The Buffalo Bills notched their first 4-0 start since 2020 with a gritty 31-19 victory over the winless New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Highmark Stadium. It wasn’t the blowout many predicted — far from
it.
The Saints started nine drives in Buffalo territory, forcing the Bills’ defense to bend without breaking, while the offense leaned on familiar firepower amid sloppy moments like a rare Josh Allen interception. Turnovers were scarce (just one for Buffalo), but penalties and red-zone inefficiency kept the crowd on edge until a late surge sealed it.
In a game defined by resilience, certain Bills players emerged as clear risers, perhaps a sign that Buffalo may have a deeper roster than we expected. Others, however, faltered in key spots, highlighting areas of concern as the season progresses.
Here’s my breakdown of the top three trending up, the top three trending down, and I also included honorable mentions for those on the cusp.
Trending Up: Helping to Build the Undefeated Machine
These players didn’t just contribute — they elevated the Bills in clutch scenarios, turning potential disaster into dominance.
1. RB James Cook
James Cook is showing why he deserves every penny general manager Brandon Beane agreed on paying him from next year on. He’s fully capable acting as the Bills’ offensive heartbeat. Against a Saints run defense ranked 25th in yards per carry allowed (4.8 entering Week 4), Cook exploded for 117 rushing yards on 22 carries (5.3 YPC), marking his third straight 100-yard game. He added 18 yards on three receptions, finishing with 135 total yards from scrimmage, including a 1-yard touchdown score.
Advanced metrics paint an even brighter picture: Cook generated 3.4 yards after contact per attempt (top-3 among RBs with 15+ carries), per Next Gen Stats, and his 87.2 Pro Football Focus (PFF) elusive rating ranked first league-wide this week.
He has shown improvement in pass protection, catching the ball (three catches on four targets), and being able to patiently wait for the offensive line blocks to develop before exploding through the holes. Cook’s consistency (4.9 YPC season average) has him on track for 1,300-plus rushing yards, easing the load on Allen and leading the team’s 1st-ranked run offense.
2. S Cole Bishop
I hate to do it (not really), but I told you he had to play to fulfill his potential, and that he would be fine playing within the team’s defensive schemes. In a game where New Orleans quarterback Spencer Rattler targeted the middle of the field relentlessly, Bishop snagged a highlight-reel interception on a Philly Special trick play late in the first half— the first pick in his NFL career. He finished with five tackles (four solo), a pass breakup, and that game-changing INT, which preserved a 14-10 halftime lead.
PFF graded him at 82.1 overall (elite for safeties), with a 90.2 coverage grade that led all Bills defenders. Next Gen data shows Bishop’s 1.85 yards per coverage snap allowed — well below his 2.4 season mark — while his 28% target rate against deep overs (per NFL Next Gen) forced Rattler into checkdowns.
Entering Week 4, Bishop’s 14 tackles and a sack highlighted his rise to the unchallenged starter, trending toward potential Pro Bowl chatter if he sustains this level of ball-hawking combined with his sure tackling ability. That’s something really needed in this Bills’ defense at the moment.
3. Deone Walker, DT
Fourth-round rookie Deone Walker is bulldozing his way into relevance, becoming a key cog in a revamped D-line early in his career. Thrust into a starting role amid Ed Oliver’s lingering injury, Walker logged 34 snaps (51%) and notched five tackles (two solo) and two tackles for loss, including a run stuff for no gain on Alvin Kamara’s third-down carry in the fourth quarter. He also batted down a Rattler pass at the line, contributing to a three-and-out.
His PFF overall grade of 85.4 ranked top-5 among interior defenders, with an 89.7 run-defense grade that led all rookies. Next Gen Stats credited him with a 25% pass-rush win rate (elite for his position).
Walker’s 6-7, 331-pound frame, combined with his quick feet, has overwhelmed single blocks, drawing double-teams and giving his DT partners chances to make plays. Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been the case, with the Bills’ defense struggling to contain opposing run games, but the rookie has done his part there.
Through four games, Walker’s seven tackles and two TFL signal a foundational piece. He’s trending up as one of the Bills’ main disruptors in the interior
Trending Down: Cracks in the Foundation Exposed
Despite the W, these players underwhelmed, raising red flags for a Bills squad that can’t afford lapses against AFC heavyweights.
1. LB Dorian Williams
Third-year linebacker Dorian Williams, expected to provide a solid performance in Matt Milano’s place, had a nightmare outing, missing tackles and finding himself consistently out of position, like when he whiffed on a coverage assignment that sprung Chris Olave for a 22-yard gain.
He finished with six tackles (three solo) across 56 snaps (84%), and was benched for Shaq Thompson on sub packages late in the game, after looking overmatched against the Saints’ misdirection.
PFF handed him a brutal 41.8 overall grade — his lowest of 2025 — alongside a 38.2 run-defense grade that ranked bottom-10 among LBs. Next Gen metrics exposed his woes: a 22% missed tackle rate (up from 12% season average) and 4.8 yards per run snap allowed, per TruMedia.
The coaches shifting to veteran Shaq Thompson for closing snaps late in the game was a telling sign. With head coach Sean McDermott praising the veteran recently, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Williams’ role (18 tackles, no splash plays this season) decreased to special teams and a depth piece, behind veterans Milano and Thompson. It’s a really bad sign for a guy who looked like a potential Milano replacement in the starting lineup for the next season.
2. DE Greg Rousseau
Greg Rousseau, the 2021 first-rounder locked into an $80 million extension, continues to underwhelm as a one-trick bull-rusher, registering zero pressures or QB hits on 25 pass-rush snaps against a Saints O-line ranked 20th in pass-block win rate. He managed three tackles but lost edge containment twice, aiding New Orleans’ 189 rushing yards.
His PFF pass-rush grade dipped to 52.3 — fourth-worst among edges with 20+ snaps — while Next Gen clocked a 12% win rate (down from 18% in 2024) and average close time on the QB at 4.1 seconds.
Lacking counters or bend, Rousseau’s development has stalled. Through four games, he has just 0.5 sacks and zero forced fumbles, far from the double-digit sack threat expected. With Joey Bosa succeeding opposite him, more is expected from Groot to justify his hefty new salary.
3. CB Tre’Davious White
Reunited with Buffalo on a prove-it deal, veteran corner Tre’Davious White clearly isn’t the same as before, consistently playing scared of getting beaten deep and allowing a lot of easy receptions ahead of him. Against the Saints, it wasn’t any different.
White allowed six catches on eight targets for 89 yards, including Olave’s 3-yard TD where he trailed by 3.2 yards at the catch point. White played only 51 of 67 possible defensive snaps, with the coaching staff trying out rookie Dorian Strong late in a rotation.
His PFF coverage grade plummeted to 48.7 (bottom-15 among CBs), with Next Gen data showing a 112.4 passer rating when targeted, and 5.2 yards per coverage snap allowed.
Beaten consistently on crossing routes (68% completion rate against), White’s hips and recovery speed faltered, prompting coaches to insert sixth-rounder Strong (4 tackles, PFF 72.1 grade) in some of the final drives — a trend that should continue, at least until first-round rookie Maxwell Hairston is fully recovered from his knee injury. White’s season (zero INTs, just two passes defended, and 7.8 YPT conceded) points to mentorship duties over an every-down role. Make him the Ramon Humber to Strong’s Matt Milano in the next few games.
Honorable Mentions
Trending Up:
LB Shaq Thompson (four tackles, one pass defended, earned late-game snaps over Dorian Williams, 76.4 PFF grade)
LB Terrel Bernard (10 tackles, one QB hit)
Trending Down:
WR Joshua Palmer (two catches for 25 yards on three targets, just 15 snaps (25%), decreased role in 3-WR sets favoring Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir, 54.2 PFF receiving grade)
CB/RET Brandon Codrington (healthy scratch as primary returner, with Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir handling duties, might be cut soon?)
DT T.J. Sanders (second-rounder played 36 snaps (54%) but just one tackle and no pressures, lack of interior impact despite lots of single block opportunities, 49.8 PFF grade).
As New England comes to the town for a week 5 Sunday Night Rivalry showdown, Buffalo needs the players who are on fire to keep it up, but it would also be nice to see some of the struggling pieces showing signs of improvement… or getting replaced by hungrier options. The risers provide optimism for a deep playoff run; the fallers serve as wake-up calls. With the AFC’s number one seed in sight, expect McDermott to lean on the hot hands to keep the winning streak going. Go Bills.
Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge!
