San Diego Chargers OL vs. Buffalo Bills DL a matchup to watch

One of the biggest storylines after the first two weeks of the regular season is the surprise 2-0 start from the Buffalo Bills, who have been playing efficient football on offense with second-year pro E.J. Manuel making strides as a distributor under center. He certainly doesn’t lack weapons, and Sammy Watkins is just as good as most of us expected him to be. The Bills beat two solid foes in the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins, and their next test standing in between them and a 3-0 start is the San Diego Chargers, who bounced back from an MNF loss to the Arizona Cardinals (they were winning at one point) to beat the Seattle Seahawks in incredibly impressive style.

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The NFL is all about matchups, and usually some of the most pivotal battles are won and lost in the trenches. Based on what the Bills did to the Dolphins last week, I think it’s safe to say that the Chargers will have their hands full against one of the league’s best defensive lines. DTs Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus just might form the best tandem up the middle on a 4-3 defense, while defensive ends Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes are explosive and dangerous.

While Williams and Hughes have combined for three sacks already this season, they shouldn’t worry the Chargers as much as Williams and Dareus, who are an even better duo. But the main reason for the great concern directed towards the DTs lies in the Chargers strengths on the offensive line. D.J. Fluker is doing a credible job through two weeks after looking much better than expected as a rookie (some thought he would struggle to adjust to the NFL in his first year), while King Dunlap is clearly showing that his 2013 season was no fluke; this guy can more than hold his own out there, as he was solid against the difficult Seahawks D-Line. Fluker got whipped against Michael Bennett, but Bennett dominates everyone.

The Chargers interior, however, gives me some pause, because this is probably the weak link of their offense. Chad Rinehart was victimized badly by Calais Campbell in Week 1, but Campbell is also one of the best players in the game at any position. That said, Dareus and Williams aren’t exactly far off from his level, and Williams has already quickly asserted his dominance as a pass rusher this year.

Elsewhere on the Chargers line, veteran Rich Ohrneberger could have fits against Dareus and explosive MLB Brandon Spikes, who blows up plays in the running game with his explosiveness and vicious playing style (he can also blitz, as evidenced by his sack). But Ohrnberger isn’t a true liability, and I’m not as worried about him as I am about Johnnie Troutman.

It’s pretty clear that Troutman is the weak link on the Chargers offensive line, and I think he could get exposed against the Bills after having issues against the Seahawks front. With Ryan Mathews out, it’s not going to be easy for the Chargers to run the football, especially since their interior doesn’t match up favorably. Plus, the Bills have a great group of run-stuffing linebackers, led by Spikes and impressive rookie Preston Brown, who has some Spikes-like traits in his game. Troutman can play up with those guys as a run blocker, but I’m worried about how he holds up in pass protection against the extremely explosive Dareus.

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