Bills: One matchup that could make or break MNF vs Titans
Although the Buffalo Bills are favorites by more than a touchdown heading into Monday Night, this has the makings to be a close game. The Tennessee Titans – although shorthanded compared to previous years' versions – have found a way to do some damage to the Bills in the past few years. Now assembled as […]
Although the Buffalo Bills are favorites by more than a touchdown heading into Monday Night, this has the makings to be a close game.
The Tennessee Titans – although shorthanded compared to previous years' versions – have found a way to do some damage to the Bills in the past few years.
Now assembled as a super team, the Bills must prove they belong in a different tier of NFL contenders. To do so, they'll have to survive plenty of key matchups that could favor the away team. Earlier this week, I wrote about potentially missing several players on the injury report like DT Ed Oliver and CB Dane Jackson (whose status remain up in the air).
But there's another matchup the Bills must survive when they have the ball. Ryan Bates vs. Jeffrey Simmons.
Just one week after facing the best in the business in Aaron Donald, Bates will have his hands full versus "Big Jeff." And boy, oh boy, he is trouble. Simmons had himself a dominant Week 1 versus the New York Giants as he accumulated SIX total pressures along with two sacks, four stops, and one forced fumble.
In a game full of positives, Bates stood out as a negative last week (again, he was facing Donald so some leeway is required). He allowed four pressures and one sack at right guard during the NFL Kickoff. He was graded as the fourth worst guard by PFF in pass blocking.
The Bills have an experienced center that will likely slide Simmons' way throughout the game.
Fortunately for Buffalo, they clearly have the better roster heading into this game. But the Simmons-Bates matchup is one of many reminders that this is a league of matchups, not a league defined by the better team.
This is a huge test for a Bills team that wants to go the long way.
Featured image via Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
