Buffalo Bills: Mike Gillislee Needs to Feature More in Ground Game

The Buffalo Bills have a strong ground attack and lead the league in rushing, but Mike Gillislee needs to get more carries to avoid another disappointing performance like the one against Miami on Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills are a rushing team. They were last season and they are again in 2016, as evidenced by their current grip on the league’s top ranking. Rex Ryan looks well on his way to building the “bully” that he wants Buffalo to be.

The team’s most lethal runner, LeSean McCoy, is a fantastic back and one who’s definitely amongst the position’s elite, so it makes sense that he’s handed the ball often. However, there currently appears to be too much reliance on the four-time Pro Bowler.

Admittedly, that statement does seem somewhat preposterous, but as evidenced against Miami, the Bills running game and subsequently the offense as a whole, struggles if McCoy can’t get going on the ground.

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Sure, the same could probably be said about any other team with a commitment to the run, but the difference with those squads is that they have other options that they’re willing to turn to. The Bills have a solid backup in Mike Gillislee — and may even have a dependable third in either veteran Reggie Bush or rookie Jonathan Williams — but for whatever reason choose not to really use anyone but McCoy.

For the purposes of this article, let’s just focus on Gillisliee, who last season averaged 5.7 yards a carry with just 47 attempts, including rushes of 50 and 60 yards.

We’ll assume that offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and the rest of the coaching staff believe that Bush doesn’t have much to offer anymore at 31-years-old and with his history of injuries, and Williams, we’ll just chuck up his omission to inexperience.

In a run=first offence you’d figure you need a lot healthy competent bodies, but apparently not. Against the Dolphins, McCoy, who had been hampered by a hamstring injury and was a game-time decision, was limited to just the first half and could only muster 11 yards on the ground.

Gillislee, who this season has an averaged 6.2 yards per rush (22 carries), and has broken off a 44- yarder, continued to show flashes in Miami, busting out for a team-high rush of 20 yards. Unfortunately, he was only given four carries, despite the team’s bell cow being sidelined.

Again, in an offence that is so run-heavy and with a proven runner like Gillislee available, why not continue to pound the ball? Especially considering the Bills held a 17-6 lead over the Dolphins in the third quarter.

Dec 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee (35) scores a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Tyrod Taylor is a good passer, but not a great one. He’s not the type of quarterback that can pick apart defenses with solely his arm. The second-year starter is at his best when the opposition stacks the box and he can launch the ball over the top with his rocket arm or hit a receiver on a crossing route set up by play action.

Taking away the threat of a back running, puts unnecessary pressure on Taylor and even makes it harder for him to contribute in the ground game, with DBs sitting back in coverage prepared to handle a scramble downfield.

A major reason why the Bills were able to put together their first four-game winning streak since 2008 was because they pounded their opponents with the run. That should be the gameplan every game, no matter who’s lined up next to or behind Taylor, but especially if it’s Gillislee, who’s always ready to contribute.

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Do you agree that the Bills need to use the other backs more in the ground game? If so, would you also go with Gillislee getting more carries or is there anyone else you’d like to see more involved? Let us know in the comments section below.

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