LeSean McCoy is out for an indefinite amount of time with a hamstring issue. How will the Buffalo Bills replace him?
The Buffalo Bills were dealt a major blow to their team today. LeSean McCoy suffered a hamstring injury during Wednesday’s practice, and the issue has turned out to be serious. According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, the Bills are going to be without their top running back for an unknown amount of time.
I'm told #Bills RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring) is not playing this Sunday and could miss more time thereafter, depending on healing.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 20, 2016
McCoy was a huge part of the offense in Buffalo. They would like to have the veteran back soon, but soft tissue injuries tend to linger. Without him, the team may struggle more than they normally would.
Through six games, the veteran has looked as good as he ever has. McCoy had 104 carries for 587 yards and a whopping six touchdowns. That average of 5.6 yards per carry had him on pace for a career best mark. In Week 6 against the 49ers, he absolutely gashed their defense. He has been the catalyst for the Buffalo offense, especially since they switched to new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.
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Without McCoy, the Bills are going to have a bit more trouble. The team is lucky enough to have a pretty solid backup in Mike Gillislee. Gillislee burst onto the scene at the end of last season and earned the Bills backup job this offseason. He outplayed the overweight Karlos Williams and has looked good in limited action this year. He has carried the ball 17 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Gillislee has looked just as shifty as McCoy running behind the Bills’ strong offensive line, and he should have a chance to increase his production by a good amount.
The main issue for the Bills is their depth. It is no secret that their offense is relying on the running game to support them. Gillislee will only be able to do so much without help. Behind him, he only has rookie Jonathan Williams and the over-the-hill Reggie Bush, who should not be on the roster. Neither seems like a candidate to step up and do much. Williams will probably see five or so carries moving forward as Gillislee’s backup.
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It will be interesting to see how the Bills can fare without McCoy. The team has won four straight games, and they need to keep winning to maintain the pace in the AFC East. They have a chance to do that against the Dolphins, but only if they can get some production out of their running game.