As the Bills implement a new offense, questions remain regarding whether running back LeSean McCoy will be able to adjust his running style to the one-cut approach that coordinator Rick Dennison employs. There’s no question about McCoy’s level of excitement regarding the new air attack in Buffalo.
“The running backs getting the ball in the passing game,” McCoy told reporters on Thursday. “That’s something I’ve been a part of, but it’s been a while since I’ve actually got the ball a lot in the air — we do a lot of that. [Rick Dennison is] big on that, you look at all the successful running backs that’s been in his offense, from Arian Foster who I’m a big fan of, he did it on the ground and in the air.”
One thing that will help the Buffalo offense is the fact that, before the snap, there won’t be many clues about what’s coming.
“Everything looks the same,” McCoy said. “Actually talking to Sean [McDermott] about why he hired [Rick Dennison], the biggest thing is – he said that it’s harder to defend because everything looks the same, as a defense, they look for alignments, they look for different cheats, different formations, and everything looks the same in our offense and it’s hard, if it’s a pass or run, you can’t tell. Being a part of that, is special to me because you don’t know what it is, and then the ability to get the ball to you running backs in open field with routes against linebackers, it’s an easy win.”
It will be an easy win if McCoy develops into a Foster-style weapon. McCoy’s biggest year as a pass catcher came in 2010, when while part of Andy Reid’s offense McCoy caught 78 passes. McCoy averaged 41 catches per year with Rex Ryan as the head coach.