The Bills were 6-10 last season, leaving them far from the playoff picture when the regular season came to an end.
The rushing attack was not the main reason for that poor record. The Bills ranked second in the league in rushing yards as C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson did a lot of heavy lifting to cover for the team’s substandard passing game. They added Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon to the backfield this offseason and Spiller thinks the group is bound for even bigger things in Nathaniel Hackett’s second season as the team’s offensive coordinator.
“For us to be second in the league in rushing with a new system and us trying to get comfortable with what was going on -- Now we have that year up under us and you can see the difference,” Spiller said, via the team’s website. “Everybody is confident in what we’re doing and hopefully that will bring better things. But there’s a ton of work to be done before September 7 against the Bears. We’ve got to be willing to put in all the hard work necessary to put ourselves in the best situation to win.”
The Bills may wind up with a lower ranking this season, but the running game can be even more potent if quarterback E.J. Manuel finds his way in his second season while Spiller and company find a new comfort level in Year Two. It’s a big if after Manuel’s injury-riddled rookie year, but the Bills should be able to rely heavily on their run game while they try to get the aerial game into gear.
