{"id":30197,"date":"2017-09-15T18:26:50","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T22:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=30197"},"modified":"2017-09-15T18:26:50","modified_gmt":"2017-09-15T22:26:50","slug":"week-two-buffalo-bills-keys-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2017\/09\/15\/week-two-buffalo-bills-keys-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Week Two Buffalo Bills Keys to Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Buffalo Bills<\/a>‘ first road trip of the 2017 regular season takes place in week two against the Carolina Panthers<\/a>. With a win, Buffalo can move to 2-0 for the first time since 2014. But it won’t come easy against a Panthers team two years removed from an NFC championship and looking to erase the sting of last season’s 6-10 campaign.<\/p>\n

Sunday’s matchup is a homecoming of sorts for quite a few members of the Bills roster and coaching staff. Head coach Sean McDermott<\/a><\/strong> served as Panthers defensive coordinator for the previous six seasons. General manager Brandon Beane<\/strong> had been with the Carolina organization since 2008 as director of football operations (2008-14) and assistant general manager (2015-16). Fullback Mike Tolbert<\/a><\/strong>, wide receiver Kaelin Clay<\/a><\/strong> and cornerback Leonard Johnson<\/a><\/strong> all played for the Panthers last year.<\/p>\n

This is just the seventh all-time meeting between these two intra-conference foes. It’s also only the third to take place in Charlotte. Buffalo owns a 5-1 record in the six previous matchups. Their .833 winning percentage against the Panthers is the best mark for the Bills against any team in the league. But what needs to happen for that track record of success to remain intact after Sunday’s game?<\/p>\n

Week Two Buffalo Bills Keys to Victory<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Win the Battle of Tight Ends<\/h2>\n

In his first two seasons with the team, tight end Charles Clay<\/a><\/strong>‘s contribution to the Bills passing game was pedestrian at best. He finished no better than 16th in the league among tight ends in receiving yards during that time. His 552 yard, four touchdown output last year serves as his best effort to date. But a game into Buffalo’s 2017 campaign, there are indications he may be in line for a more prominent role.<\/p>\n

Tyrod Taylor<\/a><\/strong> involved Clay in the offense quite a bit in the Bills’ 21-12 win over the New York Jets last week. The seventh-year man out of Tulsa received nine targets, catching four balls for 53 yards and a touchdown. Though he certainly won’t register a score every game, his yardage projects to a career high 848 yards over a 16-game season. If he stays healthy and remains a prominent role in the Bills pass game on Sunday, he may well be on his way to achieving that milestone.<\/p>\n

Clay isn’t the only tight end to keep an eye on at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers quarterback\u00a0Cam Newton<\/a><\/strong> possesses a potent weapon at the position in Greg Olsen<\/a><\/strong>. The 32-year-old veteran is coming off three consecutive seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards. But he disappointed fantasy owners with a two-catch, 18-yard performance last week. If that’s an aberration, the Bills need to be wary of Olsen turning in a breakout performance.<\/p>\n

This is especially true considering that one of the few bright spots for the Jets last week was Jermaine Kearse<\/a><\/strong>. Acquired from the Seattle Seahawks<\/a> ahead of the regular season, Kearse finished with a team-leading seven catches and 59 receiving yards. Though the Bills kept him out of the end zone, they’ll be hard-pressed to do the same with Olsen. Expect Newton to consistently look for him on seam routes down the middle of the field.<\/p>\n

Trust the Tampa 2<\/h2>\n

Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier<\/a><\/strong> incorporated a variety of schemes that worked well against the Jets. In particular, he utilized a disguised Tampa 2 defense that initially had the look of a double A gap blitz before the snap. So what exactly distinguishes the Tampa 2 from a traditional cover 2 shell?<\/p>\n

The Tampa 2 gets its name from Tony Dungy<\/a><\/strong>, who developed the coverage scheme during his tenure as Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach. It differs from the cover 2 in that it adds an additional body to the middle of the field who’s tasked with zone coverage. In addition to the two safeties, the MIKE linebacker drops back and provides a security blanket down the middle.<\/p>\n

Both Bills interceptions in the fourth quarter showed the Tampa 2 in action. On Jordan Poyer<\/a><\/strong>‘s pick of Josh McCown<\/a><\/strong>, Buffalo showed blitz pre-snap. But middle linebacker Preston Brown<\/a><\/strong> quickly flared into coverage, and a confused offensive line forced McCown out of the pocket and into a rushed pass toward the right sideline.<\/p>\n