The Bills are now very much back in the playoff chat.
The Chiefs win was big, but the complete dominance over the Cowboys has really renewed belief this team can completely turn their season around.
As challenging as those two games were, most feel these next two are the complete opposite.
That starts with the Chargers, who are battered with injuries and just fired their head coach and general manager.
Let’s get into this holiday match-up!
Power Outage
The Chargers struggles reaching their peak last week, losing to the Raiders 63-21, leading to the firing of head coach Brandon Staley after less than three seasons on the job.
GM Tom Telesco also let go after a decade in that position. Telesco a Buffalo guy who went to St. Francis high school.
Giff Smith takes over as interim OC. He too with Buffalo ties, serving as the Bills defensive line coach from 2010-2012.
Interim GM JoJo Wooden went to Syracuse.
The real question for the Bills is how much of a boost will these changes give a 5-9 team?
We’ve seen plenty of teams rally around adversity and coaching moves – just look at the Bills immediately upon the offensive coordinator change from Ken Dorsey to Joe Brady.
Las Vegas has looked completely different under interim HC Antonio Pierce.
However, there is only so much that can be done emotionally when Los Angeles is down so many of their top tier players due to injury.
No Justin Herbert. No Keenan Allen. No Mike Williams. No Joey Bosa.
If anything, I think any jolt to the Bolts will be seen early, but not sustainable unless the Bills allow it with their own mistakes.
Easton Out West
As I just said, Herbert is out the rest of the season with a finger injury.
His replacement is Easton Stick, the Chargers 5th round pick in 2019.
Prior to the past two games, Stick had thrown just one pass in an NFL game since being drafted.
Since taking over for Herbert, he’s completed 64.3% of his passes, throwing for 436 yards with three touchdowns to one interception.
It’s a small sample size, which presents a bit of a challenge for this Bills defense.
That said, Sean McDermott and the Bills defense has really had success over the years when facing young QBs.
The best way to accomplish that is producing pressure to make them speed things up and feel uncomfortable.
As a whole, the Bills D has 45 sacks.
Leonard Floyd leads the way with 10.5.
Ed Oliver’s got 6.5 and Greg Rousseau 5.
Even with A.J. Epenesa (6.5) unlikely to play and Jordan Phillips placed on injured reserve (2.5), there’s still plenty of horses to get after Stick.
McDermott’s also done a good job of using multiple personnel packages – really leaning into the three safety look on known passing downs.
A lot for the inexperienced QB to think about.
Return of the Mack
A lot has gone wrong for the Chargers this season.
Khalil Mack has been one heck of a bright spot.
The former UB superstar has rejuvenated his career with 15 sacks this season, tying a career-high achieved in 2015.
It’s Mack’s first double-digit sack season since his first year in Chicago in 2018.
His production’s come in bunches, though.
Mack had six sacks week four against the Raiders. He’s had four other games with two sacks.
Just one game with one sack.
It’s been two games since Mack’s recorded a sack, so maybe he’s due?
The 32-year-old has one more season under contract with the Chargers.
Keep Cookin
The Bills went old school bully ball in their win over Dallas.
James Cook’s career game earned him his first career AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
It reasons to believe the Bills should keep feeding the 2nd year running back, who now ranks 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards with 968.
Chargers are middle of the pack against the run by allowing 113.9 yards per game, so there’s ground to be taken.
However, there is another part of me that thinks this could be a real nice place for the passing game to find themselves again.
Josh Allen didn’t need to sling it last Sunday, but the fact remains Stefon Diggs still hasn’t gone for 100+ receiving yards since October 15th.
Gabe Davis has zero catches in four of his last six games.
Dalton Kincaid had two drops against the Cowboys.
How does Dawson Knox continue to find his place in this offense that’s no longer looking to roll out two tight ends most of the time?
Winning is still all that matters each week, but I think now we can look a little more long-term at how this team can continue to round into form down the home stretch.
Inside the primetime conditions of SoFi Stadium, I say let’er rip as much as let’m cook.
On the Line
BUF (-12.5)
O/U: 44
Josh Allen O/U Passing Yards: 246.5
James Cook O/U Rushing Yards: 67.5
Stefon Diggs O/U Receiving Yards: 69.5
Injury Report
BUFFALO
OUT: WR Justin Shorter (hamstring), S Micah Hyde (neck stinger)
QUESTIONABLE: RB Ty Johnson (shoulder), DT DaQuan Jones (pectoral), DE A.J. Epenesa (rib), CB Kaiir Elam (ankle)
LOS ANGELES
OUT: WR Keenan Allen (heel), OLB Joey Bosa (foot)
DOUBTFUL: LB Tanner Muse (knee), DB Deane Leonard (heel)
QUESTIONABLE: TE Nick Vannett (back), DL Nick Williams (shoulder), CB Essange Bassey (concussion)
Bills and Chargers kick things off from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles Saturday night at 8 p.m. eastern.