It has been a long time coming for the city of Buffalo and Bills Mafia everywhere, as their Bills finally were able to advance in the playoffs for the first time this century. While their magical run fell just short at the hands of the then-reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, the Bills solidified their spot as a legitimate contender in the AFC. With just about everyone returning for the 2021 season, the Bills have their eyes set on a
prize much larger than a conference championship appearance.
There was no acquisition in the 2020 NFL offseason more important to a team’s success than Stefon Diggs was to the Buffalo offense. A change of scenery proved to be the secret formula to unlocking the decisive, play-making wide receiver, and his addition to the roster was just what the young gun-slinger Josh Allen needed to take the next step into becoming one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. To complement Diggs, veteran Cole Beasley played a vital role in the slot and rookie Gabriel Davis showed great potential catching the deep ball. The Bills return all three of these receivers while also adding another solid veteran pass-catcher in Emmanuel Sanders to replace John Brown, who was lost to free agency.
The problem for the Bills is that they are extremely one-sided. The Bills finished 24th in rushing yards, with much of it coming from Allen. Combined, running backs Devin Singletary and Zach Moss totaled just over 1100 yards, a figure that ranks near the bottom of the league and places extra pressure on the passing game. The Bills failed to address these struggles in the running game this offseason and seem to be counting on one of their two primary running backs to take a significant step up.
Despite having an imposing secondary led by Micah Hyde and Tre’Davious White, the Bills defense took a step back in 2020, largely due to their inability to stop the run. The Buffalo defense finished in the bottom third in yards per carry allowed, and the front seven’s mediocre pass rush allowed their Pro-Bowl-caliber secondary to be exploited. First round draft pick and defensive tackle Gregory Rosseau will provide a significant boost to both the pass rush and run
defense, and a solid LB core returning at full strength could make the Bills much more formidable in these categories.
The Bills were the lone playoff representative in the AFC East and will enter the 2021 season as the clear cut favorite to repeat as division champions. The running game remains the team’s largest question mark, but expect nothing less than another Pro Bowl caliber year for Josh Allen in his third full season as starter. The secondary will return to elite form, and the pass rush will add another dimension to a talented defense. The Bills are the biggest threat to dethroning Kansas City in the AFC.
2021 Record Prediction: 13-4