Just a few weeks ago, Buffalo’s offensive line was a major concern following a shaky preseason.
Two weeks into the regular season, those fears are long gone. The Bills offensive line helped lead the way in a much needed 35-17 bounce-back win in Week 2 over the Kansas City Chiefs.
“We’re always going to take a lot of heat in the preseason, especially when we’re not game-planning a lot,” C Eric Wood said. “We want to put guys in tough positions in the preseason to see what they can do. And over the past couple of years we’ve been able to improve greatly and it seems like we were so much better as soon as the season starts. Part of that’s time being together and part of that’s just good game-planning.”
The O-line set the tone early against the Chiefs. The groups physical edge was the main reason C.J. Spiller ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He currently leads the league in rushing with 292 yards.
On Spiller’s first TD, Wood and LG Andy Levitre opened a big hole on the left sie. Early in the second quarter, backup RT Chris Hairston delivered a crushing blow to Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson to set up a 38-yard Spiller run. Spiller scored three plays later to his left after LT Cordy Glenn pulled and took out Chiefs CB Javier Arenas.
The line was also superb in protection. The Bills didn’t allow a sack for the second week in a row. It’s only the second time in team history the Bills have not given up a sack through the first two games of the season, dating back to 1980.
“I give a lot of credit to those guys but to [O-line coach] Joe D’Alessandris as well," coach Chan Gailey said. "He does a great job of making sure those guys are on the same page and they’re working together as a unit, communicating extremely well and they have giving us two excellent performances, So we’ve got to continue to use them and what their abilities allow us today.”
Wood said the line's performance should not be a surprise.
“We played well when we were healthy last year,” he said. “But we’re just trying to keep perspective because it’s just game two of 16.”
For more updates on the Bills, follow correspondent Mark Ludwiczak on Twitter @CBSBills and @MarkLud12.
