Getty Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones at Ford Field on November 24, 2022.
The Buffalo Bills defense nearly shut out the Washington Commanders during their 37-3 win on September 24, even more impressive was how many players made outstanding plays.
The Bills defense sacked Commanders quarterback Sam Howell nine times, made 15 quarterback hits, and forced five turnovers. Buffalo’s official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, gave individual shouts to several players but seemed to skip over defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who recorded 1.5 sacks and five total tackles in Week 3.
Jones reposted a Bills photo shared from the team’s account celebrating Ed Oliver’s sack and wrote, “And DaQuan! Come on now! #gobills.”
Jones, who’s earned an impressive 83.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus thus far this season, is one the team’s biggest cheerleaders on X. He reposts several accolades that shine a spotlight on his teammates’ talent, however, he’d like to get a little more recognition. The 31-year-old veteran also called out Next Gen Stats for listing several Bills players in bold print for the team recording the second-highest pressure rate in the NGS era.
Perhaps running out of room, Jones’ 5 pressures was included in tiny, hard-to-read print at the bottom. Jones replied, “Damn not me getting the fine print 😂😂 couldn’t just add one more huh #storyofmylife #forevergreatultho.”
The Bills pressured Sam Howell on 27 of 39 dropbacks (69.2%), the 2nd-highest pressure rate in a game in the NGS era.
Seven different Bills defenders generated 4+ pressures, led by Ed Oliver (7).
Bills Mafia was quick to help Jones feel the love and he appreciated the effort. The Penn State alum liked a response that read, “Damn they disrespecting you, guess you gonna have to go extra crazy this week,” and another message, “You played a great game, big man. It doesn’t work without you in the middle! #GoBills!”
Buffalo’s social media team didn’t ignore him completely. The Bills PR account included Jones’ sack count when they posted, “Yesterday marked the first time in team history that four members of the Bills defense produced a multi-sack performance in a single game,” which the tackle reposted on his page.
Bills Defense Will Look to Stop a ‘Revolutionary’ Miami Dolphins’ Offense in Week 4
GettyDolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at Hard Rock Stadium on September 24, 2023.
Buffalo’s defense held Howell & co. to just 239 yards, per SI, however, head coach and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will have a much tougher job figuring out how to shut down the Miami Dolphins, a team that put up 726 offensive yards in their 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 3.
McDermott told reporters on Monday of the Dolphins’ historic 70-point performance, “I don’t think I’ve seen that in my NFL career the entire time. So they’re very explosive… Tua [Tagovailoa] is throwing the ball extremely well. And their schematics are almost revolutionary in what they do. Coach [Mike] McDaniel is very creative and does a lot of things to get you out of position on defense.”
As for how they plan to stop Miami’s offense, it’ll be a combination of solid preparation and strong discipline. “We’ll start with the fundamentals. We need to get better with some of our fundamentals. I think that’s got to be a point of emphasis.”
Tagovailoa, who only played one snap in the fourth quarter due to Miami’s insurmountable lead, completed 88.5% of his passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bills’ Home Field Advantage vs. Dolphins Offers a Boost
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen doges a Dolphins tackle at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023.
Despite not having a primetime spot, the Bills’ upcoming divisional showdown against the Dolphins is arguably the most exciting matchup in Week 4. WROC-TV’s Thad Brown posted, “DraftKings has the #Bills installed as a 2.5 point favorite at home for the showdown with the #Dolphins… That’s essentially what home field is worth these days. Vegas sees the two teams as equals.”
Buffalo (2-1) plays better in Orchard Park, especially against the Dolphins (3-0). USA Today‘s Skip Snow pointed out, “The Bills have won 9 of the last 10 meetings and 7 in a row played in Buffalo.”