NFL: 10 teams that are better (or worse) than their records indicate
WORSE: Buffalo Bills (3-3)
There are two things killing the Buffalo Williams in 2015:
- Injuries have slayed them through six games, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Buffalo has seen QB Tyrod Taylor, RBs LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams, WRs Sammy Watkins and Percy Harvin, TE Charles Clay, and linemen Cordy Glenn and John Miller either miss time or lose effectiveness on the field because of injuries. The biggest injury for the team, though, might be defensive tackle Marcel Dareus as he is limited by a hip injury.
- Rex Ryan has been a blessing in some ways and a curse in others. The Bills defense is schematically sound, and Ryan does a good job with allowing the offense to be a true performance meritocracy – an important element considering the failures of high profile players like E.J. Manuel. But too often the Bills enter matchups unprepared for a game plan and undisciplined on the field with penalties.
As a result, the Bills have been up and down throughout the season, alternating wins with losses in their first six games. They have looked noble in defeat (the 40-32 loss to the New England Patriots comes to mind) and highly flawed in victory (the 14-13 squeaker against the Tennessee Titans remains the most relevant example).
The lack of a steady presence, both at coach and in the lineup, have been crucial to the Bills inability to make the next step into playoff contention. As a result, they are squarely their division’s third best team, behind the monolithic Patriots and the stout New York Jets, and just ahead of a Miami Dolphins team that could be revitalized by the coaching switch from Joe Philbin to interim Dan Campbell.
Final record: 7-9
The Bills season hinges on how soon Tyrod Taylor can return to the lineup to replace Manuel at quarterback. He’s listed as questionable, so it could be as soon as their London game against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. Even so, Taylor has shown a limitation to the complexity of his reads, and might not be able to rely on his legs as much against defensive fronts like the Jets (twice), Patriots and Chiefs.
Next: Washington Redskins