Buffalo Bills' Eric Washington Praises Dorian Williams' Development in Win vs. New York Giants
The Buffalo Bills beat the New York Giants on Sunday, 14-9, with the help of a stout defensive performance. New York’s injuries and talent disadvantage aside, the run defense showed up—without two of its stars.
Linebacker Matt Milano and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones have had their seasons unceremoniously cut short. It seems Buffalo has managed to replace the former in record time.
Rookie linebacker Dorian Williams excelled in the Week 6 affair, especially against running back Saquon Barkley and a redeemable Giants ground game. After being replaced by linebacker Tyrel Dodson in Week 5’s loss, Williams was back with a point to prove.
Williams at his first NFL training camp.
© Jamie Germano, Democrat & Chronicle
“It would be hard to describe him as a first-year player when you watched him go through the week of preparation,” assistant head coach Eric Washington said. “I'm talking about from Wednesday all the way through to Saturday walkthrough, he was locked in, focused, he understood the game plan.”
Williams was the 91st pick in April’s draft, being selected in the third round. He’s a part of a class that includes premier offensive talents like tight end Dalton Kincaid and guard O’Cyrus Torrence who have aimed to make a legitimate impact on a veteran team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Washington was quick to notice his in-season development.
“I think the arrow is really pointing up for him,” Washington said. “I’ve not seen a player come in the way that he did, as a rookie, and be as downhill, single-minded, physical as he was.”
The high praise was backed up by the box score. Williams had an assortment of tackles, while also generating pressure when called upon. In all, he was given a 73.5 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus. There’s reason to believe it was the best game of his young career.
There’s no filling the shoes of Milano, but if Williams continues to be an impact player against the run, he’ll be doing his part in an important group effort.
“Obviously, there’s some things that we have to continue to grow from,” Washington concluded. “But very pleased with his approach as he went through the week and we’ll continue to grow from his experiences on Sunday."
