Bills vs. Broncos: Breaking Down Buffalo's Game Plan

For the third time this season, the Buffalo Bills caused an opponent's starting quarterback to be benched. This time, the victim was Brian Hoyer of the Cleveland Browns. The entrance of Johnny Manziel overshadowed the Bills' 26-10 win, but the Bills defense was again dominant, keeping the sputtering offense in the game and providing a game-changing touchdown in the second half.

The win moved the Bills to 7-5 and keeps them clinging to a glimmer of playoff hope. Now the Bills will travel west to face perhaps their toughest test of the season to date. The Denver Broncos and all-world quarterback Peyton Manning await the Bills on Sunday, and Jim Schwartz's unit will have to turn in another outstanding effort to give the Bills a chance to win.

According to Odds Shark, the Bills are nine-point underdogs against the Broncos on the road. Let's have a look at what the Bills might do to shock the Broncos and pocket another win to bolster their playoff hopes.

Watch Out for...C.J. Anderson?

At the beginning of this season, the C.J. people would have pointed to as the biggest threat in this game was C.J. Spiller. Now Spiller is hurt, and the most dangerous C.J. in this game is the previously unknown C.J. Anderson.

Anderson, an undrafted free-agent signing, has simply been on a tear for the Broncos over the past couple of weeks. Anderson has amassed 335 yards on 59 carries combined against the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. That's an average of 5.7 yards per tote. He has been gashing defenses, and it has totally changed the look of the Broncos offense.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Here, the Broncos are lined up with Anderson in the backfield, three wide receivers to the right side of the formation and a tight end on the end of the line to the left. The Chiefs have eight men within five yards of the line of scrimmage; they are loaded up to stop the run.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

As you can see, the Broncos line blocks to the ride side of the formation as the play flows that way.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Then Emmanuel Sanders kicks out on the back side, Anderson cuts it back to the left and turns it into a 16-yard gain.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

The Bills defense will have its hands full trying to stop this offense, especially if the Broncos get the running game going. It will be an important game for Preston Brown and Nigel Bradham, who will be responsible for cutting off those counter plays and helping stop the run. 

If Anderson has success, it sets up the play-action game which could allow Manning to carve up the Bills defense and hit some long passes to Sanders or Demaryius Thomas. So if the Bills can slow Anderson down, it will make the Broncos offense more one-dimensional.

Then comes the equally tough challenge of slowing down Manning. He's one of the best to ever play the game, and the Bills struggled earlier in the season when they faced top-tier quarterbacks (Philip Rivers and Tom Brady).

The strength of the Bills defense is the pass rush, so you can bet most of the pass plays Manning runs will be quick-hitters where he doesn't have to hold the ball for too long. Manning isn't the most nimble quarterback in the pocket, so the Broncos will be sure to minimize the chances for Manning to take big hits.

Protect Kyle Orton

When the Bills get the ball on offense, their No. 1 priority will be to keep Kyle Orton upright. The offensive line has done a better job lately (five sacks allowed over the last four games) against some quality pass-rushers.

But the Broncos have two of the best in the game in DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. Miller is fifth in the league with 11.5 sacks, and Ware has 10 of his own, good for eighth-best in the NFL. Either one of them can wreck a game with one or two plays.

And as Chris Trapasso of NFL.com points out, the Broncos fare much better when they can get after the quarterback:

It will be a tough task for the entire Bills offensive line. Rookie right tackle Seantrel Henderson will especially have his hands full with the speedier Miller. It could end up being a pick-your-poison situation with the Bills chipping or double-teaming on one side, which would leave the other side in a one-on-one battle.

A good way the Bills could combat the pass rush is to use screens. Both Fred Jackson and Bryce Brown are capable receivers out of the backfield, and getting both involved in the pass game can keep the Broncos' defensive horses (wordplay!) at bay.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Here's a perfect example of a screen the Bills have used successfully in the past. Brown is lined up to Orton's left with Orton in the shotgun. On the snap, Brown runs out to the left, and Orton swings it right to him.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

It turns into a quick and easy throw and catch for a 14-yard gain. If the Bills can use plays like this successfully, it will do more than keep the Broncos' pass-rushers on their heels. These plays can help move the chains and extend drives, which in turn keeps Manning on the sideline.

This will be one of the toughest games the Bills play all year. Few would be surprised if they lose. But the Bills defense has kept them in every game, and it continues to show up week in and week out. And the defense's performance is evidenced in the Bills being one of only two teams to "have not lost by more than 15 points" this season, per Mike Catalana of 13WHAM:

If the defense turns in another stellar performance and the offense protects the ball, the Bills will have a chance to steal a win and make it that much easier to get a ticket to the postseason dance.