Cleveland Browns: Top 5 opposing running backs in 2016
There’s nothing quite like a mid-December football game in Buffalo. Every time Cleveland visits during the colder portion of the season it is a new adventure and colder weather means that the running game will be all the more critical for both teams.
With that in mind, Buffalo already has an advantage, considering their top rushing attack in 2015. One of the main reasons the Bills run the football so effectively is due to their leading running back, LeSean McCoy.
Entering his second season with the Bills organization after six very successful seasons in Philadelphia, it appears McCoy is still in his prime. Going up against Cleveland in likely difficult passing conditions in December , it would be safe to surmise that the Browns’ defense will get a heavy dose of McCoy.
McCoy, like DeMarco Murray, has wide-ranging assets to contribute to Buffalo, as both his speed and power are nearly impossible to combat. This devastating combination warranted him a career high 1,607 rushing yards in 2013, and have helped him average 4.6 yards per carry in his NFL career.
Much like the Titans, the Bills will present an especially difficult challenge to the Browns since they have multiple offensive weapons. Karlos Williams has propelled himself into a secondary role in Buffalo’s group of talented running backs, and the Browns will assuredly see some of him come Week 15. The pressure Williams and quarterback Tyrod Taylor take off of McCoy helps him, as Taylor is one of the top scrambling quarterbacks in all of football.
The Browns will have to keep a balance when trying to defend the relentless rushing attack of the Bills, as they will need to keep containment on the quarterback, and dedicate likely their entire front seven to stopping the running backs.
Buffalo has one of the top offensive lines in football, making the task of defending their rushing attack even more difficult. All of these factors likely account for Buffalo’s top rank in rushing in 2015, and there is no reason to expect this dominance to subside.
The anchor of the Bills’ rushing attack is McCoy, and the Browns must make a very strong effort to limit the damage he does. Facing the Bills in general will be one of the tougher road games the Browns have scheduled, largely due to their elite running back.
McCoy will excel this season in Buffalo, and he is easily deserving to be ranked one of the top running backs Cleveland will face in the upcoming regular season.
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