ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — After a narrow loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, the Bills defense saw the glass as half empty. They didn't look at the low yardage numbers. They looked at the goose egg in the takeaways column.
Since then, they've put goose eggs on the scoreboard twice in the last three games.
"You get what you emphasize," head coach Sean McDermott said after a 40-0 shutout win over Houston. "That leads to some of the takeaways that we've gotten. And coach [Leslie] Frazier and the defensive staff, they emphasize that every week."
The elements in Orchard Park certainly didn't help Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills. But Buffalo certainly capitalized with four interceptions and a fumble recovery. It's the most takeaways the Bills have had in a single game since December of 2019.
The opposing quarterback was a rookie in that game, as well. Nowadays, Duck Hodges is in the Canadian Football League. The Bills know they won't have it that easy week in and week out. And there's always more to improve upon.
"We try to get better each and every week," cornerback Cam Lewis said. "After this game, there's going to be some stuff to be corrected... We keep on doing what we have to do, and we're going to be alright."
Buffalo was also off the charts in the yardage department; the Texans only gained 109 yards throughout the entire contest. Even in the middle of the fourth quarter, a single drive by the Bills offense had gone further than Houston had all game.
"Those are hard to come by in this league," Lewis said. "We're just trying to play our best ball, and keep them from scoring, and keep them from getting yards... and getting the ball back to our offense."
"You always take pride in the goose eggs," safety Micah Hyde said. "But at the end of the day, next week's another week. And you know, we're going to forget all about this goose egg."
The upcoming week will be the biggest one on the Bills' schedule so far. And it's not just because it's the next one. Buffalo will visit the Kansas City Chiefs, who knocked the Bills out of the playoffs last year, next Sunday night.
