The Bills Have A Punter So Talented He Can Help Them Win Games

Call me crazy, but the Buffalo Bills have a punter that could just help them win games this year. No, I'm being serious.

Stop laughing.

Okay, sure "Punt God" Matt Araiza won't have the type of effect MVP-favorite Josh Allen (+700 on BetMGM) will, but when you can boom an 82-yarder and pin a team back near their own endzone in just about any situation during a game, that makes for more long fields every week if you're a Bills' opponent, and could have some serious implications late in games.

Big Leg, Big Numbers

For a lot of people, Araiza's name may mean nothing, but for anyone that ever watched the sixth-round pick at San Diego State, his work is the stuff of legends. The Ray Guy Award winner as the best punter in the nation last year was actually looked at as a hot prospect in the draft, and the sixth round was seen more as a drop when it all came together.

That 82-yard punt you see above actually came in at a net of 62 with the Colts taking over at their own 20, but that's still 12 yards better than Vegas' A.J. Cole, who led the league with a net average of 50. So yeah, this kid can be something special.

Sure, punters are the butt of plenty of jokes around football, and it's something that won't go away. But, if the Super Bowl favorite Bills (+600) are now adding a field position weapon on special teams, having already put together a Top-5 offense in 2021 and the NFL's leader in total defense as well, this can absolutely play a factor week by week for Buffalo.

What If...

Here, let's play a little game. Imagine late in the fourth quarter of Week 1 against the Rams (Buffalo -2.5), and the Bills lead by a field goal. Araiza is sent out to pin Matt Stafford and the Rams back near their own endzone, making a drive just to get to field goal range tough. Now, imagine he pins that thing inside the 5-yard line, and Buffalo's stingy defense keeps L.A. away from even a chance to take a game-tying kick. Time expires, and you had Bills -2.5.

You're sure gonna be thanking Araiza, aren't you?

I'm sure they would've loved a few extra yards tacked on to Patrick Mahomes' 75-yard game winning drive in overtime during last year's Divisional Playoffs too right? Okay I get there was no punt beforehand there, but you get the idea. Now with the "Punt God" as their secret weapon, expect longer drives from teams playing the Bills all season long, and the legend of Araiza to only grow.