ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills’ running game has been muffled for most of the season, and one of the biggest reasons is a lack of production from running back C.J. Spiller.

Spiller is coming off two of the worst back-to-back games of his NFL career, and things were so bad against the New England Patriots, he played only 12 offensive snaps.

“I would say I’m definitely not losing confidence,” coach Doug Marrone said. “We all have to improve, and I think C.J. would say that, too. We all have to improve.”

Spiller is struggling as much as he has since joining the Bills as a first-round draft pick in 2010. He carried 10 times and gained 8 yards in the Bills’ victory at Detroit. He followed that with 19 yards on six carries, and lost a critical fumble late in the first half, in the loss to New England. That is 16 carries for 27 yards.

“I’m not coach Marrone, I’m the football player, I go into the game when I’m told,” Spiller said. “I’m not worried at all (about playing time); I always said you take advantage when you’re in there, do everything you possibly can to make plays for your team, so I’m not caught up in how many snaps I get. Obviously you want to play more, but certain things happen throughout the game and you have to go to different packages, but I’m not concerned.”

With just 234 rushing yards through six games, Spiller is averaging a career-low 3.4 yards per attempt.

“I’m not off to the best start in my career, but I still have all the confidence in the world that I’ll be where I want to be when the smoke clears,” Spiller said.

With wide receiver Mike Williams’ agent asking permission from the Bills to seek a trade, Spiller was asked if he thought the team might think of dealing him prior to the Oct. 28 trade deadline. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and it seems unlikely that the Bills will re-sign him in the offseason.

“I block it out, man, I honestly do,” Spiller said. “I just focus on trying to get better at my craft. All that other stuff, if it happens, it happens, it’s not like I’m begging for it to happen. This organization is going to do what’s best for the organization to be in position to win ballgames and win championships. I want to be involved in that, be a part of that here at Buffalo, but if this organization decides to go in a different direction, I won’t have any bad feelings at all. I want to be a Bill. I want to be a Bill.”

With the Minnesota Vikings coming to Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday, this could be an opportunity for the Buffalo running game to get energized. The Vikings yielded at least 100 yards in each of the past five games, and the Bills certainly will try to establish their wilting ground attack.

Quarterback Kyle Orton also needs to get back to utilizing wide receiver Sammy Watkins, a first-round draft pick, in the passing game. After a big game together in Detroit, the two weren’t on the same page against the Patriots. With New England star cornerback Darrelle Revis locked up one on one all over the field with Watkins, Orton targeted him just three times and completed two for a mere 27 yards.

“I don’t think this is an offense where we pick one guy and we get him the ball,” said Orton. “We try to throw the ball to the open guy and go through our reads. Obviously, Sammy is an important part of our offense, so we’ve got to find ways to get him involved earlier in the game.”

Orton added that the running game has to be reliable, too.

“I think we’ve got a lot of playmakers,” the quarterback said. “There’s a number of ways to get them the ball. Running the ball. Our screen game is improving every week. We’ve got guys at the wide receiver position, as well. Give them the ball with some space and give them room to run.”

Which is exactly what they should be trying to do with Spiller.

NOTES: DT Marcell Dareus was excused from practice on Wednesday due to a personal matter. He is expected to return Thursday. … LS Garrison Sanborn sustained a knee injury against New England, and his status is up in the air for the Minnesota game. The team brought in two long snappers just in case. … S Aaron Williams was limited in practice due to neck and wrist injuries. Coach Doug Marrone said the neck problem is the more serious of the two.