The Buffalo Bills will play the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8 at Lumen Field.
The Bills (5-2) are looking to build on a dominant second half in last week’s blowout win over the Tennessee Titans. The Seahawks (4-3) are coming off of a blowout win of their own as they beat the Atlanta Falcons by 20.
It’s a close matchup between two good football teams and Las Vegas agrees. The Bills are favored by a field goal on the road. They’ll need to execute their game plan to gain their sixth win of the year.
Here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 8:
Balanced offensive attack
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The Bills’ passing game finally got on track during the second half of last week’s win. Allen had his first 300-yard passing game since Week 18 of last year. But, Seattle has been giving up chunks on the ground.
They allow 146 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth-worst in the NFL. This is the type of defense that you must keep guessing and the Bills should get their stable of running backs going.
Control the line of scrimmage on offense
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Perhaps the best matchup to watch will be the Bills’ offensive line against Seattle’s defensive line. The Bills’ O-line ranks seventh in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, but they will have their hands full.
The Seahawks have talent and depth across the line. They rank 13th in the NFL per PFF. Last week they sacked Kirk Cousins three times and hit him nine times as he threw two interceptions. They are capable of getting after the quarterback and making a difference. If the Bills minimize what the Seahawks can do up front, then it will open up a lot for the offense.
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The Seahawks love to air it out on offense. They have the most passing yards in the league and they’ve attempted the most passes, too. Quarterback Geno Smith has attempted the most passes of 10-plus yards downfield among all QBs. The Bills will be tested in coverage.
Safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin have a lot on their plate. If they can make a few plays on the ball and limit the deep passing, then it will bode well for the Bills in this one. What makes things difficult for the Bills is that linebacker Terrel Bernard won’t be there in the middle of the field.