By Jordan Long
The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC East Division for the 1st time since 1995. They will host a home playoff game in the Wild Card Round. Buffalo has not won a postseason game since they knocked off the Miami Dolphins on December 30th, 1995. The team announced 6,772 fans will be able to attend. With the Bills advancing to the playoffs, there is optimism they may sign free agent wide receiver Kenny Stills.
Stills spent the last season and 10 games of this year with the Houston Texans. In 10 games he didn’t see the field much. According to CBSsports.com, Stills’ last game with the team was week 11 against the New England Patriots, Stills saw action in 4 offensive snaps. Stills ended up with a career low 11 receptions for 144 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Texans and Stills mutually parted ways on November 27th. Stills was hoping to latch onto a team that was headed to the postseason. That has not happened to this point but with him visiting the Bills, it is expected he will sign a contract for the playoff run.
The Bills have one of the top wide receivers in the game today in Stefon Diggs. He has been a huge target for quarterback Josh Allen. Diggs to this point caught 120 passes for 1,459 yards and 8 touchdowns. His average yards per catch is an impressive 12.2. Diggs has shown the ability to catch the football and make defenders miss.
The other wide receiver Allen looks to is Cole Beasley. Beasley takes the pressure off Diggs to make plays. He caught 82 passes for 967 yards and 4 touchdowns. He may not be ready for the playoffs because he is week to week dealing with a leg injury. He most likely won’t play this week against the Dolphins. Buffalo is hopeful he will return for the playoffs.
The Bills don’t have a reliable veteran after Diggs and Beasley. Stills could fix that need. Stills is a reliable pass catcher who has totaled 4,843 yards and 37 touchdowns in his career. He has postseason experience which may help the Bills. Stills appeared in 5 playoff games in his career with 15 receptions for 243 yards and 1 touchdown. If Beasley can’t go, Stills becomes the #2 wide receiver lining opposite of Diggs. Otherwise, Stills can be the #3 wide receiver on the depth chart which improves the Bills’ wide receiver core. Allen will basically look for all of them and choose which wide receiver to throw the ball to.
When the Bills sign Stills, Stills makes an immediate impact. It may not close the gap on the defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs, but the Bills will be a more dangerous team in the playoffs. It could be the difference in them advancing even if it is one round.
Leave a Reply