Joe Brady cautioned that the warning signs — or “smoke alarms,” as the Bills’ first-year head coach calls them — were evident even as Josh Allen opened the season by leading Buffalo to two wins and 77 points.
asserted
Allen → caution → wins
His concerns were validated when the Bills turned the ball over five times against the Los Angeles Chargers.
asserted
Bills → validate → Chargers
But Buffalo still had enough resolve to contain the blaze.
asserted
Buffalo → have → blaze
“The house was on fire,” Brady said after Sunday’s 24-16 win.
asserted
Brady → say → win
“That’s unacceptable and that falls squarely on me.
asserted
that → ’ → me
But there’s a lot of positives that come from that.”
asserted
that → ’ → that
Brady and the Bills aren’t going to apologize for winning ugly.
asserted
Brady → go → ?
What mattered was how the team persevered in the face of adversity and the odds.
asserted
team → matter → adversity
Teams with a plus-4 turnover margin — the Chargers had one giveaway — were 1,304-67-9 in the Super Bowl era entering Sunday.
asserted
Chargers → enter → era
At 3-0, the Bills already have a two-game lead in the AFC East, with division rival New England (1-2) hitting town this weekend.
asserted
England → have → town
And Buffalo was one of the NFL’s six remaining unbeaten teams through Sunday, with Philadelphia (2-0) set to play Monday night.
asserted
Philadelphia → remain → Sunday
Early as it might be, it’s perhaps time to credit Brady, who celebrated his 37th birthday last week.
uncertain
who → ’ → birthday
He entered the season as the NFL’s youngest head coach, and he faced high expectations after inheriting a perennially contending team that has persistently fallen short in the playoffs.
asserted
that → enter → playoffs
“I told the team at halftime, this is perfect.
asserted
this → tell → halftime
I meant that.
asserted
I → mean → that
I wanted to see what it was going to reveal,” Brady said.
asserted
Brady → want → what
“I’m so proud of the way the guys did respond.
asserted
guys → ’m → way
They didn’t blink.”
asserted
They → blink → ?
Keying the victory was Buffalo’s new-look defense, which took a step forward after allowing 31 points in each of the first two games.
asserted
which → key → games
After spotting the Chargers a 10-0 lead with both scores coming off turnovers, the Bills allowed two field goals on LA’s final seven possessions, four ending inside Buffalo’s 30.
asserted
four → spot → 30
The biggest stop came early in the fourth quarter, three plays after Allen lost a fumble at his 28, when C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercepted Justin Herbert’s pass at the goal line.
asserted
Johnson → come → line
Allen capped the next drive with a go-ahead, 1-yard TD plunge.
asserted
Allen → cap → plunge
Veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb said the performance was payback for the offense bailing out the defense in the first two games.
asserted
offense → say → games
But when both are firing, it’s an amazing thing,” Chubb said.
asserted
Chubb → fire → ?
“The bond that we have, it’s easy to overcome things like that.
asserted
it → have → that
And we just hope we won’t be in that position again.”
What’s working
Red-zone defense.
asserted
What → hope → defense
After allowing their first two opponents to score seven TDs on nine drives inside the 20, the Bills held the Chargers to one TD on four trips.
asserted
Bills → allow → trips
What needs help
Ball security.
asserted
needs → need → help
RB James Cook lost a fumble on the first snap from scrimmage and TE Dalton Kincaid had the ball knocked loose while fighting for extra yards.
asserted
ball → lose → yards
Allen’s three-turnover outing was the 11th of his career (4-7), and first in the regular season since he threw two interceptions and losing a fumble in a 21-14 win at Miami to close the 2023 season.
asserted
he → throw → season
The sixth-year pass rusher enters Monday with an NFL-leading six sacks, two short of his career high.
asserted
rusher → enter → high
The 26-year-old has done so while making the transition from defensive end to outside linebacker in Buffalo’s new 3-4 system.
asserted
old → do → system
Though he rushed for two TDs and led his 19th career fourth-quarter comeback, Allen acknowledged the Bills stole a win.
asserted
Bills → rush → win
Starting CB Christian Benford left with a toe injury and could miss time, depriving an already thin position of its top player.
uncertain
Benford → start → player
Allen finished the game but came away limping after taking a hit on his left knee.
asserted
Allen → finish → knee
Brady smiled on Monday when he said Allen is usually sore after a game, before adding, “I’m never usually concerned about him.”
asserted
I → smile → him
Key number
3-0 — Brady became the NFL’s fifth-youngest coach in the Super Bowl era to win his first three games, behind Josh McDaniels (33), John Madden (33), Bill Cowher (35) and Mike Tomlin (35).
asserted
Brady → become → McDaniels
Next steps
The Bills renew their rivalry against the Patriots, who ended their five-year run of AFC East titles last season.
asserted
who → renew → titles
Buffalo has an opportunity to open 4-0 for the 11th time in team history and third time with Allen.
asserted
Buffalo → have → Allen
_
AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.
asserted
Dubow → contribute → report
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