An hour before kickoff, the Buffalo Bills announced that running back Zack Moss would be starting against the New England Patriots on Sunday, December 26, a decision that left fans and analysts baffled.
Moss has been a healthy scratch for three of the last four games, with running backs Matt Breida and Devin Singletary getting the start. However, Bills head coach Sean McDermott suddenly swerved on Sunday morning, picking Moss to start and making Breida a healthy scratch.
The last time Moss took the field since is also the last time the Bills played the Patriots in Week 13. During the Bills 14-10 defeat on December 6, the 24-year-old tallied eight carries for 21 yards, along with two catches for 12 yards, as reported by Rotowire.com.
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While it seems Bills head coach Sean McDermott is looking to utilize Moss’ blocking abilities over Breida’s speed, the reaction on Twitter to this unexpected decision just before the most important game of Buffalo’s season, was a collective feeling of impending doom.
I thought we were done with Zack Moss 🙄🙄
WHY IS ZACK MOSS ACTIVE?!?!?! #BillsMafia
Zack Moss uuuuugh
No more than 5 touches please
Zack Moss active
Zack Moss being active 🤢🤮
For those wondering why Breida was inactive, The Athletic’s Jos Buscaglia offered some insight. Buscaglia tweeted, “1. The Colts had some success running up the middle on the Patriots last week, and Zack Moss gave them some good runs doing so last time against New England. Also, Breida had one snap last week that wasn’t on a kneel down and isn’t on ST any longer.”
The Bills Must Beat the Patriots to In Order to Punch Their Tickets to the Postseason
GettyJosh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills delivers a pass during the first quarter of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York.
Every decision the Bills make for Sunday’s game will be placed under a microscope considering the gravity of their rematch against the Patriots. Not only will the winner usurp the top seed in the AFC East, but they will also earn a spot in the postseason.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen knows grabbing a win against New England will not be easy. “My college coach used to say. ‘There’s two dogs and only one piece of meat,’ It’s gonna be a dogfight,” ” Allen said, per WROC-TV reporter Thad Brown.
🗣NOW OR NEVER.
Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll urged his players to get fired up from the pressure. “It’s the competition you’re looking for,” Daboll said, pew Bills Wire. “That’s (why) December football games are what they are. High competition level, usually some type of stakes at it. It’ll be an important week.”
McDermott Spoke About the Uncertainty of Their Lineup Heading Into Week 16
GettyHead coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York.
The uncertainly of who will be able to play on Sunday was an understandably stressful situation considering the ever-growing amount players getting placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. 13WHAM reporter tweeted on Friday that head coach “Sean McDermott usually says he takes things ‘one day at a time,’ but today he said he’s talking everything ‘one hour at a time.'”
Sean McDermott says really only time players are in the building now is for practice, which has been outside as another way to help be safer against COVID issues.
Meetings are virtual and will be moving forward.
“Unknown player availability day-to-day is something you have to mentally push through,” McDermott added, per One Bills Live host Chris Brown. “We know we’re going to play Sunday, so we have to get ready to go.”
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Bills Twitter Shocked Struggling RB Will Start Against Patriots in Week 16