2020 Preview: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Buffalo Bills

While the 2020 football season is still months away, it’s never too early to start previewing the season. In this series, I’ll preview every game in the Raiders' regular-season and take a look into each opponent. In Week 4, the Raiders are set to host the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills are trying to stay consistent

The Buffalo Bills are coming off a solid campaign. In 2019, the Bills went 10-7, falling short in the Wild Card game against the Houston Texans, 22-19. But in 2018? They went 6-10. In 2017? A more respectable 9-8.

So why the inconsistency?

The Bills are rebuilding.

Coach Sean McDermott was the defensive coordinator for five years with the Carolina Panthers before getting hired by the Bills as their head coach in 2017. He knew he had a tough task at hand. So did general manager Brandon Beane when he was hired to replace Doug Whaley.

The 2017 draft was focused on the defense for the Bills. That proved to be a game-changer as Buffalo broke its 17-season drought from the playoffs.

The 2018 draft was the opposite and focused more on the offense, featuring quarterback Josh Allen in the first round. The 2019 and 2020 draft featured two defensive first-round picks--defensive tackle Ed Oliver in 2019 and defensive end A.J. Epenesa in 2020.

And don’t forget the wave of free agents signed during this period.

But still, there was an issue. The culture was not there.

There’s a reason the Bills bounced back last season. It was all down to McDermott and his leadership. Instead of keeping the team divided, he brought them together. He pushed his players to the fullest and changed the mindset of the organization. We’ll see if this remains in 2020.

The Raiders are also trying to stay consistent

At this point in the season, we hope that quarterback Derek Carr and his offensive counterparts have settled in a little. We’ll hopefully know who gets the starting gig between tight ends Darren Waller and former Cowboy Jason Witten.

Due to the retirement of linebacker Lorenzo Alexander for the Bills, Buffalo will be vulnerable in the midfield, as there’s no precise, distinct player for the job. Short receptions will go a long way for the Raiders in this matchup.

But it’s not just the short game. With a relatively young group of cornerbacks for the Bills, the Raiders will have the upper hand down the field as long. As long as wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and Tyrell Williams, and the latter averaged 15.5 yards per reception and six touchdowns last season, can play consistently down the field.

Besides, if second-year running back Josh Jacobs can average over five yards per carry, a reliable second down option can be made for Carr, allowing for some diverse offensive options.

To sum it up: Diversity in the playing style could help the Raiders win against the Bills.

Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

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