-0 ½, 223, 4.71).
Key backup – Ramon Humber (5-11, 232, no time).
Notes: In April, the Bills traded up to the 16th pick and drafted Edmunds, a tall, speedy linebacker who turned 20 in May. He has played every snap, leads the team in tackles (24) and is tied for the team lead in passes defensed (three). Milano, a fifth-round pick in 2017, flashed his big-play ability against Minnesota. Alexander, 35, still brings it on run downs and from defensive tackle as a bull rusher on passing downs.
What scouts say: “I really like Lorenzo. He’s a solid player who knows the defense. He’s not going to blow assignments. He’s going to fit into his gap and just going to be steady. Not a super great playmaker but plays the game and knows where to be. Much like the guys you always see at New England.” … “He puts his hand down in their NASCAR package and rushes the passer.” … “Milano is a little undersized. Tall and lean. He’s younger (23) but he’s a sharp guy and he plays hard.” … “The kid they drafted, Edmunds, is tall for a middle linebacker. Really athletic and has excellent speed to the ball. If he can get a gap he can run you down.”
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters – LC Tre’Davious White (5-11, 192, 4.52); RC Ryan Lewis (5-11, 192, 4.33); SS Micah Hyde (5-11 ½, 197, 4.57); FS Jordan Poyer (6-0, 191, 4.52).
Key backups – CB Taron Johnson (5-11, 192, 4.47); S Rafael Bush (5-10, 203, 4.47).
Notes: White was the fifth cornerback selected in 2017 (No. 27). Kevin King was the sixth to go (Packers, No. 33). Last year, White finished a distant second to Saints CB Marshon Lattimore in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. On Sunday, he held Minnesota’s Stefon Diggs to 17 yards in four catches. Vontae Davis, the other starter, retired at halftime of the second game. Phillip Gaines, a former Chief nickel back, probably would be starting but suffered a dislocated elbow in Game 2 and remains questionable. Thus, free agent Ryan Lewis made his NFL debut after being signed off the practice squad. Hyde, the former Packer, and Poyer, the former Brown, each had five interceptions in 2017.
What scouts say: “White shadowed Diggs Sunday, and I imagine he’ll match up with the opponent’s best receiver. They’re finding out if he can be a shut-down guy. He plays hard and he is talented and he can play the ball as well. He’s aggressive in coverage.” … “Lewis has mental toughness and a work ethic. He can run like a son of a gun. He’s got speed. He can develop into a pretty good corner. He’s got good size, good toughness and he can run. Still a little bit raw. His pass defense was really good against the Vikings. Average ball skills.” … “Taron Johnson has got pretty good feel playing the ball. He’s also got good short-area quickness more than long speed. I think he’ll always be a nickel.” … “Hyde’s really good at communicating. He has good ball skills but lacks great speed. He plays faster than his timed speed.” … “Poyer is another converted corner. He’s an undersized safety but he’s smart and communicates well. He’s better defending the pass than supporting the run.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Coordinator – Danny Crossman (sixth year).
Personnel – K Stephen Hauschka (6-4, 210); P Corey Bojorquez (6-0, 208); LS Reid Ferguson (6-2, 235); KR Marcus Murphy; PR Marcus Murphy or Micah Hyde.
Notes: Hauschka, the former Seahawk, is off to a five for six start. Since joining the Bills last year he is eight for 11 from 50-plus. On Sept. 2, the Bills cut veteran punter Colton Schmidt and claimed rookie free agent Bojorquez of New Mexico from the Patriots. He didn’t even have an attempt in the exhibition season. His 19-punt averages are 46.3 yards (gross) and 41.5 net. Murphy is a dangerous return man.
What scouts say: “Crossman has been a couple different places and has always put together fairly good teams.” … “Hauschka has always been pretty consistent with pretty good range. He can hit from 50. Most of his kickoffs go into the end zone.” … “Bojorquez is athletic as a punter but he needs to speed up from touch to toe, so to speak. That just needs to go a little bit quicker. Average hands. He just needs to focus on the ball. Just average. I didn’t think he was a boomer.” … “Murphy is a little, quick guy who can make people miss, and he does have some breakaway speed. He’s not going to break tackles.”
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