Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Yes, it's only been two weeks, but...
The Buffalo Bills ran through the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 with a short pass game combined with a run game that featured a career outing for second-year running back James Cook.
Buffalo's performance in Week 2 could very well be a sign of things to come all season on the ground. Every layer of their run game looks to be improved.
One under-appreciated advantage of playing more 12-personnel with Dalton Kincaid on the field, instead of a third wide receiver, is nickel cornerbacks once blocked by 5-foot-8, 175-pound Isaiah McKenzie or Cole Beasley are now being blocked by the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Kincaid.
The Bills are running 12-personnel (two tight ends) 50% of the time in 2023, compared to just 6% in 2022. They've gone from the team using the least 12-personnel to one of the team's using it the most, and it's helping their run game.
Another reason the Bills' run game looks to be at its best in years is the early returns at the guard position.
The Bills have had a rotating door at offensive guard for the entirety of Sean McDermott's tenure as head coach. From Vlad Ducasse to Quinton Spain to Jon Feliciano to Ike Boettger, Rodger Saffold, Ryan Bates and plenty more, the Bills have never been able to call their interior offensive line, as a whole, a strength.
So far, so good on O'Cyrus Torrence and Connor McGovern. Pro Football Focus grades both Torrence and McGovern as two of the best-15 guards in the NFL through Week 2.
The biggest way to improve your run game is improving the offensive line. The Bills made a $27 million investment in McGovern, plus a second-round investment in Torrence. It's paying off early.
The final piece of the Bills' improved run game is the running back. James Cook is one of the best running backs in the league to start 2023, no matter what stat you look at.
Cook has 127 rushing yards after contact, good for fourth in the NFL. Cook also has 46 yards over expected this season. The only running backs with more: Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Nick Chubb, and Austin Ekeler. That's elite company.
Cook is such a smooth runner, while not possessing the lightning-quick feet like a C.J. Spiller. His style reminds me of New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara - a player that can get to a high rate of speed with, what looks like, not much effort.
The speed Cook possesses is unlike anything the Bills have had in years. His 4.42 40-yard time is in the 90th percentile amongst running backs. Compare that to Devin Singletar's 4.66 40-yard dash, which was in the 17th percentile when he was drafted in 2019.
The Bills have a more dynamic running back behind the best offensive line in years, and their slot receiver got eight inches and 65 pounds bigger to be able to block cornerbacks.
What it appears to have all added up to is the best Bills ground attack since the drought years. Luckily for this Bills team, they don't have to rely on the ground game like the drought Bills did.
