Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills were able to avoid a three-game losing streak by preventing the Carolina Panthers from earning a four-game winning streak. The Bills took down the Panthers 40-9 in a game they dominated from start to finish. Buffalo never trailed, and while Carolina had one strong drive early in the game, it was thwarted by defensive end Greg Rousseau’s strip-sack of backup quarterback Andy Dalton, who was over-matched by a tenacious Buffalo defense that looked ready to answer the bell after a subpar start to the season.
The offense awoke, as well, scoring 40 points for the second time this season. The Bills found favorable field position thanks to three Carolina turnovers, and they still managed to rack up over 400 total yards of offense for the third time this season, and the first time since their Week 2 victory over the New York Jets.
Sure, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s hard to nitpick so convincing a win after suffering two losses where they played like a team I don’t recognize. Our players to watch were front and center this week. Here’s how they performed.
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RB James Cook
Buffalo absolutely demolished what is a very good Panthers run defense, totaling 245 yards on the ground. For context, the Panthers had allowed 235 rushing yards combined over their previous four games. James Cook was incredible, totaling 216 yards on the ground on 19 carries. That total is the most for a Bills running back since a certain someone, whom the team will not name in social media posts, ran for 273 yards in Week 12 of the 1976 season.
Cook averaged nearly eight yards per carry before contact, which is a testament to the strength of Buffalo’s run blocking scheme and the offensive line in general in that phase of the game. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady kept calling the same toss sweep play, and it kept working. Rather than make “cute” calls as we’ve lampooned him for of late, he stuck with what worked, and the results are hard to argue. Cook will need to keep the gas on next weekend, as a date with Buffalo’s annual tormentors, the Kansas City Chiefs, awaits.
WR Khalil Shakir
Sometimes, it really isn’t difficult. Just give the ball to your best players and see what happens. Khalil Shakir combined for nine receptions in Buffalo’s two losses. Against the Panthers, he had six catches on seven targets for 88 yards and one very nice 54-yard touchdown.
Most of Shakir’s routes were run shallow, and the ones where he does the most damage are typically those where quarterback Josh Allen hits him within a few yards of the line of scrimmage. That’s just fine. He catches the football, he makes people miss, he gains plenty of yardage, and he keeps the offense on time.
Shakir can expect to see plenty of Trent McDuffie in Week 9, but the Bills would be wise to make sure they keep him in motion, work...
