Buffalo Bills vs. Arizona Cardinals Week One Preview
After a disappointing end to last year, Buffalo needs to find a way to win the big game for the first time in franchise history. It all starts this weekend when the Bills welcome the Arizona Cardinals to town to open their 2024 campaign. With the departure of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, quarterback Josh Allen and the offense will have a lot to figure out if this team plans to live up to the Super Bowl expectations. Defensively, the Bills will face dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray and get the first look at Ohio State phenom Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Buffalo Bills ended the regular season on a five-game win streak, largely due to an increased volume of touches for running back James Cook. During the five-game stretch, the former Georgia Bulldog racked up 355 rushing yards and averaged 4.25 yards per carry. With the free agency departure of star wide-receiver Stefon Diggs, Cook will likely continue to see more rushing attempts as the Bills look to figure out the passing game. The Cardinals’ defense allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL last year, so expect James Cook to have a massive game.
As Allen enters his seventh season in the league, he will do so without his favorite target over the last few years. Since Diggs joined the Buffalo squad before the 2020 season, he has seen 28.35% of all passing targets for the Bills offense. With him gone, they will have a lot of room for newcomers to rise to the occasion. Second-rounder Keon Coleman will be in the spotlight after a solid training camp and finds himself listed as the second receiver on the depth chart. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir is coming off a massive rise in stock at the end of the season and should be the alpha in the group.
The Bills rounded out the receiving core with free-agent acquisition receiver Curtis Samuel. The former Carolina Panther and Washington Commander possesses a unique skill set that will allow him to be featured in several different positions, according to offensive coordinator Joe Brady who coached Samuel in Carolina during the 2020 season. Samuel recorded 60-plus catches and 600-plus receiving yards in three of the last four seasons. The Cardinals’ defense allowed the second-highest passer rating in the NFL in 2023 at 102.9.
Defensively, the Bills will get the first look at the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. The son of the Indianapolis Colts legend is one of the most league-ready prospects since Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson. His route-running ability combined with his size and his knowledge of how to play the position at such a high level, given that he has essentially been in the league his entire life, means that he should have an exciting career ahead of him. That being said, Buffalo should be able to shut him down barring defensive errors with the team cutting cornerback Tre’Davious White and safety Jordan Poyer, both playing massive roles in the Bills’ run of dominance. Top corner on the team’s official depth, Rasul Douglas has shined throughout the summer sessions, and slot corner Taron Johnson has been a solid player for six years, but the questions remain about the rest of the secondary. For 2022 first-rounder Kaiir Elam, he falls to the third boundary corner on the depth chart after two rough seasons, and 2022 sixth-rounder cornerback Christian Benford, listed as second on the depth chart, comes off a solid 2023 campaign.
The Arizona receiving core also features tight end Trey McBride. McBride, 24, is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dull year for the Arizona offense. Last season, McBride tallied the fifth-most receiving yards amongst tight ends. From a team statistics perspective, the Bills defense ranked sixth in passing yards allowed and the Cardinal gained the sixth-fewest yards through the air in the league.
Up front, the Bills return most of their key players from a year ago and are led by defensive end Gregory Rousseau and defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Last season, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who led the team with 10.5 sacks and 25 quarterback pressures, which tied with Rosseau, left for San Francisco in the offseason. An effective pass rush is a must for teams that want to contend in the playoffs, as it relieves pressure on the back end of the defense which is missing contributing veterans from the last few years. Edge A.J. Epenesa returns fresh off his best season in four years as a professional with six and a half sacks and 14 quarterback pressures.
Third-round pick defensive tackle DeWayne Carter from Duke and fifth-rounder defensive end Javon Solomon from Troy University will be called upon to help with the issue. In free agency, the Bills’ front office signed former Washington Commander defensive end Casey Toohill. Last season, Toohill posted a career-high five sacks in 2023. Going against a weaker Arizona offensive line it may not be much of an issue but it is something to pay attention to going forward.
In 2023, one of the rougher aspects was the Bills rushing defense which ranked seventh-highest in rushing yards allowed. The Cardinals' rushing attack features running back James Conner and rookie Trey Benson with the threat of the quarterback run ever-present. Overall, the 2023 Buffalo defense had a good season against the run with the sixth-fewest yards allowed in the league. The Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray posted the 10th-most rushing yards by a quarterback last season, despite playing in just eight games. In 2023, the Bills defense allowed the ninth-most rushing yards to quarterbacks so this will be a focal point in defensive meetings this week.
Should any of these issues hold the team back this year? Absolutely not. Superman plays quarterback for the Bills. And even then over the last four years, the team has gone 13-3 in September to put together phenomenal starts. To get a full look at Buffalo’s 2024 season, check here for more information.