Buffalo Bills get the same result in different ways

The Buffalo Bills did what they needed to secure wins in consecutive trips to MetLife Stadium but got to the same result in very different ways.

The progress report for protecting the football at MetLife Stadium in Week 2 was an A+.

No interceptions. Check.

Zero fumbles recovered by the Giants. Check.

It usually is not a fine line between four turnovers and zero turnovers. When reviewing the New York Jets game certain turnovers could be excused because the ball was tipped by the receiver making it a catch able ball that turned interception. Were the Bills that much more protective of the ball in Week 2 or did bad luck and good luck play in to the perceived turnaround? Were the Jets more aggressive with takeaways?

The Bills could easily have had six or more turnovers against the Jets. Had the defense not controlled the Jets and the game turned out different, the four turnovers would be viewed as the main cause of the loss. The poor start to a season could be blamed on poor ball security.

Instead the turnovers are part of the happy story of how they overcame those turnovers with a combination of excellent defense and the poise of the offense in the fourth quarter.

Close calls that could have resulted in turnovers against the Giants did exist. However, luck may have played a factor as that was not the case.

In both events, the Bills came out victorious. It does reveal a bit as to just how close losses and victories sometimes are. Some of them show on the scoreboard like the one point game against the Jets more so than others such as the Giants game.

I felt as though the Bills were going to win both games and never really felt that either game was in favor of them losing. Against the Jets my main instincts kept reminding me that for a game that we had already coughed up the ball four times, being down only six was a blessing. When the game was 6-0 and even 8-0, all points against were scored against the offense. The defense was still perfect at that time. If your defense is playing that stingy, a chance for winning is certainly on the table.

The Giants came out and ran the ball down the Bills’ throat on the opening drive resulting in a touchdown. The drive resembled a 1980’s Bill Parcells’ Giants football team. That would be the only part of the game resembling such.

Even after Buffalo going three and out on their first possession, they regrouped and played their game. Even when the game was narrowed down to only a one score difference, never did the game feel like one that was in jeopardy of being lost.

The fact that the Bills committed no turnovers in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium made for a much more dominating display. A more convincing victory. No need for a comeback. Buffalo went the length of the field multiple times. When the game got a bit closer towards the end, they took the ball down the field scoring to re-establish a multiple score game. Any signs of a Giant comeback were expeditiously repressed.

The fact that the Bills are heading home for their home opener at 2-0 was a realistic yet hopeful best case scenario. If the season proves to be that the Jets are a bad team and the Giants are even worse,  the Bills still won two games in two different ways on the road.  I know some safe folks who prior to the season would have settled for a 1-1 record on the road no matter what the level of competition would be.

It is not elementary to win in the NFL. It is never a given to win against anyone on the road. The Bills are not some team that has dominated for seasons like the Patriots. They have proven nothing. Anyone claiming now that the two games in New Jersey were games they should have won, are not taking in to consideration the lack of road wins this century. They are not looking at the big picture, including last year’s record.

The Bills go home to play a struggling Cincinnati Bengals team. The Bills should be the favorite to win and I believe they will come out of the home opener still undefeated.

The tale of one New York team playing in the same New Jersey stadium consecutive weeks, being the road team, ended perfect on the scoreboard. Now two teams from two different Queen Cities go head to head in Orchard Park.

This beloved Bengals team and quarterback Andy Dalton were adopted by Bills fans as a favorite two seasons ago. The playoff drought would still be ongoing if not for the arm of Andy Dalton. Meanwhile, Dalton has nothing but great things to say about Bills’ fans as they had donated to his charity in record breaking amounts.

There is one quick way for this love affair with Dalton and the Bengals to quickly end in a sloppy breakup. Hopefully, the Bengals quarterback doesn’t put a damper on what should be an exciting homecoming for the Buffalo Bills.