Greg Rousseau has gone from steady presence to full-blown problem for opposing offenses, and Sunday gives him another chance to keep that roll going.
The Bills host the Chargers in Orchard Park at 1PM, with Buffalo sitting at 2-0 and coming in with extra rest and prep time. Los Angeles, meanwhile, arrives after two ugly home losses and a cross-country trip into a tough spot. Much of the attention around Buffalo has centered on the offense, where Josh Allen and the unit have been piling up points and Allen has looked like the best player in the entire league.
But the Bills are not getting this start from offense alone.
Rousseau has become Buffalo’s defensive headline early in the season. He was already known as a strong run defender, but the pass-rush surge he has put together over the last two games has pushed him into a different conversation entirely. A move to OLB has clearly clicked, and the result is a player who enters today leading the league with 4 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.
There is also a very specific milestone in play. According to the Buffalo Bills’ PR team, if Rousseau gets just one sack, he will tie Bills legend Bruce Smith for the most team sacks in franchise history through three games.
Smith did it twice, in 1992 and 1996. And if Rousseau reaches 2+ sacks again, he would become only the third player in NFL history to open a season with three straight multi-sack games.
The only others: Mark Gastineau in 1984 and Kevin Greene in 1998.
That kind of start has put Rousseau on track for a career year by a mile. He has posted two sacks in each of the Bills’ last two games, and the matchup only adds to the pressure on the Chargers.
Justin Herbert has already been sacked six times, with three of those coming in each of the last two games. The interior offensive line has been rough, and the tackles are coming off bad games against the Raiders. If Buffalo’s front keeps hitting the same notes, Rousseau and company are set up to make life miserable for Herbert and the Chargers again.
In Other News...
Bills Could Have A Real Edge If Marvin Harrison Jr. Talks Heat Up
The buzz around Marvin Harrison Jr. is exactly the kind of long-shot speculation that tends to follow a team looking for another jolt on offense, and Buffalo has a small but interesting connection that makes the idea linger a little longer than usual. The Bills new receivers coach, Drew Terrell, and special teams coach, Jeff Rodgers, both spent time coaching in Arizona, giving them some familiarity with Harrison and, at minimum, a better sense of what kind of player he is and how he might fit.
Still, there has been nothing from the Bills or from NFL insiders to suggest a trade is actually in motion, which is why this remains more curiosity than something concrete. Even so, the presence of coaches who know the Cardinals side of the equation adds an extra layer to any discussion, because when a player of Harrisons profile comes up, teams are always looking for edges, and Buffalo may have one tucked into its new staff. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Is Chasing Rare NFL History Against The Chargers
Josh Allen has opened the season looking every bit like the centerpiece of Buffalos offense, piling up big numbers through the air and on the ground while keeping the Bills moving with the kind of dual-threat balance that makes game plans miserable for defenses. His early work has also been a showcase for the rushing attack around him, with James Cook helping give Buffalo another layer of stress for opponents to handle.
The next test comes against the Chargers, and it carries a little extra history with it. Allen has a chance to join a very small NFL club by rushing for two touchdowns in his first three games, a mark only a handful of players have ever reached. For Buffalo, it is another reminder that the Bills are not just leaning on Allen to distribute the ball, they are counting on him to keep turning broken plays and designed runs into the kind of edge that can swing a game. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Playmakers May Have To Carry More Than Expected Vs Chargers
The Bills head into their meeting with the Chargers with a familiar sort of pressure on the offense, because the margin for error looks thinner than usual. Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are among the key names to watch, and Buffalo may need both of them to do more than just fill roles if the passing game is going to keep pace with what Los Angeles can bring.
On the other side of the ball, the Bills also have some defensive questions to sort through, with DeWayne Carter and Christian Benford among the players whose availability and recent form matter as the matchup approaches. Add in the teams records and the way both offenses have been trending, and this game shapes up as one where Buffalos most reliable playmakers could end up carrying an even bigger load than planned. [Read more 🡒]