The Buffalo Bills didn’t bring Joey Bosa to Buffalo to be an every-down cornerstone. They signed him to be the difference in high-leverage moments -- the third downs, the two-minute drills, the plays that can swing a game.
In Week 2 against the Jets, Bosa delivered exactly that, reminding the league he’s still got enough juice in the tank to make an impact off the edge.
Just how impactful can Bosa be in limited snaps?
Bosa’s stat line was dominant: seven total pressures, five hurries, and a sack that shut down the Jets the entire football game. More than the raw numbers, though, his constant presence forced quarterback Justin Fields to adjust, speeding up throws and limiting New York’s ability to stretch the field.
When Bosa was on the field, the Jets’ offensive rhythm disappeared.
What makes the addition so valuable for Buffalo is the context that lies within. The Bills’ defense has been strong in recent years, but has often come up short when tasked with closing out elite AFC offenses -- whether against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs or Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Adding a pass rusher with Bosa’s pedigree gives them a proven weapon who doesn’t need to be on the field for every snap to change a game’s outcome.
At this stage of his career, Bosa isn’t tasked with 60-snap workloads. Instead, head coach Sean McDermott and second-year defensive coordinator Bobby Babich are deploying him in subpackages, allowing him stay fresh and unleash his unique blend of burst and technique in obvious passing situations.
Against the Jets, the plan worked seamlessly.
For Buffalo’s veteran defense -- already anchored by veteran stalwarts -- the presence of Bosa offers a new wrinkle. His ability to collapse pockets from the edge allows the rest of the front to rotate more freely, while the secondary benefits from tighter throwing windows. It’s the kind of complementary piece every defense needs as a veteran that's truly seen it all.
Until we see it happen otherwise, the AFC still runs through Kansas City, but if Week 2 was any indication, Bosa looks like a clear fit for Buffalo, and a player they'll rely on as the weather gets colder. He doesn’t need to be the star he once was with the Chargers, he just needs to be the closer -- something Buffalo has been searching for.