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Bills Debut New Defense: A Dominant Start?
16 Aug
Summary
- Bills unveiled a new 3-4 defense in preseason opener.
- DJ Moore had a strong showing but left with a leg injury.
- Center Connor McGovern faces a multi-week absence due to injury.
The Buffalo Bills offered a glimpse of their new defensive strategy in Saturday's preseason game, debuting an attack-style 3-4 scheme under coordinator Jim Leonhard. The first-team defense showed promise, holding the Panthers to a mere 1.77 yards per play over three drives, highlighting effective use of their defensive line with players like Ed Oliver and Deone Walker often in one-on-one matchups.
Individually, wide receiver DJ Moore made a notable impact, catching three passes for 61 yards from Josh Allen, mirroring strong training camp chemistry. However, Moore exited the game with an apparent leg injury. Coach Joe Brady indicated the team believes he avoided a serious issue, but his preseason workload will be carefully managed.
In other injury news, starting center Connor McGovern is facing a multi-week absence due to a leg injury sustained last week. He aims to be ready for the regular season, but Lloyd Cushenberry III is currently filling in with the first unit. Defensive lineman T.J. Sanders' inactive status in the first half also raised questions, potentially signaling a competition with fellow 2025 draft pick Landon Jackson.
