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After a great road win in Atlanta, the Buffalo Bills look to carry that momentum into Paul Brown Stadium and get another road win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are 1-3, but looked like they were back on track last week against the Cleveland Browns. If the Bills are serious about making a playoff run then they need a victory on Sunday. How do they get that win and avoid the classic Bills stumble? Watch the video or read below for the three areas I believe will be key to getting a road win on Sunday.
Here are the matchups the #Bills need to win on Sunday to get another road victory pic.twitter.com/jqZomAUXy9
— Buffalo Rumblings (@BuffRumblings) October 6, 2017
Receivers
The Bills passing offense has been surprisingly good this season, ranking 11th in the league through Week 4. Jordan Matthews, Andre Holmes, and Charles Clay have stepped up to provide Tyrod Taylor with viable downfield options.
However, Jordan Matthews will be out for the next few weeks, so someone will have big shoes to fill. The Cincinnati Bengals is the second best passing defense the Bills have faced this season. Clay, Holmes, Zay Jones, and others will need to step up.
Secondary
Buffalo has faced some of the league’s top receivers this season in Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas. They caught a break last week when Julio Jones went out in the second quarter. They likely won’t be that lucky this Sunday against A.J. Green.
Green is the second highest graded receiver by Pro Football Focus through week four. Making this task more difficult is the face that the Bills may be down starting cornerback E.J. Gaines. Another Bills unit will have to step up in the face of injuries this Sunday.
Defensive Line
Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes, Marcell Dareus, Shaq Lawson, Lorenzo Alexander, and others have gotten the Bills defensive line off to a great start in 2017. Football Outsiders recognizes that has the Bills defensive line as the 7th best in NFL through week four.
On the other side of the ball is the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line. Which Football Outsiders has ranked as the 31st best unit in the league. The Bills have a distinct advantage in this matchup and should use it to wreak havoc on Andy Dalton.
If the Bills can excel in those three areas they’ll walk out of Paul Brown Stadium with another road victory, be 4-1, and still be in first place in the AFC East.