Sunday’s potential Super Bowl preview between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions is primed to showcase two of the NFL’s most pungent offenses.
The Bills will be receiving timely aid from an unsung hero in their receiving corps with the official return of Keon Coleman.
Coleman has been held out of action since injuring his wrist in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins. Bills head coach Sean McDermott confirmed he will head into Sunday’s Week 15 kickoff in Detroit without an injury designation.
WR Keon Coleman is good to go for Sunday and return to the lineup. #Bills
— Chris Brown (@ChrisBrownBills) December 13, 2024
The Bills are rebounding from an exhausting 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in which Josh Allen accounted for 424 total yards and six touchdowns.
This defeat ceased the seven-game win streak the Bills had running.
Coleman was showcasing flashes of big-play potential in an offense starved for a No. 1 receiver prior to the injury designation. The rookie was only averaging 2.4 catches per game, though he emerged with a 125-yard performance in Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans and secured three scores through nine contests.
Buffalo selected Coleman as the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to support the receiving corps with an acumen for what his scouting combine report characterized as “circus catches resembling a scene from the tents of Cirque du Soleil.”
Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images
The lanky wideout from Florida State was projected to be a “well-rounded” WR2 option as he doesn’t present eye-catching speed, but his ability to use his strength and dexterity makes him a legitimate deep-ball threat.
AKA Allen’s bread and butter.
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Coleman’s longest catch came in the impressive display on Oct. 20 against the Titans where he caught a missile for 57 yards.
Since former No. 1 wideout Stefon Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans for a second-round pick in April, the job in Allen’s favor has been up in the air.
Third-year pro Khalil Shakir is leading the shallow group of pass-catching options through 12 games with 765 total yards.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid follows his trail averaging 5.9 targets, however, his status against the Lions is questionable after having missed the last three games due to a knee injury.
This opens the door for Coleman to shine against a Lions secondary that ranks No. 23 in air yards allowed.
With a victory on Sunday, the 10-3 Bills would strengthen their lead on the AFC East while the 12-1 Lions look to keep the Minnesota Vikings, who are one game behind them, in the rearview mirror.
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