After a great defensive stop by a stellar Bills defense, the offense took over. They took off early, with a solid short pass from Taylor to Shady McCoy for 20 yards. The drive stalled but it was a solid start on what eventually would be an efficient day on the offensive side of the ball. 4 possessions later, the Bills defense came through with a huge play. Buffalo's 2nd round pick, Ronald Darby, knew he was going to be picked on all day in the absence of Leodis McKelvin, and he made the most of the opportunities he got. Darby's beautiful pick on a slightly underthrown ball from Luck set up Buffalo's next offensive possession. Taylor had a productive drive and took a shot down deep to find the new acquisition Percy Harvin for a 51 yard TD. That was just the beginning of what would eventually be a 24-0 lead, and a 27-14 victory. Let's break down the game.
Offense: A reinvented and healthy offense finally took the field. With a new QB, RB and offensive line in place, things could have gone poorly while they all get acquainted. Yesterday though, that was not the case. This offense looked ready and poised, and they can only get better. Tyrod Taylor had a solid, near perfect day. He was efficient and very effective, posting 14/19 attempts, 195 yards, and 1 TD with 0 interceptions. He also added 9 rushes for 41 yards, with his longest being a 31 yard scamper on the opening drive of the 2nd half. He showed just enough flash to prove he's not just a game manager. He can make plays when he needs to. On the other hand, McCoy was not as sharp as he could've been in his first game as a Buffalo Bill. Fresh off a hamstring injury, he put up a disappointing 41 yards on 17 touches. He did add 46 yards on 3 receptions though, where he was able to show more of his quickness. The offensive line could have improved on the run, but they gave Taylor enough time to pass when he dropped back in the pocket. A surprising showing by Karlos Williams added to Buffalo's rushing attack. He broke out for a 26 yard touchdown early in the 3rd quarter. If these weapons all step up and continue this production in the coming weeks, the Bills will be a difficult team to keep pace with.
Defense: As usual, the defense stole the show. The rush was there and the secondary was outstanding. Many passes were defended well by Darby, and Gilmore also had a great game, minus a guaranteed pick that he dropped in the 2nd quarter. Although Corey Graham went down with a concussion, Bacarri Rambo stepped in and did a decent job filling the spot. The Bills stingy run defense held the Colts to a measly 62 yards while the Bills defense shut down Luck, sacking him twice and picking him off another 2 times. This defense is nothing new, and with Dareus returning next week, the pass rush and run D will be even better. Rex is a defensive guru, and proved that Sunday afternoon.
Special Teams: Another solid outing by the special teams unit, which was similar to the outing that earned them the 2nd overall special teams rank last season. Dan Carpenter showed he had his mojo back, kicking 2 FG's from 41 and 45 yards successfully. The gunners also had a successful day, pressuring Colt's rookie Phillip Dorsett to fumble twice, one of which the Bills recovered. Again, there was nothing new here from what the special teams brought last year.
Overall, this team came to play Sunday, and as they mesh and get closer, they'll get better and better. Sammy Watkins didn't even have a catch, and they still managed to go up 24-0 in the third. This team has the firepower on offense and the lights-out defense to win a lot of football games this season. Now for Buffalo, all they've got to do is stay healthy. The Bills play a hot Patriots team building off a 28-21 victory over the Steelers, in which Brady threw for 4 touchdowns, and TE Rob Gronkowski caught 3 of them. The Bills defense will be ready, and so will the fans. Thanks for reading, and as always, let's go Buffalo!
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