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Bills Today

Bills Today: What Philadelphia's head coach respects the most about Buffalo's run game

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1. What Philadelphia's head coach respects the most about Buffalo's run game

The Bills rank seventh in the NFL in average rushing yards per game at 135.8. Last week, the Bills totaled 117 yards on the ground from four different rushers. Frank Gore led the team with 55 yards, followed by Josh Allen at 32, Devin Singletary with 26 and Patrick DiMarco with four.

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson believes Allen is what sets Buffalo's run game apart from other teams.

"What really jumps out to me is this quarterback." Pederson said. "You know the fact that he's big, tall, athletic with a strong arm, and I put him in the Cam Newton category as far as size and strength, and that makes a difference. Defenses have to account for him."

Allen ranks fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards this season with 190. Ahead of him is Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (576), Arizona's Kyler Murray (266), and Houston's Deshaun Watson (196). They have all played one more game than Allen.

"[Allen] isn't like Baltimore's Jackson, they're different athletes," Pederson said. "But if you're not accounting for him, you'll get tortured in the run game all day. That's what you see and that's what kind of stands out that we have to be prepared for."

Allen has run it at nearly the identical rate per game between 2018 and 2019 (7.5/7.4 attempts per game) but is averaging three yards less per carry from 7.1 to 4.2.

2. How the Bills want to slow down Philadelphia's top weapon

The Bills are playing one of the best tight ends in the NFL on Sunday. Zach Ertz has been Carson Wentz's security blanket and one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the NFL for years. Lorenzo Alexander detailed on how the Bills are going to try and slow the connection down.

"He's a savvy, veteran tight end who knows how to run routes. Him and Wentz have a great chemistry together and work well so even when it doesn't seem like he's open he gets a little push off or Wentz is throwing it perfectly and they have as a good a one-two punch and that goes a long way," Alexander said.

"We [linebackers] have to help the back end by rushing the passer and getting him uncomfortable and throwing them off their spot. We can throw the timing off of routes and be on time when he feels Ertz has a mismatch."

3. Tre'Davious White's commitment pays off

Tre'Davious White wouldn't have intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick if not for getting beat on the same route countless times before. He's been beat on that route by John Brown in practice and current Cleveland Browns wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in college. 

"It comes from trial and error," White said. "I've been in that position so many times that I just trust my feet and my eyes."

White's trust comes from his preparation. He says that he spends so many countless hours in his basement watching film to try and gain a competitive advantage that his responsibility as a father comes second to football. 

"Once the season's over that's when I kick into full dad mode but right now my girl pretty much does everything because she knows how serious I am about my craft and how serious I am about trying to be the best player that I can be for my team."

Teammates have described White in one word: competitive. A trait that comes from his childhood and being pushed into playing sports to be with his brother and cousins. White is fully focused on coming away with a victory.

"My attitude will be bad at times because I just want to win each and every rep," White said. "I know that's not realistic but that's the bar that I set."

Scroll through to see the best photos from Buffalo's practice as they prepare for Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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