Looking back at the past version of myself who was just happy to watch my team give it a go against better teams, it’s wild to me that we’ve gotten to a point where we can bask in sustained competence. My last two opponent previews have had oddly arrogant headlines, but if you know me I’m loathe to be disrespectful to other teams/competitors. The phrase “Any Given Sunday” has validity and the New Orleans Saints are top to bottom professionals too.

So, sincerely, these previews are the same old analysis at their heart. It’s not that I think the Saints should be looked past or that they can’t win. It’s just that when you do the analysis, things looks pretty lopsided.

The Saints (stats) Come Marching In

I’m a huge fan of these +/- charts from the NFL. As a quick reminder, on both charts the red highlighted areas are “under.” On offense that translates to “bad” and on defense that translates to “good.”

It’s not heat mapped exactly, so it’s not a simple binary. For example, being 16.6 yards less per game below league average is still within the realm of average and shouldn’t be indicative of much. On the other hand, being 0.82 yards per play less than league average puts them at 28th in the league, which is definitively bad.

Translating those two things suggests that they’ve merely managed to come up with a high number of plays. That bears out, with the Saints having 206 plays so far this season — tied for first with the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills (more on that in a moment).

Feel free to peruse these, but the bottom line is that the Saints protect the ball well, but don’t do anything all that effectively with it. Scoring a full touchdown and extra point less than league average isn’t the worst thing, but only because there’s three teams with even lower points per game.

On defense things are a bit better with a thoroughly average yards per play. Their run defense per play is actually good, and their pass rush is too. But like the offense, the potential bright spots haven’t translated well, allowing a touchdown higher than average.

And now for the Bills

We’ll start with defense here. While Buffalo allows the highest yards per rush in the league, they also are allowing the fifth-least yards per pass in the NFL. The defense is good at stopping first downs and when it all adds up they’re pretty average when it comes to points allowed. Or putting it in matchup terms, it’ll be a mediocre Bills defense against a very bad Saints offense on paper.

On offense the only red is the punt return average, which is technically not on offense. Not all of the measures are elite but many of these are, including third-down conversion rate and yards per play. Of course the points per game is up there too, fourth-best in the league. On this side of the ledger, the tale of the paper is incredibly lopsided.

To reiterate, none of this guarantees a win and only three weeks in the stats don’t have the validity we’ll get later in the season. That said, this is what we have to go on right now. When the Saints visit Orchard Park, NY, the odds are heavily tilted toward a Buffalo win.

The only person who is more popular in Buffalo right now, than Bills general manager Brandon Beane, is his quarterback, Josh Allen.

Allen was the 20-plus year answer for the Bills franchise at quarterback. His 2018 rookie season featured plenty of ups and downs. The 2019 season saw considerable improvement and a Bills playoff berth.

2020 and 2021 were on another level entirely. Allen has developed into one of the NFL’s two or three best quarterbacks and his performances in the two playoff games in January was the stuff of legends.

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Beane was a guest on the Pat McAfee show, and among the topics that McAfee brought up was whether or not Beane wanted to trade Josh to the Indianapolis Colts (McAfee’s former team).

Beane laughed and said that he would trade himself, before he traded Josh Allen.

Beane seems to hit all the right buttons as a general manager. When he interviews, he doesn’t give you everything, obviously, but he gives you a bit more than other GM’s and has some fun with the media. It comes off as genuine.

He’s also great putting together a roster. The Bills have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past three seasons, because Beane and company know what kind of players they’re looking for — whether it’s in free agency or the draft.

His comments on Josh Allen show Josh is not going anywhere and will likely retire a Buffalo Bill.

See Who Experts Think The Bills Will Draft In April As we get ready to head into the NFL off-season, NFL experts across the country are giving their thoughts on who the Buffalo Bills will select in the NFL draft this April. Gallery Credit: Dave Fields

LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we’ve lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete’s winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance. Gallery Credit: Peter Richman

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CV NEWS FEED // The historic building that was once St Anne’s Catholic Church in Buffalo, New York, will soon be converted into a Muslim mosque following a controversial sale that took place last year.

According to NewsWeek, the Diocese of Buffalo sold the St Anne’s Church complex for $250,000. The property was sold to Buffalo Crescent Holdings, which is reportedly affiliated with the Downtown Islamic Center, after having been out of use due to structural safety concerns since 2012.

A social media frenzy was stirred over the sale and conversion this past weekend when a popular priest, Fr Ronald Vierling, posted about it on his X account.

“St. Anne’s Church, Buffalo, NY. Permanently closed. Sold to the Islamic community for $250,000 who are converting the historic church into a mosque,” Fr Vierling wrote in the post, which includes several photos of the beautiful historic building and interior.

St. Anne’s Church, Buffalo, NY. Permanently closed. Sold to the Islamic community for $250,000 who are converting the historic church into a mosque. pic.twitter.com/D21oTu18ax — Father V (@father_rmv) August 11, 2024

“No anger should be directed against the Islamic community,” he later added in a comment:

The parish complex was made available for sale by the diocese. No doubt the changing demographics of the area and the inability to financially support the complex made the continuance of St. Ann as a viable parish possible.

This scenario is being played out in once large, urban dioceses across the country.

As CatholicVote previously reported, the Buffalo Diocese announced earlier this year that it planned to sell its headquarters building for $9.8 million in the wake of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing several years ago.

A local news outlet reported in November 2022 following the sale that the Muslim group had been searching for a worship center since early 2021 and that plans for the property’s renovation are estimated to cost around $22.5 million.

The Muslim group plans to carry out the process over the next several years, transforming the church into a mosque and community center, the rectory into a health care center, and the school into administrative offices and medical testing labs.

With six NFL teams at 0-3, which one needs a win most?

Six teams head into Week 4 of the NFL season without a win, and there’s a bright side … and a downside. Two teams will get their first wins (barring the unlikely event of the NFL’s first tie since 2022), and two teams will not.

Of the six winless teams, four will face off — the Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans and New York Jets at Miami Dolphins. The other two 0-3 teams are the New Orleans Saints (at the 3-0 Buffalo Bills) and New York Giants (hosting the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers).

History says a win for the 0-3s would offer a slim chance to make the playoffs, while a loss, well, it would take a historic feat to defy the odds. Since 1990 (when the NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff format), only one team (1992 San Diego Chargers) has made the playoffs after starting 0-4, but 35 have done it after starting 1-3. In the 14-team playoff format that began in 2020, five have made it after starting 1-3 and all nine 0-4 teams have fallen short.

There have been four seasons in the past 16 when at least six teams have been 0-3 (2013, 2019, 2020, 2025), and of the winless coaches, two are in their first year. Aaron Glenn (Jets) and Kellen Moore (Saints) are the 31st and 32nd coaches — not including coaches who have had previous interim jobs — to start 0-3 since 1990. The previous 30 averaged 4.7 wins per season. The last team to finish with a winning record from that group was the 2004 Buffalo Bills, coached by Mike Mularkey.

Since then, 18 straight 0-3 teams with first-year coaches finished with losing records, and Bobby Ross with the 1992 Chargers is the only first-year coach to start 0-3 and make the playoffs since 1990.

Our experts weighed in on what 0-3 means for these six teams and what could happen going forward.

Dolphins

How we got here: A surprising blowout loss to the Colts in Week 1, procedural issues in Week 2 and another hard-fought game against division-rival Buffalo that failed to produce a win. The Dolphins have looked markedly better in their past two games than they did in their 33-8 loss to Indianapolis, but this has been one of the worst defenses in the league through three weeks, ranking last in scoring, third-down defense and takeaways.

How big of a surprise is this start? A loss to the Bills in Buffalo is more or less expected considering the teams’ recent history, but a winless start through three games is a surprising development for a team that believed it was close to being on the right track after missing the playoffs last season.

Could changes come soon? Owner Stephen Ross is a patient man who believes in process over results — to an extent. But at some point, the results have to matter. No Dolphins coach since Dave Wannstedt in 2003 has made it four full seasons, and this is Year 4 for Mike McDaniel; Joe Philbin and Tony Sparano were fired during their fourth seasons with the team, while Adam Gase and Brian Flores were fired after their third seasons. A few more losses with the same issues will test Ross’ patience.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4?Continue to run the ball well.Ollie Gordon II and De’Von Achanecombined for 100 rushing yards in Week 3 as Miami crossed the century mark for the first time all season. On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins have to force a turnover against a Jets team that owns a minus-4 turnover differential. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4?7 — Miami was always a long shot for the postseason. But sitting at 0-3, this feels like a last stand for this era of the Dolphins with a core of McDaniel, QBTua Tagovailoa and WRTyreek Hill. It’s well within the cards that two-thirds of that group could be gone a couple more losses from now. Ultimately, it might be best for Miami’s long-term future if the team enters the trade deadline with a clear view of whether it will be subtracting so it can net a return from veterans like Hill — and perhaps CBMinkah Fitzpatrick and one of its pass rushers, too. — Seth Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round: Despite a $79.2 million dead cap hit if the Dolphins were to move on from Tagovailoa, that’s where this is headed. Tua has struggled, and the Dolphins haven’t surrounded him with the offensive line needed to protect a player who can succeed only when working on-time and in the pocket. Players such as South Carolina’sLaNorris Sellers, LSU’sGarrett Nussmeierand Indiana’sFernando Mendozaare all being considered early Round 1 quarterbacks at this time. — Matt Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: ” [ I ] did hear the boos. It’s part of the game. The fans pay money, their hard-earned money, to come and see their team play, and we go out there and we don’t look the part as we have in previous years. So it’s all understandable, and it comes with the game. You get the boos, you get the cheers.” — Tagovailoa

Jets

How we got here: The inability to close games — two losses in which they squandered a lead in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. That makes five such games since the start of the 2024 season, two more than any other team. Glenn likes to say, “This isn’t the Same Old Jets,” but it feels like the Same Old Script. It won’t change until the defense plays up to its reputation.

How big of a surprise is this start? Not much. The Jets’ opponents (Steelers, Bills and Bucs) have a combined record of 8-1, with Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield at quarterback, respectively. In other words, the Jets were fighting up a weight class or two. This was always going to be a monster challenge for a young team starting over.

Could changes come soon? Nope. This is Year 1 of the Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey regime, and they will get plenty of time to turn it around. What about QB Justin Fields, who sat out last week with a concussion? Follow the money. The Jets gave him a $30 million guarantee, so Glenn won’t have a quick hook.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4? The Jets need to rediscover their identity on offense (run, baby, run), which they flashed in Week 1. The underachieving defense can help the cause by creating short fields. Hard to believe, but the defense still is looking for its first takeaway.– Rich Cimini

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4? 2 — Being winless is not ideal in any circumstance, but this feels like the lowest-stakes hypothetical 0-4 situation. This was always likely to be a placeholder year for the Jets, with a new head coach and GM now and quite likely a new quarterback next year. Speaking of quarterback, they’ve had only two games with Fields, anyway. And they’ve at least been competitive in two of their three losses. Ultimately, a winless start means the Jets aren’t going to make a postseason run in 2025 — but that was probably the case all along. — Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round:Fields has been ineffective because of limited passing ability and injury. The Jets have invested draft capital in the offensive line and running backs room and have a star receiver in Garrett Wilson. They need a capable driver for the muscle car the front office has assembled. If the Jets land a top-three pick, a quarterback should be expected, with Sellers, Nussmeier and Mendoza all comfortably in that conversation. — Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: “We have to delete the negative things in our game, the small things that are helping us lose games. We have to get it out fast because … you don’t want to look up and be 0-10.” — DT Quinnen Williams

Texans

How we got here:The Texans’ offense has averaged 12 points per game. Unless you have the 2000 Ravens defense that allowed only 10 points per game, you’re going to struggle to string together wins. Under new coordinator Nick Caley, the offense has been underwhelming from a schematic standpoint. There’s little creativity to spring wideouts open or running concepts that are opening up the offense.

How big of a surprise is this start? Despite lofty expectations, it’s not a big surprise. When you look at their opponents (who are a combined 7-2), they were all teams that could take advantage of the Texans’ biggest weakness: the offensive line.

Could changes come soon?Change already came Tuesday when the Texans released starting safetyC.J. Gardner-Johnson. If the losing continues with quarterback C.J. Stroudgetting beat up (sacked eight times, tied for sixth most) after the team overhauled the offensive line in the offseason, general manager Nick Caserio could be the next to go.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4? Caley’s creativity needs to expand to help get players open. They also need to score points. The Titans have struggled stopping offenses (surrendering 31 points per game), so they need to get going against a bad defense. — DJ Bien-Aime

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4? 9 — Houston is the only team on this list that had legitimate (rational) playoff hopes entering the season, and those hopes are very much on the ropes after the 0-3 start. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Texans a 14% chance to make the playoffs, but a loss to the Titans would drop them down to 6.9%. I’m awfully close to writing off the Texans as is — if they can’t even beat an incredibly shaky Tennessee team, then it’s over. — Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round: The teardown of the Houston offensive line needed to happen and should ultimately be a positive once young players develop, but this run game needs attention. Relying on veterans Nick Chubb and eventually a healthy Joe Mixon won’t get it done in 2026. The opportunity to grab a top-tier running back such as Notre Dame’sJeremiyah Lovewould take pressure off Stroud and balance an offense that looks stagnant through three games. — Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: “We’re really close. That’s the problem, we just keep reiterating that we’re close, and now it’s time to fix the issues and be honest with one another. [ Coach DeMeco Ryans’ ] message is just we’re going to keep having these results if we don’t finish, and we don’t … take care of the ball and just do the small things. The effort is there, the physicality. Now, it’s just the execution.” — Stroud

Titans

How we got here: The Titans have been on a steady decline since a seven-game losing streak ended the 2022 season. Trading playmaker A.J. Brown hurt the talent level severely. Tennessee’s roster lacks an abundance of true game-changing talent, which is probably the team’s biggest issue. Second-year coach Brian Callahan had a tough Year 1, given the talent level on the roster. Pair that with a heavily penalized team and consecutive losses is the result.

How big of a surprise is this start? Not a hugesurprise given how the schedule started. The Broncos had one of the top defenses in the league last season, and the Rams are a contender to win the NFC West. This team knew it wasn’t going to be a legit contender this season, but if there’s one surprise, it would be how Tennessee is leading the league in turnovers after its offseason focus on minimizing mental errors.

Could changes come soon? Change started Tuesday when Callahan relinquished playcalling dutiesand the Titans tradedcornerbackJarvis Brownlee Jr. to the Jets, and more could certainly be on the way if the team continues to struggle. Titans controlling owner Amy Adams-Strunk has made impulse decisions in each of the past three seasons. What’s to keep her from doing so again? She fired coach Mike Vrabel before last season. Vrabel will surely look for some “get back” when he returns to Nissan Stadium with the Patriots on Oct. 19. A loss there could mean the end for Callahan.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4? Callahan is known for his work with quarterbacks and desperately needs a breakout performance from rookieCam Ward. The No. 1 pick in April’s draft has been sacked 15 times, more than any other quarterback. The Titans also have a league-high 31 penalties. Both of these have caused the offense to constantly operate behind the sticks. — Turron Davenport

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4? 6 — We’re three games into the Ward era, but the rookie (who ranks 31st out of 32 quarterbacks in QBR) deserves much more patience than that. But the sample size on Callahan is larger, and the questions of whether he’s the right coach will only get louder with each successive loss. There are no real playoff chances to worry about, but fans will rightfully want to see some growth from this Titans team in the next few games. — Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round: Ward has shown flashes, but the talent around him is the worst of any offense in the league. Drafting a true left tackle prospect early in Round 1 would be the right way to build in a draft class that isn’t expected to feature a wide receiver selected in the top five picks. Tackle prospects Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Isaiah World (Oregon) and Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) are seen as early Round 1 options up front who would pair well with 2024 first-round pickJC Latham. — Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: “Trust me, there’s nobody that’s any more frustrated than I am with where we’re at. That’s the reaction you get when you don’t win those games. The only thing you can do is ball your fist up and fight back to it. There’s really no other way to get out of a spot like this.” — Callahan

Saints

How we got here: Pick your poison. One could choose to blame years of pushing cap charges into the future, not getting enough out of their draft picks or choosing the status quo instead of a reset after coach Sean Payton left following the 2021 season. On the field, the Saints haven’t done enough to replace some of their aging veterans, don’t have enough talent at the skill positions and are starting a young quarterback after Derek Carr retired in the offseason. All of that adds up to the position they’re in now.

How big of a surprise is this start?The only real surprise is how uncompetitive the Saints were against the Seahawks. The special teams implosion against Seattle was a new wrinkle after many years of success with that unit under Darren Rizzi. Outside expectations for this season appeared to be at their lowest in years. When the schedule came out, 1-3 was the general expectation and starting 0-4 was not considered far-fetched.

Could changes come soon: The Saints won’t be making any coaching changes after hiring Moore this offseason. Saints GM Mickey Loomis has been in his position since 2002, and there haven’t been any signs of major changes in the front office even after coach Dennis Allen was fired midseason in 2024. The only wild card is the quarterback. If the Saints continue to lose, they could eventually try to see what they have in rookie Tyler Shough.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4? A miracle. The Saints would have to take a giant leap forward with their offense and also either figure out how to keep pace with Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense or have a shutdown defensive performance. They’ll also have to stop committing double-digit penalties. That’s a lot to ask in the span of a week. — Katherine Terrell

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4? 3 –While it would obviously be better if the Saints were to scratch out a win or two early, with a new coach and a bridge quarterback, the stakes aren’t that high in New Orleans. And frankly with the team headed to Buffalo in Week 4, I wouldn’t bank on that first win coming this week, either. At some point the Saints are going to need to turn to Shough so they can see what they have in him before they make what is likely to be a decision on an early first-round quarterback in the draft. — Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round: QuarterbackSpencer Rattler isn’t alone to blame, but if the Saints land an early selection in the first round, a quarterback will be drafted. It’s easy to point to Nussmeier given that his father, Doug Nussmeier, is the Saints’ offensive coordinator and he is the type of gunslinging, playmaking quarterback who could restart this offense. Years of bad cap management has left the Saints in a hole from a talent perspective, making virtually every position a possibility early in the draft, but quarterback is the biggest question mark. — Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: “I feel like I got kicked in the face, literally and figuratively.” — Saints safety Justin Reid, who took a cleat to the face Sunday, describing his emotions after a blowout loss to the Seahawks.

Giants

How we got here: The Giants were inept offensively in Week 1 against Washington and again in Week 3 against the Chiefs. They somehow found a way to lose a shootout to the Cowboys in between. But it’s really just an extension of last year and the year before that, when they struggled to score points (31st in 2024, 30th in 2023) and found unique and interesting ways to lose. None of it reflects well on coach Brian Daboll or general manager Joe Schoen.

How big of a surprise is this start? Not a ton. Everyone knew their schedule was brutal when it came out. The Giants were hefty underdogs in all three games so far this season. But while the general public wasn’t overly optimistic (ESPN BET had their win total at 5.5 games), inside the building, the Giants thought they would surprise people.

Could changes come soon? It took three weeks, but already there’s been a quarterback change. Jaxson Dart becomes the starter because the Giants couldn’t justify sticking with Russell Wilson while they were losing games. Maybe they could’ve held off a few more weeks, but the head coach’s seat is scorching. The GM’s job is becoming tenuous. Losing with this frequency is unacceptable off a 3-14 season. Schoen’s and Daboll’s futures now appear to be tied to Dart more than ever.

What needs to happen to get a win in Week 4? Wins are going to be hard to come by for Dart and the Giants. Four of the next six opponents are undefeated, including this week. The Giants will need to get Dart some easy throws and protect him against a tough Chargers defense while putting together a complete game to have any chance. — Jordan Raanan

On a scale of 1-10, how badly does this team need to win in Week 4?4 — The decision to start Dart this week to some degree resets the clock on the panic meter. A loss to the Chargers would be quite understandable in a rookie quarterback’s debut (to the Saints in Week 5 would be a different story). But every successive loss certainly means something because of the heat on Daboll and Schoen. The quarterback change would buy them a reprieve of a couple of weeks, but then they’ll need to show some results. — Walder

Weakness that could be fixed in the first round: When healthy, Andrew Thomas is a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle, but injuries have been an issue far too often, while play on the right side has been forgettable for a rotating cast of characters. Addressing the offensive line might not be exciting, but it’s needed.Spencer Fano(Utah) would be a plug-and-play right tackle option who has experience on the left side as well. — Miller

Quote that tells the tale of the season: “Look, I would be booing, too, to be honest with you, in terms of not being good enough, not scoring, not finishing. I understand that. That’s the nature of it. We got to do better.” — Daboll

]

NEW ORLEANS – Buffalo Bills fans, who have been traveling in massive numbers this season, surely had a great time on the night before Thanksgiving down on Bourbon Street.

They hope they can repeat the revelry Thursday night inside the Caesars Superdome when the Bills meet the Saints in what is a hugely important game for both teams, unlike the last two road games where a huge contingent traveled to Jacksonville and Nashville only to be horribly disappointed by the result.

The Bills have fallen to 6-4 after a 4-1 start that included what we all thought was a defining victory over the defending AFC champion Chiefs. Since then they have lost three of five games including the head scratching defeat in Jacksonville, and then last week’s embarrassing 41-15 home debacle to Indianapolis.

Here’s what’s happening down in the Bayou:

Bills defeat Saints 31-6

Buffalo overwhelmed New Orleans on both sides of the ball. Josh Allen finished 23 of 28 passing for 260 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bills outgained the Saints 361 to 190.

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Jordan Poyer picks off Trevor Siemian – 6:59 4th quarter

Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer intercepted Jordan Poyer at the Bills’ 38-yard line. Josh Allen’s night is done. Mitchell Trubisky entered the game at quarterback for Buffalo.

Allen throws connects with Breida for fourth TD pass – 8:17 4th quarter

The Bills are pouring it on. Josh Allen started the possession with a 28-yard completion to Stefon Diggs and capped it with a 23-yard catch-and-run to Matt Breida for the touchdown. It’s Allen’s fourth touchdown of the game.

Allen has 25 passing TDs this year, tying Jim Kelly in 1991 for the most passing TDs by a Bills quarterback in the first 11 games of the season.

New Orleans avoids shutout with TD

It took a 24-0 deficit but the Saints offense finally put together a scoring drive. Trevor Siemian threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nick Vannett to cap a 13-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. Siemian’s two-point conversion attempt was incomplete. Siemian had long completions to Marquez Callaway (17 yards) and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (24 yards) to set up the score.

New Orleans collected nearly half of its 133 yards of offense on the possession.

Dawson Knox’s second TD puts Bills in 24-0 lead

The Bills needed only five plays to move 53 yards to Knox’s second touchdown reception of the game, this one coming on a beautifully schemed fourth-down play.

The Bills were faced with a fourth-and-2 at the Saints 24. Allen took the snap, play faked to Devin Singletary, and as that was happening, Knox faked like he was blocking to the inside, released into the pattern and no one followed him. Allen flipped the ball out for the easy completion, and then Knox rumbled into the end zone to complete the play.

Bills grab firm control with TD drive to start third quarter

After the disappointment of throwing away points at the end of the first half, the Bills took the second-half kickoff and put together an 11-play, 75-yard drive that consumed the first 6:12 of the third quarter.

The touchdown came on a beautiful route by Stefon Diggs who beat the Saints cornerback with a quick move to the inside and Josh Allen fired a laser out to the left front corner of the end zone from the five.

The possession was sparked by two big runs of 11 and 15 yards by Devin Singletary, a shocker in itself. But he ran as well as he has all season on those two plays, and they were big. Allen also had a clutch third-down throw to Cole Beasley.

A terrible finish to the half for the Bills

This game should be a rout, but because the Bills offensive line is so incompetent, the Saints are only down 10-0.

Buffalo’s final two offensive possessions ended with Josh Allen interceptions, the second inside the 15-yard-line in the final seconds. The first pick was a terrible throw, but it was brought about by pressure. And then the second came when the line broke down again, Allen’s arm got hit, and the ball floated right to New Orleans’ Kwon Alexander.

The Bills also lost cornerback Tre’Davious White to a knee injury, and it did not look good. If he’s out an extended time, that’s a major problem for the defense.

Bills come up empty before half with another Allen INT

Josh Allen not has seven interceptions over the last four games. One play after a touchdown pass to Dawson Knox was nullified due to a penalty, Allen was picked off by a diving Kwon Alexander. Allen’s arm was hit as he threw by Cam Jordan and he forced a pass to Emmanuel Sanders at the 10-yard line. It is Allen’s first career red-zone interception to 58 red-zone touchdowns.

Another Saints turnover-on-downs gives Bills great field position – 1:47 2nd quarter

New Orleans failed on another fourth-down attempt but this time it was a fake punt. Facing fourth-and-8, punter Blake Gillikin threw incomplete for Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The Bills took over at their 49 with 1:47 left in the half.

Josh Allen throws interception – 3:13 2nd quarter

Josh Allen’s troubles with turnovers have continued. On second-and-6 from the Bills’ 39, Allen was intercepted by cornerback Bradley Roby, who stepped in front of a pass intended for Stefon Diggs.

Allen entered the game with five turnovers over his last three games.

Promising drive ends with a field goal, Bills lead 10-0

The Bills defense came up with a fourth-down stop near midfield, but that great field position did not result in a touchdown. After moving smartly into New Orleans territory, the possession fizzled after it reached the 19 with three straight plays that could not produce a first down, the last a second sack of Josh Allen.

Tyler Bass kicked a 34-yard field goal so the Bills have a 10-0 lead.

The big play of the possession came on a third-and-2 from the Saints 46 when Allen rolled to his right and found Gabriel Davis all alone for a 26-yard gain, a very well-conceived and executed play.

Bills deny Saints on fourth down – 12:51 2nd quarter

Mario Addison is having a big game. He stuffed second-year running back Tony Jones for a 5-yard loss when New Orleans went for it on fourth-and-2. Buffalo will take over at its 46-yard line.

Josh Allen sacked by college teammate to end 1st quarter

Buffalo gained a first down on its second possession but then went backward on its last two plays. Matt Breida was dropped for a 3-yard loss to set up third-and-13 from the BIlls’ 35. On third down, Josh Allen was sacked for a 9-yard loss by defensive end Carl Granderson, Allen’s teammate at the University of Wyoming. Granderson was pushed in the back by tackle Dion Dawkins and fell to the ground before he took a sweep at Allen’s lower body for the sack.

Buffalo sacks Siemian on third down – 3:21 1st quarter

New Orleans got to midfield on its second possession but was forced to punt. Trevor Siemian completed to Tre’Quan Smith for 14 yards and then found Ty Montgomery for a 13-yard catch-and-run but he was sacked by defensive end Mario Addison for a 9-yard loss. Marquez Stevenson returned the punt 10 yards to the Bills’ 27-yard line.

What a start for the Bills: Allen TD pass to Knox makes it 7-0

Taiwan Jones went down and made an excellent tackle on the opening kickoff to put the Saints in bad field position at the 17. The defense forced a three and out punt. And then the offense took the field and marched 65 yards in 10 plays to Josh Allen’s seven-yard TD pass to Dawson Knox.

You could not have scripted a better opening to this game.

Matt Breida did not start, but he came onto the field for the second play and was a fixture the rest of the possession as he carried four times for 19 yards, while Allen completed all three of his passes for 30 yards.

Bills defense forces three-and-out – 13:03 1st quarter

New Orleans received the ball first and gained 7 yards with its makeshift offense that is without its starting quarterback and top two running backs. Blake Gillikin punted 52 yards and rookie Marquez Stevenson returned the punt 11 yards and took a big hit on his first touch in the NFL regular season.

Diggs has had some success against the Saints

The last time Stefon Diggs played in New Orleans happened to be the second to last game he played as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

It was in the playoffs following the 2019 season and the Vikings stunned the Saints 26-20 in overtime, although Diggs had a quiet finale with just two catches for 19 yards. He was then traded to the Bills three months later.

Things were a bit different in the previous playoff game Diggs played against the Saints. That one, on Jan. 14, 2018, became known as the Minneapolis Miracle as Diggs caught a 61-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum as time expired to give the Vikings a 29-24 victory in Minnesota.

“I don’t look back on it too much; I try not to live in the past too much because that was a whole different circumstance, different situation,” he said, trying to be modest about what was the greatest individual moment of his career to date.

“I mean I think about it maybe a couple of times a year now, around the time when the playoffs come, and they run it back, they’ll bring up some of the highlights from the past. That’s something that I’m always gonna be looking back like, ‘Damn, I’m gonna tell my kids that one day.’ And they probably won’t believe me, but I’m like, ‘Look, we’ve got some video of it.’”

In his career, playoffs and regular season, Diggs played the Saints four times while with the Vikings and he caught 25 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. The Bills would love a performance along those lines Thursday night from their star receiver who was muted in the loss to Indianapolis.

Colts game changed perception of the Bills

They were the darlings of the AFC there for a while, the pick of many in the national media to be the conference’s Super Bowl frontrunner. And then they lost to the Jaguars, and then they got blown off their own field at Highmark Stadium by the Colts.

Now, the Bills are no longer leading the AFC East, they’re barely hanging on to the final spot in the seven-team AFC playoff race, and many in the football press have hopped off the bandwagon.

“As far as changing the narrative of everybody else, it’s a week-to-week league,” said wide receiver Stefon Diggs. “They love you, then they hate you, so it’s not something that you can get caught up in. But as far as personally, yourself and your team, you want to win. Getting back in the swing of things and getting back in the win column is always gonna be good. And that’s the only way that you can get the ball rolling is by stacking wins, not getting close.

“In my opinion, it’s not so much changing the narrative for everybody else because I mean, everybody else doesn’t come to practice with you, everybody else doesn’t watch tape with you. They just see the end result. So for us, get back to being us and just grinding out wins the way we know how and playing our type of football.”

Inactives are out, Isaiah McKenzie goes to the bench

When Marquez Stevenson was activated for the game, the likelihood is that it would be at the expense of Isaiah McKenzie, and it was. McKenzie is inactive for the game and Stevenson will presumably take over the kickoff and punt return duties.

Interestingly, wide receiver Jake Kumerow is active, though he is because of special teams. There was a thought that perhaps Kumerow would be inactive and McKenzie would remain on the game day roster and used more on offense, but that’s not the case.

As as was reported earlier, Zack Moss is indeed inactive and his role in the offense will be shared by Matt Breida and Devin Singletary. The other inactives for the Bills are special teamers/defensive backs Cam Lewis and Damar Hamlin, offensive tackle Bobby Hart, and defensive tackles Vernon Butler and Boogie Basham

What’s interesting about those last two is that they are being replaced by practice squad call-ups Brandin Bryant and Eli Ankou. That’s a direct response to the way the defensive line was pushed around so easily by the Colts last week when the Bills allowed 264 rushing yards.

Sean McDermott wasn’t kidding when he said earlier this week that everything was on the table.

Obviously, the two players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Spencer Brown and Star Lotulelei, are out. For Lotulelei, who sat out all of last season, this is the third game he is missing.

Saints won’t have several key players

The Bills enter the game remarkably healthy as there will be no inactive players due to injury. Jon Feliciano is on injured reserve, and Spencer Brown and Star Lotulelei remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list so they are not on the 53-man roster right now.

As for the Saints, it’s a different story. They will play without star running back Alvina Kamara, who was ruled out due to a lingering knee injury. They also won’t have All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, stud defensive end Marcus Davenport, and rotational defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon.

Also, running back Mark Ingram has been dealing with a knee injury and it was reported earlier today that he is unlikely to play. We’ll wait for the official inactive list to come out to see if that’s true.

Those are big blows for a New Orleans team that is just as desperate to win this game as Buffalo. And of course, there’s also the situation at quarterback where Trevor Siemian continues to start in place of Jameis Winston who’s out for the year with a knee injury. The Saints are 0-3 since Siemian took over, losing to the Falcons, Titans and Eagles.

Might we see rookie Marquez Stevenson?

The Bills activated the rookie sixth-round wide receiver and kick returner prior to the game, though we won’t know until the inactive list is announced at 6:50 p.m. whether Stevenson will play in the game.

If he does, you can assume that he will be taking over the kick and punt returning duties from Isaiah McKenzie who lost a key fumble last week against the Colts.

Stevenson has dynamic speed and we saw that in the preseason when he returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown against the Bears at Soldier Field. Unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury in the process and that has kept him on the injured reserve list until this week.

Earlier in the week when he was asked about Stevenson possibly being activated, coach Sean McDermott said, “Everything’s on the table at this point.”

The Bills also announced that defensive tackles Brandin Bryant and Eli Ankou were both called up from the practice squad. Again, we’ll see when the inactive list comes out whether they will be in the lineup.

Also, there is a report from NFL Network that running back Zack Moss will be inactive, and if so, that’s a healthy scratch because he’s not injured. And it would be an indication that the coaching staff wants to get Matt Breida more involved in the game plan.

How to watch, listen to Buffalo Bills vs New Orleans Saints game

When: 8:20 p.m. Thursday

Where: Caesars Superdome

TV: NBC (Mike Tirico, Drew Brees, Michele Tafoya)

Satellite radio: Sirius 85, XM 228

Radio: 96.5 FM/950 AM

Series: Saints lead 7-4

Tipico betting line: Bills -7.5

NFL rankings

Bills Saints

Total offense: 391.7 yards (5th); 321.3 (24th)

Rush offense: 118.8 yards (12th); 117.9 (13th)

Pass offense: 272.9 (7th); 203.4 (26th)

Points scored: 29.5 (2nd); 25.1 (14th)

Total defense: 283.7 yards (1st); 342.0 (10th)

Rush defense: 101.9 yards (9th); 89.8 (3rd)

Pass defense: 181.8 yards (2nd); 252.2 (22nd)

Points allowed: 17.6 (2nd); 21.8 (10th)

Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints individual leaders

Rushing

Bills: Devin Singletary 83 carries, 415 yards; Josh Allen 61-340; Zack Moss 75-265; Matt Breida 12-83; Emmanuel Sanders 2-31; Mitchell Trubisky 10-27; Isaiah McKenzie 5-27.

Saints: Alvin Kamara 146-530; Mark Ingram 45-205; Jameis Winston 32-166; Taysom Hill 20-104; Tony Jones 22-79.

Passing

Bills: Josh Allen 251 of 382, 2,811 yards, 21 TDs, 8 interceptions.

Saints: Trevor Siemian 82 of 144, 920 yards, 8 TDs, 2 interceptions; Jameis Winston 95 of 161, 1,170 yards, 14 TDs, 3 interceptions.

Receiving

Bills: Stefon Diggs 60 catches, 773 yards; Cole Beasley 57-484; Emmanuel Sanders 33-531; Dawson Knox 28-383; Devin Singletary 25-114; Zack Moss 18-166; Gabriel Davis 15-265; Tommy Sweeney 9-44.

Saints: Alvin Kamara 32-310; Deonte Harris 26-418; Marquez Callaway 25-372; Adam Trautman 25-241; Mark Ingram 17-132; Tre’Quan Smith 16-205; Juwan Johnson 9-108.

2021 Buffalo Bills schedule

9/12 vs. Steelers, L 16-23

9/19 at Dolphins, W 35-0

9/26 vs. Washington, W 43-21

10/3 vs. Texans, W 40-0

10/10 at Chiefs, W 38-20

10/18 at Titans, L 31-34

10/24 Bye week

10/31 vs. Dolphins, W 26-11

11/7 at Jaguars, L 6-9

11/14 at Jets, W 45-17

11/21 vs. Colts, L 15-41

11/25 at Saints, 8:20 p.m.

12/6 vs. Patriots, 8:15 p.m.

12/12 at Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m.

12/19 vs. Panthers, TBD

12/26 at Patriots, 1 p.m.

1/2 vs. Falcons, 1 p.m.

1/9 vs. Jets, 1 p.m.

Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.