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Bills vs. Seahawks: 5 storylines to watch in NFL Week 8

Here are five storylines to watch when the Buffalo Bills visit the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 8 matchup.

Greg Vorse

JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE via Imagn Content Services, LLC
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The Buffalo Bills continued to build on their lead in the AFC East with a 34-10 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. Now, they set their sights and travel plans for the Pacific Northwest when they visit Seattle for a 4:05 kickoff on Sunday. Here are five storylines to watch for when Buffalo battles the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

DK Means Don't Know

DK Metcal
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seahawks star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday after suffering an  MCL strain last week. Metcalf is one of the NFL's top pass-catching weapons, and he's currently the leading receiver for a Seattle offense that's averaging a league-high 270.9 passing yards per game. Whether the 6-foot-4 athletic anomaly can play will be something to monitor as kickoff approaches on Sunday.

Related: Bills WR Keon Coleman earns national accolade for Week 7 breakout

Start Fast

Sean McDermot
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

This could be confused with a key to victory, but it's becoming a storyline that the Bills keep starting slowly. The Bills are 14th in the league in points scored in the first quarter with 4.7 per game. Buffalo's defense is 30th in the league in first-quarter points allowed at 6.9. Those numbers are hidden by the fact that the Bills are one of two teams to be top four in those categories in the second half.

West Coast: NFL

Seattle Seahawks fan
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

NFL teams travel with the best amenities you can possibly have in the air, so jet lag syndrome is nowhere near as bad as it once was; however, this is the first time since Christmas week of 2023 that the Bills will have played on the West Coast. Their last trip, a 24-22 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, went well.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Geno Smit
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Bills were passing the plate around on offense during their first three wins, then a pair of losses and a stagnant offense caused Brandon Beane to acquire Amari Cooper. The Bills won his first game and the offense clicked again. On the other sideline, the Seahawks have a three-game winning streak and a three-game losing streak this season. Seattle has also lost back-to-back games at home. Could we finally find out who each team really is on Sunday?

Related: How Bills WR Keon Coleman statistically compares to other rookie WRs entering Week 8

Defensive Minds

Mike Macdonal
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

I don't like to speak in absolutes, but every fan base that has or wants a coaching vacancy seems to want those openings filled by the next hot-shot offensive mind. When the Bills visit Seattle, Sean McDermott and Mike Macdonald will be two defensive-minded head coaches squaring off.

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Greg Vorse
GREG VORSE

Greg Vorse joined SI to cover the Bills in July of 2024. Greg has spent two decades covering Buffalo football, first as a sports reporter for WJET (ABC) in Erie, Pennsylvania, from 2004 to 2007, then, starting in the summer of 2007, for Time Warner/Spectrum News. He was an award-winning broadcaster during his time on television for stories on the high school, college, and professional ranks. Greg has also covered the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers during his broadcasting and journalism careers. Aside from a love of athletic competition, Greg, his wife, and their two children enjoy vacationing and changing the stereotypes of pit bull terriers.

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