For the Buffalo Bills in 2021, expectations are sky-high. After coming within one game of the Super Bowl, but suffering heartbreak at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen and Co. are truly one of the biggest threats to steal the title out of Tampa this year and hoist the Lombardi trophy in Buffalo.
They retain much of their core from their fantastic 2020 season, as Allen, Stefon Diggs, Devin Singletary, and Cole Beasley all return for their second season all together with what has been a very solid offensive line as well. Combine that with a defense that ranked as about league average last year, but has plenty of dynamic playmakers like Tre'Davious White, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Jerry Hughes, and the Bills could easily match last year's stellar win total of 13, especially in a 17-game season.
However, just like Darrel Williams and Frank Clark became the Chiefs' X factors down the stretch to lead them to the Super Bowl, the Bills will need a couple players to take a leap in 2021 and become their catalysts for a Super Bowl run.
Despite the additions of savvy veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders, running back Matt Breida, and edge rusher Efe Odaba, the most important X factors for Buffalo in 2021 are two returning players: Zack Moss and A.J. Epenesa.
Let's start with Moss. Entering his second season after being picked in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he rushed for 481 yards on 112 carries in his rookie campaign, while splitting a fairly even timeshare with starter Devin Singletary. He definitely started to gain some traction towards the end of the season, finishing with 12 or more carries in three of the final four games, but his playoff action was cut short during the Wild Card round due to injury.
Moss' loss was evident during the playoffs, as he was absent while Singletary put up averaged of 3.6 and 2.8 yards per carry in the Divisional and Conference Championship rounds, respectively. The two offer complimentary skill sets for each other, as Singletary's shiftiness and agility make him somewhat of a “lightning” to Moss' thunderous running style. Moss has amazing contact balance, great patience for a youngster, and the quickness to hit a hole quickly. Come the playoffs in winter, his presence will need to be felt in order to punish opposing defenses.
A.J. Epenesa is important simply because the Bills' lack of a formidable pass rush allowed Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to attack them with ease. On the contrary, the Buccaneers showed that an elite pass rush can slow K.C. down quite a bit.
Given that, the Bills sorely need a standout pass rusher. Enter Epenesa. With a big 6'5″, 275 pound frame and elite quickness for his size, he's got the ability to be a force on passing downs. He is inexperienced in defending the run, but that's not what Buffalo needs him for. He can overpower and out-bend opposing tackles, and has shown elite hands to force strip sacks when he gets home, which are exactly the type of big plays that win big games come December.
When that big third down comes, whether it be with the Bills on offense or defense, Zack Moss and A.J. Epenesa will need to be a guy that Buffalo can trust to make a play.
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