A column by CHUCK POLLOCK, Senior Sports Columnist
Some reflective observations on the Bills’ 30-20 victory over the Colts on Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium:
What d’ya mean 8-2? This was supposed to be a quasi-rebuilding year for Buffalo. It had lost its top two receivers (Stefon Diggs, trade; Gabe Davis, free agency), both elite safeties were gone (Jordan Poyer, free agent; Micah Hyde, retirement) as were two starting offensive linemen (center Mitch Morse, free agent; guard Ryan Bates, trade) and arguably the defense’s best player, linebacker Matt Milano, lost to a torn biceps to at least December.
Thus, I was very comfortable predicting a 10-7 season for the Bills. That could still happen, but I wouldn’t count on it.
The rest of the AFC East is a mess. The Dolphins, Jets and Patriots are a collective 8-20, pending Monday night’s Miami game against the Rams in Los Angeles, and the Bills still have to play New England twice and New York once.
Buffalo has won every game it should have and that season-opening “gimme” win over Arizona (now a division-leading 6-4) suddenly looks like a quality victory.
It all adds up to an 8-2 start — there’s no disgrace in losing to Baltimore and Houston — the best beginning in 31 years, dating to 1993, the last time the Bills made it to the Super Bowl.
Who knew?
Where are the defensive tackles? If you doubted general manager Brandon Beane’s motivation for signing two free-agent former Buffalo defensive tackles at mid-week, consider this.
Jordan Phillips (third return to Bills) and Quinton Jefferson (second) had near-mirror stats against the Colts while splitting time, combining for three tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
Where was Ed Oliver, he of the flowery rhetoric but statistically bereft performances? Good question. Since returning from injury four games ago, he offered his worst performance Sunday … one assisted tackle. This from a highly-paid interior lineman who supposedly specializes in rushing the passer.
Something’s missing here.
Bass repays the confidence:
We all lived through Tyler Bass’ kicking struggles that started late last season culminated by that 44-yard field goal miss that would have tied the game in the last two minutes of the playoff loss to the Chiefs in Orchard Park. It continued through training camp and into the regular season where Bass missed two extra points and three field goals.
Desperate, coach Sean McDermott brought in a free agent and staged a kicking contest, which Bass won.
But the next game, against Miami, he badly missed a PAT and, in another attempt, hit the upright before the ball bounced through. Then, in the most unlikely of scenarios, with five seconds left, he drilled a 61-yard, franchise-record, game-winner that would have been good from 65. Against the Colts, Bass was 3-for-3 on both field goals and extra points.
McDermott deserves credit for sticking with a player that half the league’s coaches would have cut during those early-season struggles.
Where, oh where, has Von gone?
Isn’t it about time to stop the Von Miller charade? Yeah, he’s a Hall-of-Fame-bound edge rusher but, at age 35, it appears his tank is empty.
He actually started the season well: three sacks, five tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in three games.
Then came the NFL’s four-game personal conduct suspension. The reason wasn’t announced but clearly it was connected to the domestic abuse charges from last year in Texas.
When Miller returned, he wasn’t the same presence. In three games he has totaled two quarterback hits and one assisted tackle and seemed to have a better chance of his face appearing on a milk carton than making a play.
Management and coaches fiercely defend his work ethic and the value of his locker room presence. But the Bills paid $120 million for six years in 2022 — $51 million guaranteed — for production, not ancillary contributions.
In fairness, Miller had not been the same player since tearing up his knee two years ago on Thanksgiving night and age hasn’t helped. In hindsight, it wasn’t the smartest signing given the contract’s excessive value, but after this season it’s time to stop the excuses and cut bait.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
