Oct 16, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) carries the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during a NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the Falcons 26-24. Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
KICKOFF: Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET, CenturyLink Field, Seattle. TV: ESPN, Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters.
SERIES HISTORY: 13th regular-season meeting. Seahawks lead series, 7-5. The Bills haven’t played in Seattle since 2004, and they were 38-6 winners. In the last meeting (2012), the game was played in Toronto as part of the defunct Bills Toronto Series, which had Buffalo playing one home game per season at Rogers Centre. The Seahawks embarrassed the Bills 50-17. The first meeting ever occurred in 1977, a 56-17 Seattle blowout that happened to be the final game O.J. Simpson played for the Bills.
GAMEDATE: 11/7/16
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Bills lead the NFL in sacks per pass attempt, as their pass rush has been exponentially more effective than it was in 2015. The Bills have 26 sacks in eight games after managing only 21 in 2015. Seattle’s offensive line is considered a weak spot on a very good team, and quarterback Russell Wilson continues to be hampered by ankle and knee injuries, so his escape-ability is compromised. If the Bills can generate pressure, they may be able to force a couple turnovers, something they absolutely must do to win in Seattle.
Offensively, the Bills have a major task in front of them playing in one of the most difficult venues in the league. Seattle has one of the best secondaries in the NFL — led by Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. The Bills, even if Percy Harvin is active and plays, have one of the worst groups of wide receivers in the NFL. Seattle likely will stack the box looking to stop Buffalo’s running game; and, if it succeeds, the Bills have to get something from their wideouts or else they may not score in double digits.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
–Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham vs. Bills LB Zach Brown. Graham’s 442 receiving yards rank third among tight ends in the NFL behind Greg Olson and Rob Gronkowski. The Bills got torched by Gronkowski for 109 yards and a touchdown last week, and one of the issues is that he’s such a bad physical matchup. Brown needs to be more involved on Graham, and with his size and speed, he should be able to at least slow him down.
–Bills QB Tyrod Taylor vs. Seahawks linebackers. Buffalo’s receiving corps is painfully weak and, going against this Seattle secondary, it’s hard to imagine anyone is going to be open for Taylor. He’s going to have to be extremely efficient when he tries to pass; but, perhaps just as important, he might have to rely on his scrambling to make big plays in the passing game. In that case, he’ll have to beat athletic, three-down linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright when he breaks contain.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Bills CB Ronald Darby. His running mate across the field, Stephon Gilmore, has been an up-and-down player all season, but Darby, in his second season with the Bills, has been rock solid. Darby has been in on 35 tackles and he has eight pass breakups, and in recent weeks it looks as if teams are avoiding him and actually going at Gilmore, Buffalo’s alleged No. 1 corner. Darby, a second-round pick in 2015, had a great rookie season, as his 21 pass breakups were fifth in the NFL, and were only three off the team record for a Bills corner set in 1991 by Nate Odomes.
FAST FACTS: RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring), who might be able to play in Seattle, ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing with 598 yards despite missing a game and a half. … WR Percy Harvin joined the Bills on Tuesday. The Bills will decide late in the week whether he’s ready to play. … Buffalo LB Lorenzo Alexander leads the NFL with a career-high nine sacks. Alexander suffered a hamstring injury against the Patriots and his status will likely be questionable. … Seattle has won seven consecutive Monday night games at home. This season, the Seahawks are 3-0 at CenturyLink Field. Since 2012, Seattle has posted a 34-5 (.872) record at home (including the playoffs).
PREDICTION: With both offenses in disarray, this one shapes up to be a pretty low-scoring affair — unless Russell Wilson dominates the Bills like he did in 2012.
OUR PICK: Seahawks, 24-13.
–Chris Cluff
