The Bills head into Week 3 with a home date against the Chargers at Highmark Stadium, and a few individual matchups could shape how the afternoon plays out. Buffalo is 2-0, Los Angeles comes in at 0-2, and kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
For the Bills, the spotlight falls on three players who may need to tilt the game in Buffalo’s favor.
Khalil Shakir could be asked to carry more of the load if the Bills are shorthanded at receiver. DJ Moore is dealing with a shoulder issue and Keon Coleman is on the injury report with an ankle injury, which opens the door for Shakir to become a more important part of the passing game. With those concerns, tight end Dalton Kincaid is likely to be Josh Allen’s top target, and that puts extra pressure on Shakir to make his touches count.
James Cook is another player who could matter plenty, even if the matchup is not friendly for a running game. The Chargers have held opponents to just 2.7 yards per carry through two games, so Cook is going to have to fight for every yard. Buffalo can lean on Allen when it needs to, but the offense looks a lot easier to manage when the ground game is giving him some help.
Then there’s Spencer Brown, who may have the toughest assignment of the bunch. Khalil Mack has been a major point of discussion this week for Allen and head coach Joe Brady, and for good reason. Buffalo does not want to let this game slip into trap-game territory, and Brown’s job is to keep Mack from wrecking things in the backfield.
In Other News...
Bills Could Have A Real Edge If Marvin Harrison Jr. Talks Heat Up
The buzz around Marvin Harrison Jr. is exactly the kind of long-shot speculation that tends to follow a team looking for another jolt on offense, and Buffalo has a small but interesting connection that makes the idea linger a little longer than usual. The Bills new receivers coach, Drew Terrell, and special teams coach, Jeff Rodgers, both spent time coaching in Arizona, giving them some familiarity with Harrison and, at minimum, a better sense of what kind of player he is and how he might fit.
Still, there has been nothing from the Bills or from NFL insiders to suggest a trade is actually in motion, which is why this remains more curiosity than something concrete. Even so, the presence of coaches who know the Cardinals side of the equation adds an extra layer to any discussion, because when a player of Harrisons profile comes up, teams are always looking for edges, and Buffalo may have one tucked into its new staff. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Is Chasing Rare NFL History Against The Chargers
Josh Allen has opened the season looking every bit like the centerpiece of Buffalos offense, piling up big numbers through the air and on the ground while keeping the Bills moving with the kind of dual-threat balance that makes game plans miserable for defenses. His early work has also been a showcase for the rushing attack around him, with James Cook helping give Buffalo another layer of stress for opponents to handle.
The next test comes against the Chargers, and it carries a little extra history with it. Allen has a chance to join a very small NFL club by rushing for two touchdowns in his first three games, a mark only a handful of players have ever reached. For Buffalo, it is another reminder that the Bills are not just leaning on Allen to distribute the ball, they are counting on him to keep turning broken plays and designed runs into the kind of edge that can swing a game. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Playmakers May Have To Carry More Than Expected Vs Chargers
The Bills head into their meeting with the Chargers with a familiar sort of pressure on the offense, because the margin for error looks thinner than usual. Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are among the key names to watch, and Buffalo may need both of them to do more than just fill roles if the passing game is going to keep pace with what Los Angeles can bring.
On the other side of the ball, the Bills also have some defensive questions to sort through, with DeWayne Carter and Christian Benford among the players whose availability and recent form matter as the matchup approaches. Add in the teams records and the way both offenses have been trending, and this game shapes up as one where Buffalos most reliable playmakers could end up carrying an even bigger load than planned. [Read more 🡒]