Strip-sacks, Flying Quarterbacks: Week One Takeaway for the Buffalo Bills

After being down by as much as 14 points in the first half, the Buffalo Bills came from behind to secure another Week 1 win, this time a 34-28 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Sean McDermott is now 6-2 in home openers with Buffalo.

From strip sacks to flying quarterbacks, here’s some takeaways from Week 1:

Josh Allen is not overrated

Eleven of 103 players voted Josh Allen as the most overrated quarterback in the NFL. Those eleven players might need to look in the mirror... then at Allen’s highlights.

Sure, he started the game with a fumble after being sacked on the fourth play of the opening drive, but after that, things just seemed to fall into place for the two-time Pro Bowler. Allen was 18 for 23 with 232 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, nine carries for 39 yards, and two rushing touchdowns.

It marked the fourth game in Allen’s career with two or more passing touchdowns and two or more rushing touchdowns, which tied Hall of Famer Steve Young for most in the NFL.

“You know, we’ve got Josh Allen, man, we're always going to have a chance in games,” Von Miller said post-game.

It’s hard to argue after a game like that, when Allen led the team to a 34-28 victory after being down 17-3 late into the second quarter. Then, with 2:40 until halftime, Allen and Co. went on a 7-play, 70-yard drive to trail 17-10 after QB1 marched into the end zone himself.

Although it is usually pretty gross to double-dip, it’s okay when Allen does it. After ending the first half with a touchdown, the Bills got the ball to start the half and marched down the field for a 10-play, 60-yard drive capped by an 11-yard touchdown from Mack Hollins to tie the game at 17-apiece.

With 2:37 left in the third quarter, Buffalo snagged the lead and held onto it for the remainder of the game. Allen found Khalil Shakir, who did a backwards somersault into the end zone after bouncing off of defenders.

On the following drive, Allen capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive with an airborne touchdown as he pulled out his best Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone impression to hurdle over three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler Budda Baker to lead 31-20.

Not your average QB.

Not completely confident in Buffalo’s defense yet

The defense didn’t seem to be dancing to the same beat in the first half, allowing Kyler Murray and Arizona to score 17 points and take a 17-10 lead at the half. In their first three drives, Arizona managed 191 total yards as well as a field goal, a passing, and a rushing touchdown. Quarterback Kyler Murray had 28 rushing yards in the first half, along with 131 yards in the air.

Then defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, who was also calling plays for Buffalo, told the defense to “just settle down” before the final two quarters.

The locker room reset at the break, and the contrast of defensive play in the second half proved to work out in Buffalo’s favor as they only allowed the Cardinals 11 points in the second half and held them to 80 yards. Adjustments were clearly made at the half to make sure Allen and Co. had opportunities to score and slow down the Cardinals, but a rough start on the defensive side of the ball could be fatal against a team with a better defense.

But I am confident in Greg Rousseau

Greg Rousseau is the T.J. Watt of the Buffalo Bills. He is a playmaker and game-changer and is described as “scary” by teammates.

In the home opener, the edge tallied three sacks, good for a single-game career high. He also tied Ben Williams for most sacks in a Bills’ season opener. Williams had three sacks in the season opener in 1983.

His strip sack of Murray (recovered by LB Dorian Williams) in the third quarter is arguably what led to the win, as if he doesn’t force that fumble, the Bills don’t take the lead five plays later. He was also credited a sack in the first quarter (ran Murray out of bounds) and another in the third quarter.

“It’s a blessing,” Rousseau said, per the Buffalo Bills. “I’m just, I’m happy to be out there with the guys I’m out there with, because that’s what it’s all about.”

Rousseau looked dominant in the preseason, accumulating 2.5 sacks in three series against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"He finally learned how big and strong he really is. And for a man to finally get his true power, you just better watch out,” Dion Dawkins said to Syracuse.com about Rousseau.

Rousseau joined the team in 2021 and leads the team with 20-career sacks.

Former UB Bulls come up big for Bills

The University at Buffalo is the most-represented university on the Buffalo Bills roster, as Joe Andresseen, Cam Lewis, and Ja’Marcus Ingram all experienced the MACtion with the UB Bulls.

After cornerback Taron Johnson left the game with a forearm injury, Lewis stepped up big and had to shift over to play nickel, which put Ingram as the dime safety. Lewis finished the game with 10 tackles, seven of which were solo.

"At first, it kind of goes fast, you know, everything's kind of moving fast, but it starts to slow down, you know, with time, with the reps and stuff like that,” Lewis said. “So, really, what I've tried to do, just trying to slow it down, and then just read my keys."

Ingram helped secure the win with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter as he defended a nearly end-zone bound pass intended for receiver Greg Dortch. Had it been a complete pass, the Cardinals would’ve been at the two-yard line with time to take over.

"Once he checked, I knew it was coming to me," Ingram said. "I wanted to play aggressive. Get my hands on him; play to my strengths. And all game, I had just been telling myself, that I'll be in position to make a play; whenever it comes, I'll be positioned to make that play."

Post-game, head coach Sean McDermott used Ingram as an example of what to do “when your number’s called.”