The Buffalo Bills got to 3-0 on the strength of a defense that refused to let a messy afternoon turn into a disaster.
That was the story in Week 3: the offense struggled, the turnovers piled up, and the Bills still found a way because Jim Leonhard’s unit kept putting out fires. Buffalo’s defense limited the Chargers to one touchdown and three field goals despite dealing with five turnovers and a steady stream of bad field position. That kind of survival work kept the game from slipping away before the Bills could settle in.
Josh Allen and the offense were stuck in a rough one for most of the day. Los Angeles’ defense took away the short passing game early and made Allen work for everything, while also discouraging him from taking off even when space opened up in front of him. The Bills looked out of sync for long stretches, but the defense gave them enough breathing room to stay alive and eventually tie the game just before halftime.
Greg Rousseau was again the headline act up front. The outside linebacker came through late in both halves, and his two sacks in Week 3 pushed him to six on the season, which leads the league. In Leonhard’s system, Rousseau looks unleashed, a player finally operating with more freedom than he had in Buffalo’s old 4-3 setup.
Justin Herbert had his moments, but Buffalo made sure he never fully took over. He finished 20-of-34 for 226 yards with a touchdown and an interception, good for a 76.3 rating. The Bills’ defensive backfield held up when it mattered most, especially after cornerback Christian Benford left with a toe injury.
Buffalo didn’t grab its first lead until 7:35 remained in regulation, and the defense made that possible. The Bills forced field-goal attempts on four different drives, and one of those chances went wide for Cameron Dicker. Then, late in the fourth quarter, the Chargers chose to go for it on fourth down, and Buffalo’s defense shut it down to hand the offense a short field and set up the drive that finished the job.
In Other News...
Bills 3-0 Start Now Comes With A Josh Allen Concern
Buffalos perfect start has been built around Josh Allen doing what he always does, which is absorb hits, extend plays and keep the offense moving even when things get messy. So the sight of Allen taking a helmet to the knee in Week 3 was an immediate concern, even if he stayed in the game and the early read is that the issue is a contusion rather than something more severe.
The Bills are moving on to their next matchup with the New England Patriots, but Allens knee will be watched closely as the week unfolds. For a team sitting at 3-0, the larger picture is obvious: the record looks clean, but the health of the quarterback driving it is now part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Is One Score Away From A Bills Milestone
Buffalos fast start has been fueled by the same familiar engine, with the Bills opening the 2026 season 3-0 and piling up a league-leading 101 points through three weeks. Josh Allen has been right in the middle of it again, and his latest visit to the end zone against the Chargers carried more than just the usual weight of another productive afternoon.
Allens 1-yard rushing touchdown in Week 3 tied him with Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed for the most scrimmage touchdowns in franchise history at 87, a reminder of how much he has already added to the teams record book. He still finished the day with two interceptions, but the Bills keep moving forward with Allen now sitting one score away from standing alone atop one of the franchises most notable milestones. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Win Sparked Ugly Chargers Backlash Around Harbaughs Staff
The Chargers came out of their loss to the Bills carrying plenty of frustration, and not just because the defense forced five turnovers and still watched the offense manage only 10 points. Buffalo's latest win over Los Angeles only deepened the sense that this matchup has become a sore spot for a Chargers team that could not turn mistakes into enough production to stay in control.
Breiden Fehoko turned that frustration public, taking aim at the coaching staff's play-calling on social media, while Jim Harbaugh acknowledged the team's struggles and kept his focus on the collective nature of wins and losses. For Buffalo, the result was another convincing edge in a series that has gone the Bills' way three straight times, but for the Chargers the bigger issue is how quickly the criticism around Harbaugh's staff is starting to spill into the open. [Read more 🡒]