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For Buffalo Bills fans, Week 1 just changed everything
For Buffalo Bills fans, Week 1 just changed everything
After a 41-7 blowout victory in the season opener, being a Buffalo Bills fan just got a little easier. While the rest of the NFL world takes stock of Week 1, it's hard to imagine any fans who are happier with their team than Buffalonians are right now. In one game, the Bills have shattered the prospect of a winless season, something that seemed like a real possibility for eight grim weeks last year.
Even better, the Bills' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs played out with nearly total dominance on both sides of the ball. The Bills have already defied expectations big time, and if the manhandling we saw in Arrowhead yesterday is any indication, naysayers will soon be eating crow.
The opening play set the tempo when Bills linebacker Chris White forced a fumble that was recovered by Kelvin Sheppard (notes) on the opening kickoff. Both Sheppard and White are rookies from the Bills' 2011 draft class, and their careers are off to a great start so far.
Bills GM Buddy Nix and company have put together a brand new group of players, and they had brand new results to show for it. That fact was definitely apparent when it came to Buffalo's defense. Not only was the once mighty Jamaal Charles (notes) effectively contained, Chiefs QB Matt Cassel (notes) was left looking like a frustrated rookie.
When the two teams faced off last year, a 10-13 OT loss for the Bills, the Chiefs racked up 274 rushing yards. That was due to the red hot Jamaal Charles and an anemic Bills rushing-D that would end up bottom-ranked. This time around, Charles had no more than 56 yards on 10 carries. Indeed, the Chiefs' running game was so effectively shut down that a shaky Cassel was forced to throw 36 times. He had 22 completions for 119 yards while throwing an interception picked off by Bills CB Drayton Florence (notes) .
In some ways, the game was all too familiar to Bills fans. There were plenty of three-and-out drives yesterday, but this time the shoe was on the other foot. The Chiefs made just 3-of-13 third down conversion attempts. Meanwhile, the Bills were 7-of-14 in third down conversions, and that leads me to the other good news for Bills fans, the outstanding offense.
So potent was the Bills offense that they managed to pull off the largest margin of victory in a season opener in franchise history . It's worth mentioning that it was also the first Week 1 victory for the Bills since 1996. Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (notes) deserves much of the credit for that fact.
Doubters who still regretted the team's decision not to take a QB in this year's draft might be surprised to find out that Fitz's Week 1 performance earned him the highest passer rating in the league. That's right, the one-time Bills second-stringer's 133.0 rating is a league best. Those who missed out on Fitz in fantasy drafts made a big mistake.
Fitz was 17-of-25, racking up 208 passing yards and throwing 4 touchdowns, a feat no other QB in the league accomplished this past week. Two of those TDs were thanks to tight end Scott Chandler (notes) who had only had two career receptions before this breakout performance.
For his part, Stevie Johnson (notes) proved that last season was no fluke, making an impressive leaping catch for a TD in the first quarter. The move will undoubtedly earn the talented WR plenty of highlight buzz this week. As if that wasn't enough, fellow fans should take comfort in David Nelson's (notes) 4 receptions for 66 yards. Lee Evans (notes) who?
It's worth mentioning that the best running back in the game was Fred Jackson (notes) , not Charles. Jackson had 112 yards on 20 attempts, but the numbers don't tell it all. Jackson was plowing through defenders like an RB in his prime on many of those carries. Meanwhile, newcomer Brad Smith (notes) offered a tantalizing glimpse at what he can do as a specialist on third-down conversion attempts. Oh, and C.J. Spiller (notes) got his first career TD in the fourth quarter.
Of course, not everything went perfectly. Marcell Dareus (notes) managed to get a hand on Matt Cassel, but he has yet to get his first career sack. The much-hyped Shawne Merriman (notes) didn't manage to do much besides sustain a shoulder injury, though it didn't stop him from returning to the game.
Nevertheless, as C.J. Spiller ran to the outside for that 9-yard TD, we once again saw a stadium prematurely emptying as disillusioned fans left early. This time it was Arrowhead, not the Ralph. With the Bills on the heels of their best season opener in years, George Wilson's (notes) championship optimism might just be realistic after all.
Taurus Londono grew up in [Buffalo]e|place , NY, where he watched the Buffalo Bills play in four consecutive Super Bowls. He is a lifelong fan of the team.
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