Here’s the big-picture analysis of the Bills’ 43-21 demolition of the Washington Football Team:
What happened to the vaunted Washington front four?
The Washington front four is legitimate. But Josh Allen was the best player on the field – better than Chase Young, the second pick in the 2020 draft, better than Montez Sweat, the former No. 1 pick who's the fastest defensive end ever drafted in the NFL.
The Bills’ quarterback was 7 of 9 for 109 yards and two touchdowns when he was under pressure from Washington’s pass rush, according to The News’ charting. He also had a 2-yard scramble for a touchdown under pressure.
Yes, the Bills’ offensive line deserves a ton of credit, too. The front five was a lot better in this game than against Pittsburgh’s dominant front four in Week 1. Left tackle Dion Dawkins, especially, played much better than in Week 1. Dawkins faced Sweat much of the game. Sweat was credited with just three tackles and just one hit on the quarterback. Guard Jon Feliciano played much better than in Week 1, as well.
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Credit also should go to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. He gave the offensive line a little more assistance by way of blocking from a tight end or running back than in Week 1, when the front five were left without help much of the game.
Washington put the game on the shoulders of its front four. There was not a lot of blitzing. Washington didn't have defensive backs join the four-man pass rush, as Pittsburgh did in Week 1. There was a lot of zone coverage. Washington’s defensive back seven isn’t as good as that of Pittsburgh. But all that doesn’t detract from the result. Washington ranked No. 2 overall and No. 2 against the pass on defense last year. Allen & Co. were too good.
“It's good to see the ball being spread around and, again, efficient football being played,” coach Sean McDermott said.
What did we learn about the Bills’ defense?
This was not a surprise. You take a modestly talented quarterback – Taylor Heinecke – in the first road start of his career – and this is the kind of result you would expect against a deep, veteran defense like that of the Bills.
The coverage of the back seven is rock solid. The Bills simply don’t make a lot of coverage mistakes. Washington’s offensive line is pretty good. Credit the Bills’ defensive line with keeping Heinecke in the pocket. He’s a gamer. But he simply doesn’t have the arm talent to make a lot of big-time throws from the pocket that will burn a veteran secondary.
Aside from the obvious – Allen – what’s the most encouraging takeaway for the offense?
It’s looking like the Bills have a complementary cast of weapons that they can rely upon. You know the old Bill Belichick defensive principle: Take away Option A and make the opponent play “left handed.” Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley were key players vs. Washington. But if a defense wants to overplay those two, Emmanuel Sanders, Dawson Knox and Gabriel Davis are looking like reliable third, fourth and fifth weapons in the passing game.
Sanders, if he can stay healthy, is an upgrade over John Brown, the outside starter the previous three years. Knox has put together two excellent weeks in a row.
