With an exciting and important AFC conference win on Sunday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens, behind them, now is the time for the Buffalo Bills to look ahead and focus on the New York Jets.
Both quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry combined for 461 total yards, with five overall touchdowns. If the Bills are going to be competitive from now on, their defense must be better at stopping these total yards and touchdowns.
Two defensive linemen who need to step up their game
DE Joey Bosa
Rather than trying to trade for superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons and take on his big contract, the Bills made a smart move by signing a talented edge rusher in Bosa for only a one-year deal. Additionally, the Bills want players like him who can also contribute to the run defense.
The one concern the Bills should be having with Bosa is his past issues with injuries that have caused him to miss significant time. While he was totally healthy in Week 1, he struggled trying to sack Jackson and couldn't get a clean tackle against Henry, allowing him to run for 169 yards and two scores.
If Bosa wants to return to the dominant player he once was, he will have to work on improving his technique so he can better wrap up and contain Jets quarterback Justin Fields in Week 2. He will also have to work with defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to avoid over-pursuing and bring down Breece Hall, Braylon Allen, and the Gang Greens' three-headed running back group.
DT DaQuan Jones
Jones is a big man in the middle of the Bills' defensive line. He is also relatively quick, as the Bills run a 4-man front on the defensive line with two-three linebackers. His primary duty is to ensure that running backs don't slip past him, so he can use his size and strength to bring them down to the turf.
Week 1 was a big bump in the road for the veteran defensive tackle, as he was also part of the reason why Henry rushed for over 100 yards in just the first game of the season. Much like how Bosa has to work with Babich on technique and tackling, Jones must use his speed and strength to clog the middle of the running lane and slow down Hall and the Jets' running game.
The bottom line is that the Bills won the game against Baltimore in Week 1, but Sean McDermott knows they got lucky and that their defense has to move on, letting Bosa and Jones move past their rough outings. The 24-hour rule of celebrating is now over. It's back to work at practice to make sure Bosa and Jones do not make the same mistakes against both Fields and Hall, or it will be another tall task for Allen and the offense to bail the Bills' defense out again in Week 2.