Orchard Park, N.Y. — A new quarterback can make all the difference in the world, but will it?
The Buffalo Bills will have their first game with Kyle Orton under center instead of former first-round pick EJ Manuel, who was moved to the bench on Monday by coach Doug Marrone. Plenty could change for Buffalo's offense with the move. By most accounts, Orton has been reading defenses quicker, getting the ball out of his hands faster and commanding the huddle in a different way.
Will that translate to anything when the Bills head to Detroit to play the Lions in Week 5? Detroit has the top-ranked defense in the NFL, so it's not easy task for Orton and the Bills' offense, but his presence should take some of the pressure off the offensive line and make life a bit easier on the receivers.
Let's see if that gets results. Here's what else to watch for.
1. Interior of Bills offensive line vs. Lions defensive tackles
This is a rough matchup for the Bills. The interior of Buffalo's offensive line has struggled in the last few weeks, and Marrone has acknowledged it. Now, rookie guard Cyril Richardson and converted guard Erik Pears will be lining up across from Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh. The strength of Detroit's defense will be matched against the weakness of the Bills' offense. That could be trouble.
2. How effective will Calvin Johnson be?
Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson hasn't been practicing for the second straight week with an ankle injury. In the past, Johnson has shown that he can play through injuries and still dominate, but in Week 4 he played around half of the Lions' snaps and caught his only two targets for 12 yards. He was mostly a decoy in that game. While the Bills can expect Johnson to be active, how much he'll impact the game is a mystery.
3. Can the Lions establish the run?
The Bills are absolutely suffocating against the run in 2014. No team has been able to find much running room against Jim Schwartz's defense that ranks second in the NFL allowing just 32.9 yards per game. Joique Bell isn't expected to play after suffering a concussion, so Reggie Bush may have to carry most of the load. In that case, Bush is worth watching out of the backfield catching passes more than he is taking handoffs. The other element to monitor is whether Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams and linebacker Nigel Bradham are able to play. Both are huge components of Buffalo's run defense and would be sorely missed. Neither has practiced to this point in the week.
4. Will Sammy Watkins bounce back?
Remember Week 2? Sammy Watkins caught eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in his first game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The fans weren't thinking about the 2015 first-round draft pick the Bills gave up to acquire him and instead were focusing on the instant impact he was having on the offense. Since, Watkins hasn't been as dynamic. The belief is that Manuel was holding him back. Well, no excuses for the rookie now.
5. Does Schwartz's presence have any effect on the game?
It seems like all week, Lions and Bills players have been asked about whether Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's presence has any effect on the game? Schwartz was the head coach of the Lions for five seasons and certainly knows quarterback Matthew Stafford well. Coaches and players on both sides have dismissed any impact it could have on the game. But we won't know for sure until Sunday.