The Buffalo Bills may seem like the most stacked team remaining in the NFL playoffs heading into the divisional round, but Josh Allen does most of the heavy lifting in this team's public perception. Behind the MVP's heroics, the Bills are full of holes.
Their biggest weakness, even from the beginning of the season, has been the wide receiver position. They are without a true top wideout, and it shows in the lack of production they get from their receivers.
With multiple receivers injured heading into a crucial playoff matchup with the Denver Broncos, the Bills are forced to rely on second-year pro Keon Coleman to play a major role. Just this season, Coleman was benched because of disciplinary reasons. Now, he could be one of the most important players in the Bills' biggest game of the year.
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The Bills were already thin at receiver going into the playoffs. Then, they lost Josh Palmer, Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis to season-ending injuries. With just three fully healthy receivers remaining on the roster, they can't hide players like Coleman from the spotlight anymore. He'll have to play a significant portion of the game, and he'll likely see at least a few targets come his way.
Coleman already saw some playing time in the Bills' first playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He hauled in his only target for a gain of 36 yards.
The Broncos are known for playing a healthy amount of man coverage. They'll likely have All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II follow Brandin Cooks or Khalil Shakir for the majority of the game, leaving Coleman one-on-one with Riley Moss. Moss is a quality player, but Allen may look to work that matchup instead of testing Surtain.
Of course, the Bills will likely look to put two or three tight ends on the field as much as possible to limit their need for receivers. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox give them more favorable matchups than their current crop of receivers, both in the running game and the passing game. But if they get down on the scoreboard, they'll be forced to use three-receiver sets.
Hopefully, the Bills can rely on their rushing attack to build an early lead against the Broncos, allowing them to chew the clock and escape with a victory. If not, they may have to rely on Coleman to save their season.