Why the Buffalo Bills shouldn’t overlook the Washington Commanders

Carolina Panthers Connection

When Bills head coach and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott used to call plays for the Carolina Panthers defense, it was the Commanders' current head coach Ron Rivera who oversaw McDermott and the rest of the Panthers coaching staff.

While that might seem insignificant to the outcome of Sunday's game, outside of a friendly post-game handshake at midfield, it could have implications on the Bills ability to shut down the Commanders offense.

Rivera, or "Riverboat Ron", is considered a defensive guru that served as a mentor to McDermott during his time in Carolina. If anyone would have a 'tell' on the Bills defense, it would be Rivera, considering McDermott probably uses similar principles to the defense he used to call back in Carolina — principles that would have been well-communicated with Rivera.

The Commanders offense and their young quarterback Sam Howell are far from being the most explosive group in football, but they've done some good things this season, particularly against a talented Denver Broncos defense in week two.

Couple that with having a better understanding of the Bills defense than most other opponents and the Commanders could give Buffalo fits on both sides of the ball in week three.