One of the biggest training camp battles for the Buffalo Bills takes place in the backfield. Running backs Zack Moss and Devin Singletary spent the offseason battling for the lead role, and Moss appeared to take an early lead in that competition. However, after an impressive performance in the preseason opener (albeit, in limited work), Singletary should earn another look in this rushing attack.
Devin Singletary Impresses in Preseason Opener
The Bills rested the vast majority of their first-team offense, so the fact Singletary was playing in the first place isn’t the best sign. Moss missed the contest, as did quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Heck, backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky only attempted two passes before calling it a day.
Singletary only saw the field for 12 snaps, but the former third-round pick made the most of those opportunities. In total, he finished the night with eight carries for 42 yards (5.3 yards-per-attempt) on the ground. The final stat line was obviously good, but the way in which he earned the yards was even more impressive. According to Pro Football Focus, Singletary broke four tackles on his eight attempts, with 27 of his 42 yards coming after contact. Additionally, Singletary also hauled in the easiest six-yard touchdown reception you’ll ever see.
Devin Singletary wants that RB1 job 😤pic.twitter.com/1uusVujTqy
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) August 14, 2021
Yes, it’s the preseason, and yes, it’s a small sample, but Singletary actually put together quite the impressive rushing campaign as a rookie. Appearing in 12 games (eight starts), the rookie finished his season with 775 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 151 carries to go along with 29 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns. While he was never the most natural pass-catcher, he was a hard runner that broke tackle after tackle. If he can return to that form in 2021, then perhaps this becomes more of an even split in the upcoming season.
Gregory Rousseau Shines on Defense
Speaking of young players making the most of limited opportunities, first-round rookie Gregory Rousseau made the best possible first impression during Friday’s action. While he only rushed the quarterback on 11 plays, he still managed to record three pressures and one sack.
The highlight of the night obviously came when Rousseau pushed back Penei Sewell to take down quarterback Jared Goff. Now, preseason numbers can be a little deceiving, as the subpar level of competition can artificially inflate a few numbers. However, this rep was legitimate, as Sewell is widely considered to be one of the best offensive tackle prospects of the past few seasons.
Gregory Rousseau vs. Penei Sewell 👀 pic.twitter.com/ebAzJrwXHE
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) August 13, 2021
For the first time in the Sean McDermott era, the Buffalo Bills had a below-average defense in 2020. The high-powered offense easily made up for it, but this team will need more from the front seven if they want to win to take down the Kansas City Chiefs for AFC supremacy. If Rousseau can be an immediate contributor, then this defense might just be good enough to take this team back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1990’s. After all, they were only one game away last year, and brought back most of the pieces from that team
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