MITCHELL HORUCY
Asst. Sports Editor
After a two-game skid, the Bills got back into the win column with a 23-20 win over the Jets.
Before I get started, I want to preface this column by saying that it was written before the Bills-Titans game on Sunday.
Due to The Leader’s editing and print schedule, I wouldn’t be able to write about the game in time.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
The team lost in a 35-10 blowout to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in week four, then followed that up with a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans to make it two in a row.
However, the team was able to get back on track with an ugly, but statement win.
As far as the Ravens game, it was a good, old-fashioned butt-kicking.
The Bills came out flat and didn’t have it early in the game, which you can’t do during a night game in The Bank, or M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens play their home games.
As far as the Texans game, that is way more important in terms of assessing the team.
Despite the score being close and only losing by a last-second field goal, the game was much worse for the Bills.
Josh Allen had one of his worst games since his rookie season, going 9-30 for 131 yards and one touchdown.
The defense kept them in the game with two second-half turnovers, especially one that gave the Bills offense the ball in the Texans’ red zone.
However, I think the biggest talking point of this game is the lack of wide receiver production.
As we’ve heard the phrase “everybody eats,” it’s starting to look like “nobody eats.”
The Bills were missing leading receiver Khalil Shakir for this game, but that’s not an excuse for the offense to look like this.
With Shakir going down, this seemed like the prime opportunity to start showcasing the new edition, Curtis Samuel.
That wasn’t the case.
Samuel finished the day with one carry for -1 yards and was only targeted once.
After signing him to a three-year deal worth $24 million in the offseason, he has had a disappointing start to the season.
Dawson Knox is also under a $52 million contract, making about $13 million a year.
He currently has three catches for 30 yards.
While Mack Hollins is only making roughly $2.5 million this year, he is on the field way too much for a team that wants to push the ball downfield.
In the Texans game, Hollins was tied for most on the team with six targets.
He’s also second in terms of pass catchers in snap percentage at about 63%.
When the team traveled to East Rutherford this past Monday to take on the Jets, they looked much better, but still not great.
Josh Allen looked very good, as he finished with 215 yards and three total touchdowns.
The defense made plays when needed, but none more important than an almost game-sealing interception by Taron Johnson.
Ray Davis Jr. also looked tremendous filling in for James Cook. He finished with 152 total yards, the most in a game by a rookie this season.
On top of the game, the Bills made a move on Tuesday after the win, picking up five-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper via trade.
I’m a huge fan of this move.
Cooper is 30, but he can still be a huge contributor to this team.
He’s only a year removed from having over 1,200 yards and five touchdowns despite playing with five different starting quarterbacks.
He hasn’t had a great start to his 2024 campaign, but I believe that’s more a result of the horrendous, and I mean horrendous, quarterback play of Deshaun Watson.
Not to get sidetracked, but of the 566 QBs to throw a pass since the 2007 season, Watson currently ranks 558th in QBR, 565th in yards per dropback and dead last in first down rate.
Back to Cooper, he’s a great route runner and is among the best in the league when it comes to beating man coverage, something we’ve seen the Bills struggle with this season.
Another aspect of Cooper’s game that can really help “revive” the team’s passing attack is his ability to stretch the field.
Cooper finished third in the league last season in yards per reception, a stat that only two Bills are top 50 in.
While Cooper may not be the alpha receiver he was in years past, he can contribute nonetheless to a Bills offense still searching for their true passing identity.
As far as a prediction for the Bills-Titans game, which will have already taken place by the time you read this, I think the Bills will win easily.
The Titans are one of the worst teams in the NFL as they start to see what the post-Mike Vrabel and Derrick Henry era looks like.
Will Levis has turned the ball over in every game so far this season, even having multiple turnovers in three of those six games.
I don’t imagine this trend changing against a Bills defense that currently ranks ninth in the league in takeaways.
I think the offense cruises as well and puts up 30+ points fairly easily.
Despite only being on the team for less than a week, I think Cooper and Allen find a connection early, which leads to Cooper finishing the game with 50+ receiving yards.
No game in the NFL is easy, but if the Bills come prepared and play how they should, I think they go into Seattle at 5-2.
PREDICTION: Bills 33-Titans 10