Enemy Confidential: Seahawks Bracing for Josh Allen, Bills Explosive Aerial Attack

Since Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly hung up his cleats after the 1996 season, the Bills have cycled through countless signal callers from Doug Flutie to Drew Bledsoe to Ryan Fitzpatrick searching for a long-term answer at football's most important position. For two decades, they failed to find a solution, reaching the playoffs just twice in that span.

Then, in the 2018 NFL Draft, Buffalo's bad luck finally changed. While the pick wasn't universally praised, the organization selected Wyoming standout Josh Allen at No. 8 overall, taking another stab at securing a franchise quarterback.

Though Allen struggled with accuracy in his first two seasons under center, he showed flashes of promise both as a passer and a runner. In the process, he guided Buffalo back to the postseason with a 10-6 record last season, nearly orchestrating a road win over Houston in the Wild Card round.

Now in his third season, Allen has blossomed under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who has entrusted the young gunslinger to operate one of the league's most aggressive passing attacks. After decades of futility, it's a new era for the Bills, who are off to a 6-2 start for the second straight year and only the third time in franchise history.

With the 6-1 Seahawks set to travel to Buffalo for the first time since 2008 on Sunday, coach Pete Carroll has taken notice of Allen's growth as a player and the impressive job coach Sean McDermott and his staff have done building a strong all-around squad with staying power in a new-look AFC East.

"This team that we're playing, they're a new team for us. We have to kind of figure them out, see the schemes and make sense of it all," Carroll said on Wednesday. "But this is a winning club. They know how to win football games. They've got playmakers. They're really a solid team. It's a really good matchup for us. To go on the road as far away as we can go just about, it's a good challenge for us."

Here’s a closer look at the Seahawks Week 9 opponent, including series history, additions/departures, key numbers, and Carroll's evaluation of the upstart Bills.

SERIES HISTORY

--14th regular season meeting. The Seahawks lead the all-time series 8-5 and have won each of the past two games.

This will be the Seahawks first trip to Buffalo since 2008, when they lost a 34-10 blowout at then-named Ralph Wilson Stadium. When Seattle last traveled to play Buffalo in a road game, they captured a dominating 50-17 victory at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Seahawks held on for a 31-25 win the last time these two franchises met at CenturyLink Field in 2016.

WHAT’S NEW?

Departures: In free agency, the Bills lost two of their most valuable defensive linemen from last year's second-ranked scoring defense, as Shaq Lawson signed with the Dolphins and Jordan Phillips departed to sign with the Cardinals. Lawson and Phillips combined to produce 16.0 sacks in 2019. Aside from those two players, however, Buffalo suffered few notable losses and maintained most of its roster coming off a playoff berth.

Additions: Understanding Allen needed a true No. 1 receiver, general manager Brandon Beane shipped a first-round pick and several mid-round picks to the Vikings to acquire star wideout Stefon Diggs in mid-March. Beane also quickly went to work seeking out viable replacements for Lawson and Phillips, striking free agent deals with veterans Mario Addison and Quinton Jefferson to bolster the defensive front. Reuniting with McDermott, who coached him in Carolina, cornerback Josh Norman signed a one-year deal to add a seasoned veteran to the secondary. Along the offensive line, the Bills signed tackle Daryl Williams and guard Brian Winters to one-year contracts, with both players starting at least six games thus far.

Having traded away their first-round pick, the Bills didn't make a selection in April's draft until late in the second round, snagging Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa at No. 54 overall. In the next two rounds, they used third and fourth-round picks on Utah running back Zack Moss and UCF receiver Gabriel Davis respectively.

BY THE NUMBERS

51.6: Third down conversion rate, the best among all 32 NFL teams.

28: Pass plays of 20-plus yards, tied for the fourth-most in the league.

31.4: Percent of rush attempts convert first downs, second-best in the NFL.

257: Passing yards on RPOs (Run-Pass Options), fifth-most in the league.

1,339: Completed air yards by Buffalo's passing game, fourth-best in NFL.

20: Total sacks by Buffalo's defense, tied for sixth-most among 32 teams.

11: Rushing touchdowns yielded in 2020, the second-most in the NFL.

6: Passing touchdowns allowed, tied for fourth-fewest in the league.

4: Interceptions by Buffalo's defense, the eighth-fewest among NFL teams.

509: Receiving yards surrendered to opposing tight ends, the third-most in the NFL.

CARROLL’S THOUGHTS

--While Buffalo only ranks 19th in the NFL in points per game, they have still produced nearly 25 points per contest through eight games and have helped offset a significant decline for the team on defense. Carroll isn't about to take the Bills' offense lightly, particularly considering the creative scheming from Daboll, who has been instrumental in Allen's development.

"They're really creative. They do a nice job with the stuff they do," Carroll said about Daboll's offense. "It really I think it comes back to the quarterback. He just does a great job of making things happen for second shots in the passing game, then taking off and running. He's a load to tackle, get down. Hard to sack him. He's really the show.

So far this year, Allen has made tremendous strides as a passer in his third season, improving his completion percentage by nearly 10 percent and nearly equaling his 2019 total for touchdown passes in just eight games. Where Carroll may be most concerned, however, is trying to limit the 6-foot-5, 237-pound signal caller running the ball, as he has rushed for 227 yards and four touchdowns this year.

"I think when you watch him play, you're going to see the QB. He's just going to catch your eye, going to make things happen. He's got a knack about going for it in difficult situations. He likes to go physical and run the football tough," Carroll added. "I think the combination of the throwing game, of course, the good receivers they have, scheme-wise and all that, when you have a guy that can make first downs with his legs, it's really hard. He's just really good at it."

--After having one of the best run games in the NFL a year ago, Buffalo got off to a slow start in that department this season. In four of the team's first six games, they failed to get to 100 rushing yards as a team, even with Allen's ability to create on the ground.

But over the last couple of weeks, the Bills have finally found a bit more balance on offense, rushing for 316 combined yards in wins over the Jets and Patriots. Last weekend, Moss finally enjoyed his first breakout game after battling injuries early in his rookie season, rushing for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Starter Devin Singletary, who leads the team with 385 rushing yards, added 86 yards on 14 carries.

Prior to the draft, Carroll and the Seahawks met with Moss, who fits the physical profile and running style the team looks for at the position. Teaming up with Singletary, who offers a bit more wiggle as a change-of-pace back, he expects slowing down the run game to be a challenge this week.

"They're a really good 1-2 punch. Both guys play low to the ground. They both have good shake and bake, make you miss," Carroll commented. "Zack is a little heavier than Singletary, are a little different style in that regard. Both of them are really efficient in traffic and make things happen. They're not anybody we can take lightly. Really good football players. Singletary catches the ball quite a bit more. I really like Zack a lot."

--Play calling has brought the best out of Allen in his third season, but the Bills have done a fantastic job of bringing in weapons to build around him. Last year, they signed John Brown and Cole Beasley in free agency and then in March, they dealt for Diggs, who has instantly built a rapport with Buffalo's franchise quarterback.

Having faced Diggs frequently when he played for Minnesota, Carroll understands what Seattle's secondary will be up against trying to defend the star receiver. He currently ranks among league leaders in receptions and receiving yards and has produced 10 receptions of 20-plus yards this season.

"Stefon is really a good player," Carroll said. "Doing everything, route running, catching and running, getting deep, making the big catch. He's a fantastic football player, true No. 1."

Carroll also isn't sleeping on Beasley or Brown, who have found a home in Buffalo and taken their respective games to the next level. Beasley already has 494 receiving yards in eight games working primarily out of the slot, while Brown has 215 receiving yards and a pair of scores in six games.

"Cole Beasley is a really good player in their offense, too. They know how to use him. He's all over the place. We've always had respect for him making plays, getting open, tough catches, gritting out the third-and-fives and sixes for them. He's real effective there. They're real fast with the two guys we saw with the Cardinals. John Brown plays a lot. He's really fast. He and Andre [Roberts], they're good players. We know their game, are familiar with them. We have a lot of respect for them."

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