The Buffalo Bills are off to a solid 3-2 start, but they haven’t reached this point in a way that was expected. It’s been quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Buffalo’s offense that has been the team’s top unit.
And now they might be without Taylor for a decent amount of time:
Tyrod Taylor could miss multiple games with an MCL sprain suffered on a horse-collar tackle Sun. Bills will prepare EJ Manuel to start Sun..
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) October 13, 2015
Taylor has been the catalyst for a Buffalo offense averaging 24.8 points per game, ninth best in the NFL. He’s averaging 8.01 yards per attempt (ranked ninth), completing 70.1% of his passes (ranked eighth), thrown nine touchdown passes (ranked fourth), ran for 187 yards (ranked fourth out of QBs), has five runs over 20 yards (ranked first out of QBs) and ran for another two TDs (tied for first out of QBs).
The first-year starter has accounted for 1,284 of the Bills 1,641 yards this season between throwing and running.
He’s been able to do all of this with a below average offensive line and injuries to LeSean McCoy, Karlos Williams, Percy Harvin and Sammy Watkins. The Bills top receiver in their 14-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday was Chris Hogan.
Buffalo has to fall back on EJ Manuel for however long Taylor is out. The former first round pick didn’t have much success during the 15 games he played across his first two seasons. Manuel is an extremely conservative quarterback that doesn’t take many chances and he still has completed on just 58.6% of his passes. The Bills also lose the threat of the run from the QB position going from Taylor to Manuel, who is your more traditional drop pack passer.
It’s a tough one for Buffalo in Week Six as they host the Cincinnati Bengals, but after that the next two weeks ease up when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London and host the Miami Dolphins.
The key for the Bills is to get Taylor back for Week 10 and 11 when they’re at the New York Jets and New England Patriots, respectively. These two games could mean the difference between having a shot at a wild card spot in the AFC or stumbling towards another 8-8 record in head coach Rex Ryan’s first season.
