By Justin DiLoro / Billswire.usatoday.com
Even though the Buffalo Bills enter Week 12 in 13th place in the AFC playoff standings, fans still have a great deal for which to be thankful as the team moves into its final portion of the NFL schedule. The Bills, sitting at 3-7 and third place in the AFC East, appear to have better days ahead for the club. Plus, they’re still in the hunt for the playoffs.
Without further adieu, here are 5 reasons to be thankful for the team residing at New Era Field.
The future is (hopefully) brighter
Hopefully, the worst is over for Buffalo. The team has gutted the roster over the past two seasons, shedding contracts of players who did not fit the team’s long-term goals, whether it was due to productivity or lack of buy-in to the new regime. All told, Buffalo’s salary cap situation was in slight chaos, dedicating over $50 million in dead money to this figure. This left The Bills with a massive talent gap at various skill positions.
We are nearing the turning point of the team’s rebuild.
The massive amount of money dedicated to players who are not on the roster will shrink precipitously this offseason. The Bills could have approximately $90 million in salary cap space entering the offseason.
In addition, Buffalo could be prime position to select their next game-breaking talent, as the team most likely will be selecting a top-ten talent in April’s draft. The combination of draft picks plus Buffalo’s favorable salary cap situation entering next year gives many hope that Beane will be able to turn around the team’s fortunes. Buffalo’s brass has a chance to fill the talent gap between the Bills and their rivals quickly.
Josh Allen and Tremaine Edmunds
Buffalo was able to add a franchise player on each side of the ball in the 2018 NFL draft. The decision to select quarterback Josh Allen and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to act as the team’s centerpieces for the future will hopefully pay dividends in the long-run. It’s not often that a team can find such talent in one round.
There have been some growing pains this season. However, the Bills hope these learning experiences will pay off when these players take on a greater leadership role in the future. We have already gained a glimpse into what the future holds for these players.
Players rebounding
There were some worries about a few of Buffalo’s top players and their production. LeSean McCoy, Jerry Hughes, and Zay Jones have all had overcome on-field struggles to show their true potential.
Hughes had a breakout after being acquired by the Bills in 2013, registering back-to-back 10-sack seasons. With the shift in defense when Rex Ryan came aboard, Hughes became an afterthought for opponents. This season, the 30-year-old has been terrorizing quarterbacks, registering 5.5 sacks and leading the team in quarterback pressures.
McCoy’s descent from super-stardom lasted the first nine weeks of the season, as it appeared Shady was succumbing to the dreaded 30-year-old curse of running backs. Bills fans saw moments of the old McCoy, but the production was faltering and the frustration was palpable. The ten-year veteran’s Week 10 breakout took the monkey off his back and sent a sense of relief through all Bills’ fans minds.
Jones has flashed some of the potential that made him a second-round pick in 2017. His struggles in his rookie season plus a less-than-ideal offseason may have led some to believe he was close to becoming a bust. However, Jones has rebounded nicely, significantly improving his catch rate while leading the team all major receiving categories (catches, receiving yards, touchdown receptions).
The defense
It was no surprise that Buffalo’s defense was going to be good this season, but they have exceeded expectations. Yes, the unit has had several poor games. Collectively, though, the defense has put together a solid year. Buffalo is second the NFL in yards allowed per game (302.2 yards).
The unit has sacked quarterbacks 25 times through ten games, which nearly matches their total from last season (27). The advanced stats reveal the unit’s dominance as well, ranking second in yards allowed per drive and plays per drive. They are also seventh in drive success rate, according to Football Outsiders.
The remaining schedule
The first portion of Buffalo’s schedule was a trainwreck, as the Bills were away for 5 of their first 7 games. They also played several playoff-caliber opponents during this stretch.
The remainder of the schedule softens a bit for the Bills. It starts this Sunday against an underachieving Jacksonville team, one squandered a 16-point lead against Pittsburgh last week. The remainder of the schedule pits the Bills with games at Miami (5-5) and New England (7-3), and home contests against New York Jets (3-7), Detroit (4-6), and Miami. There are several winnable games in this cluster of matchups.