Injuries were the story from last week's loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as many players who haven't seen the field much this season had to get their feet wet against a talented Jaguars team.
We all know the old motto "next man up," but some new players didn't perform great. Most of these players are very young and will likely learn from their mistakes quickly to succeed in the NFL.
Luckily, some of these players are facing a less talented 1-4 Giants team, who have struggled mightily on both sides of the ball and may help their development going forward. Although, it's important to note matchups against the few star players on this Giants team as well.
Dorian Williams vs. Saquon Barkley
Giants' star running back Saquon Barkley may be back from an ankle injury this Sunday. He is another talented running back for Williams to tackle, which he struggled with mightily against Travis Etienne last week, missing two tackles last week. However, this is if Williams gets the nod to start this week. Williams was benched late in the fourth quarter due to his struggles with tackling.
Williams put up a great effort, and with actual preparation in a McDermott-coached defense, he may shock Bills fans, especially going against a much weaker Giants offensive line that will draw up more tackle opportunities for Williams. The bright side is that tackling is the only thing Williams struggled with last week. Other than the tackling, Williams was everywhere on the field.
Interior o-line vs. Dexter Lawrence
Dexter Lawrence is one of those hidden gems on the Giants' roster, and deservingly so, he's been one of the best nose tackles in the league. Lawrence is an underrated player and is known as a run-stopper but can also apply some pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Although Lawrence hasn't been a game-changer this season, he has the potential to be and has been in past seasons.
The Bills' interior line has done a decent job blocking for Allen and Cook; however, they struggled last week when rookie O'Cyrus Torrence, veteran Mitch Morse, and David Edwards struggled to block for the running backs. They were able to rush for only 15 yards on ten carries (1.5 YPC).
The Bills will look to attack the line of scrimmage and establish the run game once again, block for Allen, and overall make sure that Lawrence isn't a factor this game.
Offensive Tackles vs. Kayvon Thibodeaux
The second-year pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has been nothing short of impressive in his last three games, recording four sacks and four TFLs in those games. He's sort of the forgotten part of that defense, mainly due to him being in his second year in the league, but the former fifth-overall pick is talented and is a big threat as a pass-rusher.
Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown have been playing good football as of late, and both have only given up one sack so far, even against game-changers like Maxx Crosby, Chase Young, Montez Sweat, and the Jaguars' Josh Allen.
Both tackles should overall keep an eye out on Thibodeaux, as he's on his way to becoming one of the better pass-rushers in the league. The Bills will game plan for these matchups and try to utilize them on Sunday night in Buffalo.