The Wow Factor
In the Sunday Night Game I expected what I saw. Everyone I think did (see previous post). There were no surprises. Tonight, this was a surprise.
I had expected the Titans/Bills to be a tight affair, and I gave a slight edge to Buffalo as a nod to home field. I figured it would be the determining factor. Over the years, since that legendary comeback when the Titans were the Houston Oilers, each team has enjoyed inflicting pain and disappointment onto the other.
41-7 Bills with over 10 minutes to go in the 4th quarter? Both teams now sitting their starting quarterbacks as if this was a pre-season game? No. There is no way I saw this coming. Derrick Henry a non-factor? Another impressive dominating performance by the Bills’ defense — and indication of the old cliche that defense wins championships.
The Bills were pumped for Week 1. The Thirteen Seconds being a pungent motivation during the off-season, but now what? This Week 2 Monday Night Beat-down is probably even more impressive because of its encore performance quality in the wake of their demolition of the Rams. Week 2 serves as a reminder that Week 1 wasn’t a one-off of a team fired up after the heartbreaking conclusion to last season, and people are talking about the Dolphins?
Taking nothing away from Miami — like the Bills they have been offensively impressive in their 2-0 start, but the Bills are for real. Based on this game I don’t see Tua, with all his ability, doing anything against this Bills’ defense. That will be the difference. Derrick Henry was a non-factor in this game tonight, and no one could have predicted that going in.
I said against the Rams one of the keys was the addition of Von Miller on that Buffalo defensive front. Tonight that remained so. Once is a one-off, twice is a trend. The Bills haven’t been that impressive up front since a #78 roamed freely in Orchard Park. So I don’t see Tua having a different fate than Henry had tonight.No one should get excited over September football. There are 15 games remaining, but there’s no getting around the fact the Bills are for real. They are solid on offense. They are solid on defense. The wow factor is now they hardly even punt anymore.