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Cincinnati Bengals: Game Plan Shifts Completely For Buffalo Bills

By Shelby Dermer

In his second season in Buffalo, LeSean McCoy has tallied six rushing touchdowns while averaging over five yards per carry. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In his second season in Buffalo, LeSean McCoy has tallied six rushing touchdowns while averaging over five yards per carry. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cincinnati Bengals will have to do a complete 360 to their game plan when the 4-5 Buffalo Bills head to Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday.

The New York Giants and Buffalo Bills are polar opposites on both sides of the ball. Meaning the Cincinnati Bengals will have to adjust their game plan accordingly when they return home on Sunday.

The Giants were a passing team. Led by a quarterback that has a pair of Super Bowl rings. They were the NFL’s last-ranked rushing offense coming in, but churned out a season-best 122 yards on the ground in the win over Cincinnati on Monday, including the game-sealing 25-yard scamper by Rashad Jennings late in the fourth quarter.

Everything you learned/know about the Giants is flipped when it comes to Buffalo.

Offense:

The Bills offense is based off a ground-and-pound formula. Buffalo averages 155 yards per game on the ground, tops in the AFC.

LeSean McCoy is the team’s leading rusher with 683 yards to go with six touchdowns. He is one of three Bills to average over five yards per carry so far this season along with Tyrod Taylor (6.7) and Mike Gillislee (6.0).

In his second season in Buffalo, LeSean McCoy has tallied six rushing touchdowns while averaging over five yards per carry. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In his second season in Buffalo, LeSean McCoy has tallied six rushing touchdowns while averaging over five yards per carry. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Cincinnati still has four division games (two against the Ravens) left this season, but a bounce-back victory over Buffalo could get this team back on track.

With the way Baltimore is playing and Pittsburgh’s favorable schedule, the Bengals will have to go 5-2, or at best, 6-1 to repeat as AFC North champions.

Game Notes:

  • Dalton is 7-4 in his career against the AFC East. 3-0 against Buffalo with seven combined passing touchdowns.
  • Rex Ryan coached with Marvin Lewis in Baltimore prior to finding head coaching positions.
  • Ryan is 3-2 against Cincinnati, including a postseason victory in 2009.
  • Buffalo is 2-3 on the road. Cincinnati is 2-1 at their home venue.
  • The Bengals are 0-5 when AJ Green is held under 100 yards. The Bills have allowed just one 100-yard receiver (Kenny Stills) since week two.
  • Brandon LaFell has just two receptions in the last two games. He caught 12 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns in three games against Buffalo as a member of the Patriots.

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Series notes

  •  Bills lead the regular-season series, 15-12. The Bengals lead the postseason series, 2-0.
  • Bengals have won the last three meetings dating back to 2011.
  • Last meeting: 2015 @ Buffalo — Bengals 34, Bills 21
  • Last meeting at PBS: 2011 — Bengals 23, Bills 20
  • Prior to 2011, the Bills won 10 straight against Cincinnati dating back to 1989.
  • First meeting was in 1968 at Nippert Stadium. The Bengals won, 34-23.
  • Two of the Bengals’ five career postseason victories came against Buffalo.
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