The Buffalo Bills have spent the first half of the season getting steady, useful work from their special teams, and that kind of reliability goes a long way. Tyler Bass has been spotless on field goals.
Tommy Doman Jr. has done his part in the punting game. Ray Davis has kept the return unit dangerous.
Put it together, and Buffalo has a group that has made life easier instead of harder.
Bass has been the cleanest part of the operation. He has not missed a field goal this season, and that level of calm execution gives the Bills an edge they can trust. Doman Jr., meanwhile, has not been asked to carry a huge load - Buffalo punts on just 19% of its possessions - but he has made the most of the chances he has gotten by consistently helping pin opponents deep.
The biggest swing play from the unit has come from Greg Rousseau’s blocked kick, which stands as the special teams’ top moment so far. That kind of play can tilt a game in an instant, and it only adds to what has already been a strong overall showing.
Buffalo has also gotten solid production from Davis in the return game. He is once again among the league leaders in average kick return yardage, giving the Bills a dependable burst when the ball changes hands.
There is one area that still leaves a little room for more: Greg Dortch. The hope was that he would bring more than just punt returning, but that has been the extent of his impact so far. He has been adequate in that role, though Buffalo would still like to see him contribute more.
Even with that small question mark, the bigger picture is clear. Bass has handled his job, Doman Jr. has maximized limited opportunities, and Davis has brought steady juice as a returner. When a kicking game is this dependable and the field-position battle keeps leaning your way, there is not much to complain about.
That consistency will matter even more after the bye week, as the Bills push into the second half of the season. For now, special teams has been one of the team’s strongest areas, and it has given Buffalo very little to worry about.
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Buffalos interest would come down to more than just traits, though. Woolens contract status and modest salary make him a plausible deadline target, while the Bills would also need to sort out how he would fit schematically alongside the corners already on the roster. The bigger question now is whether the price stays in a range Buffalo can justify, because the kind of move this would be could say plenty about how the front office views its current outside cornerback options. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Bye Week Could Shape Their Biggest Roster Decision Yet
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Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the headline-grabber, but cornerback Marshon Lattimore would speak to a more immediate defensive need, and linebacker Matt Milano also looms as a familiar fit in the conversation. Buffalo does not need to remake its identity to justify a move, but the bye week offers a rare window to weigh how aggressive it wants to be before the seasons second half starts tightening the race. [Read more 🡒]