The Buffalo Bills improved to 3-0 thanks to an impressive defensive effort, the kind of work so many people had been waiting to see out of new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s group. In total, Buffalo’s defense allowed the Chargers just one trip to pay dirt and a trio of field goals all while navigating some very difficult situations on the heels of five turnovers.
It was an ugly day for the Bills’ offense, clearly caught in a dangerous Los Angeles defensive trap.
Buffalo’s defense wasn’t listening
to any bit of that trap-game narrative, playing the type of football that allowed quarterback Josh Allen and company the time needed to clear their heads and claw back to a game-tying touchdown just before halftime. In truth, the first half could have gone much worse if not for the defense’s effort holding up against short fields.
Winning is difficult in the NFL, and the Bills probably don’t walk off the field undefeated without that defensive effort. Once again, outside linebacker Greg Rousseau roared to the rescue late in action. He leads the league in sacks, claiming another pair in Week 3 for a total of six on the season. Rousseau looks like a gladiator unleashed in Leonhard’s system, finally freed from the cages of Buffalo’s prior 4-3 system.
Through the first two games, it seemed pretty clear that the Bills’ path to success would require offensive perfection, fireworks on every drive. Then the Chargers’ stout defense came to town ready to change the narrative. Allen appeared off all day, unable to build any sustained success as a passer. Los Angeles’ defense did well in taking the short passing option away early, and convincing Allen it was unwise to scramble for yards even with a lot of green grass in front of him.
It’s true that Los Angeles’ offense was at times its own worst enemy, with plenty of miscues and mistakes. That shouldn’t take away from what the defense accomplished against quarterback Justin Herbert, limiting him to a 76.3 rating while going 20-0f-34 for 226 yards with a touchdown and interception. Herbert rarely looked locked-in, a testament to the defensive backfield in the game’s biggest moments — which really rallied to action following cornerback Christian Benford’s toe injury.
Buffalo didn’t claim its first lead until there was 7:35 left in regulation. It was only possible because the Bills’ defense forced field-goal tries on four drives, one of which went astray for kicker Cameron Dicker. Late in the fourth, the Chargers decided to go for it on fourth down, but Buffalo’s defense was ready and gave its offense the short field needed to run toward victory.
Now, perhaps, the Bills’ defense will be able run to the spotlight.
