Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen may be forced to run often in Week 15

The Buffalo Bills are dealing with injuries in the backfield which could force Josh Allen to pick up the slack in the running game on Sunday.

All week I have been talking about how the Buffalo Bills desperately need some production from the running backs so Josh Allen doesn’t need to run the ball often and take big hits.

Having a steady rotation of backs getting the carries would help that cause, but there are injuries being dealt with this week.

The main injury to note is the one for LeSean McCoy. He left last Sunday’s game with a hamstring issue and could be out once again this week. There is no need to rush the veteran back if he is hurt in what is a lost season.

That leaves Chris Ivory as the top back, but he is dealing with a shoulder issue, although he did practice. Behind him on the depth chart is Marcus Murphy. Keith Ford was also just signed to add some depth if McCoy can’t play.

Ivory and Murphy have combined for 555 yards on 142 carries this season, which is not too far ahead of Allen and his 490 rushing yards on 66 carries.

Both Ivory and Murphy should be part of the gameplan this week, but Allen has already been running wild when McCoy was in the lineup as well. Now he may be forced to do more if McCoy is out and the Detroit Lions commit to locking down the Bills receivers.

A lot of Allen’s runs are improvised, as opposed to direct play-calls. But he is a competitor and telling him not to run will be ignored by the rookie if he sees an opening and knows his backs just aren’t getting it done.

My hope is that the coaches make it clear that he cannot afford to keep putting his body on the line. Winning is the goal, but he will have to trust his running backs to do the running on Sunday. And if he drops back and no one is open, throwing the ball away is never a bad idea.