The first NFL player to run for 2,000 yards in a season, O.J. Simpson, did it in Buffalo. The Bills think the next player to run for 2,000 yards may do it in Buffalo as well.
C.J. Spiller carried 207 times for 1,244 yards in Buffalo last year, but this year he’s expected to get a bigger workload, and the Bills’ website says there’s a growing belief that Spiller could hit 2,000 yards this year.
Bills head coach Doug Marrone certainly sounds like he’s willing to give Spiller a lot more carries than he has had in the past.
“My philosophy has always been that if someone starts off and they’re running well we’ll just keep feeding them the ball,” Marrone said.
Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has the same approach.
“When in doubt, give it to a back. That’s our motto,” Hackett said.
A 2,000-yard season happens so rarely that it’s unrealistic to expect it for anyone. But Spiller topped 1,200 yards last year without even being the primary ball carrier some weeks: He shared time with Fred Jackson and had fewer than 10 carries in six different games. If the Bills are serious about making Spiller a workhorse -- and if Spiller can stay healthy for 16 games -- there’s every reason to believe he can challenge for the league’s rushing title.