1. The Bills have overcome many mistakes. What does that say?
If a team is down 17-3, allows a kickoff return for a touchdown, concedes a touchdown, and commits nine penalties, the chances of winning the game are probably less than 33%.
But the Bills’ four consecutive AFC East titles count for something. To their credit, they’ve kept enough composure.
Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said the team didn’t panic when it fell behind in the second quarter.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
“It’s the second quarter. We’ve got plenty of time,” Dion Dawkins said, referring to his attitude at 17-3. “Don’t beat yourself up. Try not to beat yourself up and go out there full steam ahead. Don’t blink. Literally, don’t blink. If we had blinked and then sputtered, the outcome would have been different.”
Center Connor McGovern added: “It was just a matter of all of us staying calm on the sideline. We knew that on the first drive we were going to get the ball moving right away. All right; we can do what we need to do.”
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2. Was the offensive as good as announced?
The seventh year of the Josh Allen Experience began Sunday with more of the same – running, passing and taking hits, writes Ryan O’Halloran.
Josh Allen guarantees that the offense is at a “high level.” With number 17 at the helm, the Bills should always be fun to watch. The Bills have overcome all of their mistakes in part because they beat the Cardinals 352-270.
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s mantra, “Everyone eats,” was in evidence, with nine different players catching passes.
Still, we shouldn’t call the Bills’ offensive restructuring a sure success just yet.
The reality is that the Arizona Cardinals defense is one of the three least talented defenses the Bills have faced all season. They use safety Budda Baker as a weapon in coverage. He’s a problem for the quarterback. And the Cardinals offense is legit. But if Zaven Collins and Dennis Gardock are your best edge rushers, you’re still a year away with your rebuilding efforts. The Cards defense still has a long way to go.
In the third quarter of the Bills’ season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, fourth-year defensive end Greg Rousseau took the lead and turned the momentum around, ultimately leading to a 34-28 victory at Highmark Stadium.
3. What should we make of Bobby Babich’s debut?
That was encouraging because the Bills made adjustments in the second half to allow Kyler Murray to hold onto the ball a little longer. The Bills adjusted their pressure and applied more pressure up the middle.
Arizona scored on each of its three possessions in the first half, but managed just one field goal on five possessions in the second half. (The Bills would have had more breathing room if it hadn’t been for the kickoff return touchdown.)
The defense also had to adjust to the loss of slot cornerback Taron Johnson. The play of backup defensive backs Cam Lewis and Ja’Marcus Ingram was encouraging.
Like the offense, though, it’s a work in progress. The Miami Dolphins’ fastest show on turf awaits the Bills on Thursday. There’s an NFL cliche that says, “Week 1 is a lie.” That means don’t overreact to opening games. It’s a long season.
