The Buffalo Bills' 33-6 preseason loss caught fans a bit off-guard, and even concerned many fans. Especially from the performance of the offensive line and backup players. The center position is the biggest concern from the O-line, as Connor McGovern continues trying to find his footing within the position.
With it being the first game of preseason, is it worth the concern that's going around? Well, the answer is mostly no, as it's normal for good teams to struggle within the first games of the preseason, even the regular season.
Don't compare preseason success to regular season success
There are also a lot of teams who've done well in the preseason and end up not even making the post-season, or just become underwhelming. For example, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their former quarterback, Kenny Pickett, had a fantastic preseason and destroyed the Bills. Yet, during the regular season, the Steelers benched Pickett after returning from injury, barely made the playoffs, and then lost to the Bills in the Wildcard.
Players are rusty
NFL teams and players are also shaking off a bit of rust, even if they have been practicing for more than a month already. However, it's different once they've faced another opponent. Game speed is a lot different than practice speed, and seeing new guys on the other side of the field adds some pressure and unpredictability that a player would see on gameday.
Josh Allen doesn't seem the least concerned with the team, as he's still upbeat even after the preseason game. Allen is still impressed and excited with the offense he's working with, mentioning Curtis Samuel's acceleration and Keon Coleman's catch radius, and Josh expects his new teammates to take their time and learn more about the offense.
Even with the offensive-line struggles, they've also struggled badly in last year's preseason but cleaned it up once the regular season started. However, the center position is one thing to be wary about, as McGovern has struggled since he's moved to that position. There may still be a position battle within the next few weeks.
What fans should expect against the Steelers?
Fans should take most things that happen in preseason with a grain of salt, as preseason is for players to earn a roster spot, and for starters to get their feet wet. However, it would be ideal for the Bills to have a better outing against the Steelers this Saturday.
Some improvements fans would like to see are better pass-blocking from the offensive line (especially center), more disciplined defense from the safeties, better quarterback play from the backups, and better energy from the players.
The team doesn't necessarily have to win, but some things need to be cleaned up by then, regardless if some starters are playing or not.