The Buffalo Bills stand in the way of the Washington Commanders going 3-0 for the first time since 2005 when the teams clash at FedEx Field in Week 3.
The Commanders came from behind to defeat the Denver Broncos 35-33 last week after trailing 21-3 in the second quarter. Washington sacked Denver quarterback Russell Wilson seven times in the win and has 10 sacks through two weeks.
Buy Commanders TicketsCommanders quarterback Sam Howell has been one of the NFL’s best stories early this season. Can Howell be the franchise quarterback that Washington has searched for all of these years? While it may be a bit early to crown Howell as the guy, a win over one of the NFL’s best teams would go a long way in answering that question.
The Bills are 6.5-point favorites over the Commanders on Sunday. What can the Commanders do to pull off the upset?
We’ve identified four keys to victory for the Commanders in Week 3.
Keep the pressure on Josh Allen
The Commanders have the defensive front to cause problems for almost every team. And Buffalo’s offensive line isn’t exactly a team strength right now. While the unit may gel and improve throughout the season, perhaps the Commanders are getting the Bills at the right time. One thing is certain: Washington can’t allow Allen to sit in the pocket and pick them apart.
Keep an eye on Bills right tackle Spencer Brown. He’s allowed multiple pressures this season, and he’s facing Chase Young and Montez Sweat, who combined for three sacks off the edge last week. Left tackle Dion Dawkins remains a solid player for the Bills.
If the Commanders can keep the pressure on Allen, he will turn the ball over. That’s the hope for Sunday.
Limit the big plays
The Commanders dominated the Cardinals in Week 1. On the rare occasion that the Cardinals did move the ball, it was because of a big play. Last week against the Broncos, rookie wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. had two catches for 113 yards, including a touchdown against the Commanders. And, of course, there was the Hail Mary completion at the end of the game.
The Bills do not need any help creating big plays. Allen, James Cook, Stefon Diggs and others can take it to the house on any given play. The Commanders need to make the Bills drive the field and keep Allen from getting comfortable.
Balance
In each of the first two weeks, Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy clearly had a plan to attack opponents through the air. It’s worked, but Bieniemy has shown he will change his plan according to the game situation, which he has done over the first two games.
Buffalo has the best defense Washington has faced thus far. The Bills have been terrific against the pass, so don’t be surprised if Bieniemy focuses on getting the run going earlier in the game. Commanders RBs Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson were outstanding vs. the Broncos.
Establishing the run early in the game opens up all possibilities for Howell and the offense. What Washington doesn’t want is to be in predictable passing situations throughout the game.
Avoid another slow start
One positive from the first two weeks of the season is that the Commanders have played well in the second half of each game. That’s fine if they played equally as good in the first half. They haven’t. If you get behind three scores to the Bills, they will run you out of the stadium. Washington has been a slow starter under head coach Ron Rivera. That needs to change, especially this Sunday.
