Rost: Two keys for the Seahawks against AFC East-leading Bills

Longtime NFL reporter Vic Carucci joined The Huddle to offer an opponent preview for the Seattle Seahawks’ upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills.

Seattle Seahawks-Buffalo Bills Info: TV, radio, announcers, uniforms and more

The Bills bring a tough, though far from unique, challenge for the Seahawks: once again, the defense will be tasked with stopping the run. This time, though, it’ll be an offense with the most dynamic quarterback they’ve faced.

Key 1: Score early and lean on Kenneth Walker III

If DK Metcalf does not play Sunday, then sure, you’d love to see a young receiver like Jaxon Smith-Njigba get more action. But more than that, you’d love to see Seattle lean into the run, and that’s more to do with the Bills defense. It’s why, with all due respect to receivers, the Seahawks would likely love Sunday to be a big day for Kenneth Walker III.

Buffalo hasn’t struggled nearly as much as Seattle has against the run, but they’re not very good there, either. They’ve allowed 132 rushing yards per game, good for 20th. That’s skewed a bit from a disastrous performance against Baltimore (271 rushing yards allowed) but it’s also a reflection of their own personnel concerns.

“Their problem against the run in part comes from health, or lack thereof,” Carucci said. “Matt Milano, one of the top linebackers in the league, has not been available to them. He suffered a triceps injury before the season.”

But it’s not just about who isn’t playing; it’s also about who is.

“You’ve basically got a middle of the defense that is not big,” Carucci said. “Mostly good, penetrating guys like Ed Oliver or Duane Carter, they make some impact, and they can get involved in making good plays against the run if they hit those gaps. But, by and large, this is not a power front. The defense as a whole, very much nickel-oriented, is built to deal with passing more than running. A team that commits to running, (especially) if they don’t get too far behind, can definitely have success and create more opportunities, like the Titans did in the first half of that game.”

You can’t lean into the run if you’re falling behind, which is why Seattle’s first key is to score early. Coincidentally, it’s something they haven’t done this season. The Seahawks have yet to score a touchdown on their opening drive and have scored a touchdown on their second drive just twice (against Miami and New England).

Key 2: Limit turnovers (because the Bills certainly have been)

This is a matchup of two teams on opposite ends of the turnover spectrum here. The Bills have a league-best plus-10 turnover differential; Josh Allen hasn’t thrown a single interception, and the offense has lost just two fumbles. They haven’t had a single turnover in the last three weeks. Meanwhile, the Bills defense has had a takeaway every single week and at least two in four separate games.

Seattle hasn’t been as fortunate. The offense has turned the ball over in all but two games, and that’s been at least twice four times. Prior to their win over Atlanta, the defense hadn’t had an interception since Week 1 and had just a single takeaway (a fumble recovery) since then. They came out of Atlanta plus-three in that column, with two picks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. But simply put: A team that has struggled to protect the football will be facing a team that’s been the best there, and that needs to change Sunday.

Listen to the full conversation with Buffalo Bills insider Vic Carucci at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to The Huddle from noon-2 p.m. on Thursdays before Seahawks games on 710 Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Bump: What changes for Seahawks with trade for LB Jones
• Seahawks’ surprising rookie Michael Jerrell gets ‘slimed’
• Seahawks Injury Report: Metcalf out for 2nd straight day
• The area Brock wants to see Seahawks’ JSN improve
• Wyman provides a linebacker’s view on Seahawks trade for Ernest Jones IV