Cleveland Browns vs. Bills: 5 questions with BuffaLow Down

Aug 14, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Matt Cassel (16) looks to make a pass attempt during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers in a preseason NFL football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns will see a familiar looking team staring at them from across the field at FirstEnergy Stadium when the Buffalo Bills roll into town for the second preseason friendly of the season.

Much like the Browns, the Bills will be looking to their defense to carry the team this fall, albeit from the defensive line rather than the secondary, and have questions at the quarterback position.

To learn a little bit more about the team the Browns have practiced against the past two days and will take on Thursday at 8 p.m., we reached out to Paul Taylor, co-editor of BuffaLow Down, for a Q&A on the current state of the Bills.

Question: Similar to the Browns, the Bills quarterback situation is a bit unsettled. How are things shaking out so far in training camp?

Paul: Despite Rex Ryan claiming it’s still a three-way competition, it sure looks like it’s down to a two-man race at this point. Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor have been taking the majority of the reps with the first-team offense in practice.

Ryan stated the reason that EJ Manuel was working with the third team is because that is the unit he will play with against the Browns. I’ll let you decide if this is a good sign for Manuel’s chances of getting the starting gig for the home opener.

Entering training camp, Cassel looked like the opening day starter, albeit almost by default. However, Taylor played well against the Indianapolis Colts in the first preseason game, and a similar outing against the Browns will strengthen his claim.

Question: Buffalo added LeSean McCoy and Percy Harvin to an offense that already included Sammy Watkins. Can they do enough to offset any shortcomings from the quarterback position?

Paul: Let’s not kid ourselves, this is a quarterback league now, more than it ever has been. Yes, you can never have too many weapons on offense. But it won’t mean much if Cassel, Taylor or Manuel can’’ step up and provide consistent play under center.

In some respects it’s a shame, when you consider how loaded the roster is. If this was even 10 years ago, the Bills could be a candidate to have similar results to the 2000 Ravens or 2002 Buccaneers. (I’m not saying they would have won the Super Bowl, but they would almost certainly guaranteed to at least make the playoffs.)

Regardless, the additions of LeSean McCoy and Percy Harvin (as long as he doesn’t cause trouble again) still give the Bills an excellent chance of ending their 15-year playoff drought. The rest is up to whoever wins the quarterback competition. (Editor’s note: Harvin is expected to miss another week with hip soreness and McCoy left practice on Tuesday with a hamstring injury.)

Question: The Bills were fourth overall in defense (312.2 yards per game) and fourth in points allowed (18.1 per game) in 2014. How much better can the defense be now that Rex Ryan is head coach?

Paul: Aaron Williams recently spoke about the mentality of the Bills heading into this season. Anything less than finishing with the league’s best defense, and they will consider it a disappointment.

There’s always a risk you can fall flat on your face, but the defense appears primed to at least replicate the success of last season. At times they were spectacular in 2014, making the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning look like mere mortals.

The biggest factor will be how the Bills adapt to Ryan’s new blitz-heavy scheme, which emphasizes more man-to-man coverage in the secondary. If they can embrace it, there’s no reason they can’t take a shot at being the best defense in football.

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Question: Speaking of Ryan, what’s been the attitude toward the new coach in town?

Paul: As of right now, the players, media and fans love Ryan. Some people have claimed that his “act” is better suited to Buffalo, compared to New York.

Admittedly, he has been a breath of fresh air to Western New York. You’re even seeing the likes of Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas almost giddy with excitement about what Ryan potentially brings to the organization.

Of course, it could all change dramatically with a few bad results. If the Bills get off to a slow start this season, you can bet the positive vibes will turn to negative comments soon enough.

Question: What can we expect out of the Bills on Thursday night?

Paul: It’s tough to know what to expect from any team during preseason. No one wants to reveal too much ahead of the real action, hence the heavy use “vanilla” schemes on both offense and defense.

The Bills main priority is to find out who their No. 1 quarterback will be for the start of the regular season against the Colts. Browns fans likely don’t care about this, but it’s the one thing to keep an eye on, if you have any interest whatsoever.

Ryan and the coaching staff will likely implement a run-heavy offense this season, due to a combination of having depth at running back, combined with the current uncertainty at quarterback. The Bills ran 45 times against the Carolina Panthers (for over 200 yards), so I predict more of the same against the Browns.

Next: Can the Browns score enough to find success in 2015?

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