Buffalo Bills: Taron Johnson, Micah Hyde each register sack on opening drive

The Buffalo Bills dialed up the pressure early with two sacks on the opening drive, both by defensive backs.

The Miami Dolphins started the game with the ball but it was a short-lived drive as the Buffalo Bills were able to generate pressure early to disrupt Tua Tagovailoa.

On the opening play, the Bills sent starting slot corner Taron Johnson on a blitz and he was able to get to the Dolphins quarterback before he can get rid of the ball. This is Johnson’s fourth career sack and first of the season.

After a short run by Myles Gaskin on second down, the Dolphins found themselves in third and long. The Buffalo Bills once again brought the pressure, this time with safety Micah Hyde. The veteran was able to get to Tagovailoa to bring him down for a sack and end the Dolphins drive.

This is Hyde’s fifth career sack but the first one with the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo Bills generating pressure from different levels

The focus this offseason was to improve the Bills pass rush and they tried to do that with the selections of Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham with their first two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.

In Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bills didn’t come away with many sacks (they had two) but did do a good job disrupting Ben Roethlisberger and had six QB hits. In that game, safety Jordan Poyer almost had a sack but only had a QB hit.

Entering this game, the Buffalo Bills saw something that made them believe they could get pressure with their defensive backs with two blitzes on the first three plays. It will be worth monitoring how many more times head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier dial up blitzes with their defensive backs in this game.