The Buffalo Bills are feeling great at 3-0, coming off of back-to-back division wins and making a statement comeback win in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. Now they will get some extra rest before their Week 4 home matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Two major takeaways about this Bills team is that their offense is playing like the best in the league, and their defense has been inconsistent.
In Week 1, the defense was ripped apart by the Baltimore Ravens. Even with Josh Allen putting the team on his back, it was a pathetic performance by the defense. In Week 2 against the New York Jets, it was a completely different outcome as they dominated the Jets offense. Then in Week 3 against the Dolphins, it was an in-between performance where they weren’t bad but they weren’t great either.
Not to mention, they are dealing with injuries (Ed Oliver) and suspensions (Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht) on the defensive line. On the other side, this means that opportunities were presented for other players like Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders.
Walker, who was drafted in the 4th round has had flashes of making an impact. While he doesn’t have the most impressive numbers, he has made a couple of stops and has caused pressure in the middle of the trenches.
As for Sanders, it’s a different story. Not only was he drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft, but the Bills traded up 15 spots for him. That tells us that the Bills really thought highly of him. However, he hasn’t made much of an impact at all.
Trading up for T.J. Sanders looks like a mistake so far for Bills
Even with Ed Oliver missing the last two games, Sanders hasn’t been able to show why the Bills traded up for him in the second round. Now granted, it’s been three games in his rookie year. At the same though, with injuries/suspensions within the Bills’ defensive line and because the Bills traded up for him, he should have shown by now what value he can bring to the Bills.
While Sanders will still continue to get reps as the season goes on, these last two games were big opportunities for him and there was no shine.