The Buffalo Bills are rolling into Week 3 at 2-0, coming off a dominant 31-10 win against the Miami Dolphins. Part of the reason why they were able to control the game against Miami was because of their defense. While Buffalo did give up 139 yards on the ground, their pass defense was nearly perfect.
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were nowhere to be found and Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted three times (before suffering a concussion late in the third quarter). Miami’s usual high-powered offense fell short once again against the Bills, like they always have. Buffalo has had Miami’s number for over six years now, having lost just twice to them since 2018.
It was definitely a different story for them last week compared to their Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. They had a bit of a tougher time containing Arizona’s rushing attack, but it could have been the first game jitters too. The Bills have surprised the NFL by getting off to a hot 2-0 start and the defense deserves credit for some of it.
Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports published a piece on one fact that was learned about each NFL team after Week 2. When it came to the Bills, Benjamin gave high praise for McDermott and the Buffalo defense.
"Sean McDermott's defense is still legit. After struggling to contain the Cardinals in Week 1, they were all over the Miami Dolphins. Rasul Douglas, in particular, remains a physical playmaker on the perimeter."Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
Buffalo Bills defense taking pressure off of Josh Allen demonstrates true team play
Since McDermott arrived in 2017, Buffalo has always had a top notch defense. While they have their bad games, they make a lot of plays and are able to put Allen and the offense in a great position to put points up on the board. When Buffalo lost Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, their defense was questioned on whether or not they would still be among the elite units.
Then you add the injuries to Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, this defense doesn’t look so great on paper. It’s a good thing that the only factor that matters is what happens on the field.
Buffalo’s defense will be looking to contain a struggling Trevor Lawrence and Jaguars offense in Week 3.