Earlier this week, I wrote an article exploring the absurd idea that Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller - the No. 9 overall pick in this past April's NFL Draft - would by design get one carry in a football game. My hope that this trend would go away seems to be dying as rapidly as the Bills' hopes for a winning 2010 campaign, as head coach Chan Gailey re-iterated on Wednesday that his plan is to bring Spiller along slowly.
If that is the case - and I won't bore you with another rant about how ridiculous that is - then the lead man in Buffalo's backfield for their Week 3 game against the New England Patriots has to be Fred Jackson. Right?
Jackson might be the only Bills player anywhere on the roster to have tasted consistent success against the Patriots. He's played them five times, and in each of the last three games - where he's had a significant role in the offense - he has logged more than 15 carries. He's gained 388 total yards and scored a touchdown in those games, and had at least 112 total yards in all three. Jackson averages 4.7 yards per carry for his career against New England.
Marshawn Lynch got the start - and 17 carries - in Green Bay last week, but has not had the same success against New England that Jackson has. He's only played New England three times in his career, with 151 total yards on 43 touches (42 rushes, one reception), with one touchdown. He averages 3.45 yards per carry against New England for his career.
If Gailey is looking for the best combination of players to beat New England - which he claimed he was doing when he benched Trent Edwards in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick - then it's Jackson that needs to see the bulk of the RB touches this weekend. Jackson, however, has just 15 touches through two weeks. That's one less than his rookie teammate.