The Buffalo Bills are set to play host to the Denver Broncos in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday afternoon. It won't be an easy game, but the Bills are more than capable of pulling out a strong win.
However, in order to play to their full potential, Buffalo will need players to play up to their potential.
Also, they are going to need a few key players to put together strong performances. They have one massive X-Factor for this week's playoff matchup.
Amari Cooper was acquired before the NFL trade deadline to be a go-to target for Josh Allen. That has not ended up being the case so far.
Unfortunately, the Bills have not seen consistency from Cooper or top-notch playmaking ability. It's possible that age is starting to catch up to Cooper, but it's also possible that he's simply had trouble getting up to speed since the trade.
In eight games following the trade, Cooper caught 20 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns. For Buffalo to make the run that they're capable of in the playoffs, the team will need Cooper to step up and be an impact player for the offense.
Right now, there are some question marks surrounding Cooper's status for the game against the Broncos. He still has not returned from his excused absence.
That being said, the Bills need Cooper back on the field. They also need him to put together a strong game to take pressure off of Allen and the rest of the wide receivers.
Keon Coleman has been a quality wideout, but he is a rookie. It's dangerous to rely too heavily on a rookie in the playoffs. Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid are going to be huge factors in what kind of run Buffalo can have, but the wide receivers need to produce at a high level.
Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, and Mack Hollins are going to be asked to play roles as well, but Cooper has the most potential to become a star target for Allen out of all of them.
Hopefully, Cooper will be able to return to the field, become an impact piece, and play like the leader that he is capable of being. Throughout his entire career, he has been extremely productive, he just needs to play that same brand of football.
Only time will tell, but Cooper is going to be a huge X-Factor this week against Denver and throughout the entire playoff run.
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