Yeah, we’re only a quarter of the way into the National Football League season, but it’s hard not to be impressed with the start new Bills coach Sean McDermott has engineered.
Start with the fact, Buffalo, after beating the Falcons, 23-17, Sunday afternoon at Mercedes Benz Stadium, is now 3-1 and alone atop the AFC East, chased by New England and the Jets, both 2-2, the latter having won two straight and effectively stifling any suggestion about them “tanking” the season.
The Patriots, who have won 13 of the last 14 division titles, are 1-2 at home and look vulnerable. They were handled at Gillette Stadium by Kansas City in the opener, needed a Tom Brady miracle to beat Houston, then lost Sunday to Carolina on a field goal as time expired.
Buffalo, meanwhile, is a touchdown short at Charlotte of being unbeaten and with the Panthers, 3-1 after the win in Foxboro, that hardly looms as a bad loss. Even the victory over the Jets, in the Bills’ first game, doesn’t appear as inconsequential as it seemed at the time.
And, oh yeah, Denver, last week’s victim, is now 3-1.
In any case, there are a number of conclusions, albeit early, to be drawn from beating a team that was one of the NFL’s two undefeated clubs coming in.
Start with a complaint persistently issued by lifelong Bills fans: “they never seem to get a break.”
Buffalo got a ton of them on Sunday, of which four were enormously important.
Start with the game’s two most critical calls.
The first came in the third quarter when it was ruled that Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan had fumbled when hit by Bills’ defensive end Jerry Hughes. Rookie first-round draft choice Tre’Davious White scooped up the ball and motored 52 yards for Buffalo’s second touchdown.
It was razor-close whether Ryan was actually throwing the ball, but the replay seemed to show he wasn’t in full possession as he went through his motion, so the TD stood.
Then, in the period quarter, safety Micah Hyde made what was ruled an interception, though the ball made contact with the ground. The pick was upheld after replay and set up the possession where Buffalo got the field goal which forced the Falcons to score a touchdown to win.
The Bills’ faithful will tell you those are the type of calls that invariably go against their team, but not yesterday.
Then, too, Buffalo benefited from some Atlanta misfortune.
Both Julio Jones, arguably the NFL’s top wide receiver, and his starting partner Mohamed Sanu, both missed the second half with hip and hamstring injuries, respectively.
Those were two critical lost weapons for Ryan.
And, finally, the Bills overcame a gaffe by McDermott.
With Buffalo up 14-10 and 12 minutes to play, it faced 4th-and-goal at the Falcons 1-yard line.
The Bills feigned going for it, then settled for a 24-yard field goal. That 3-pointer put McDermott’s crew up by a touchdown, but Atlanta immediately followed it by tying the game at 17-17.
He probably should have gone for the TD in that situation and, worst case, forced Ryan to go the length of the field to take the lead.
Instead, one of Buffalo’s most inspired free agent signings this spring, placekicker Stephen Hauschka, kicked two more fields goals — impressive 56 and 55 yarders — to provide the winning points.
Then, too, after dismal rushing efforts against both the Panthers and Broncos — 56 carries for 144 yards combined — Buffalo rediscovered its ground game.
The Bills totaled a reasonable 117 yards on 31 tries and LeSean McCoy, held to a mere 30 yards on 26 tries the previous two games, produced 76 yards on 20 carries.
And, finally, maligned quarterback Tyrod Taylor proved last week’s effort against Denver wasn’t an aberration. He was an efficient 12-of-20 passing for 182 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 106.7 passer rating.
Yeah, it’s early, and next Sunday the Bills are on the road again, this time at Cincinnati (1-3).
But it’s been six seasons since Buffalo fans have been this enthused even four games into a campaign.
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
