Bills' safety answers coach's call, intercepts Josh Allen twice in same practice

Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen was picked off twice on Friday by a turnover-hungry defense at training camp

Nov 10, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (9) celebrates after making an interception Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator Bobby Babich had a message for his unit on Friday morning, and safety Taylor Rapp apparently took it to heart.

Addressing reporters prior to the Bills' third training camp practice, Babich was visibly annoyed by one aspect of the defense's performance on Wednesday and Thursday.

"I will say this. In two days, we have one takeaway, which we are not happy with," said Babich.

Turning the opponent over has been a pillar of the Bills' defense since head coach Sean McDermott arrived in 2017. Last season, which was Babich's first as the defensive coordinator, the Bills recorded 32 takeaways over 17 regular season games. The total was third most in the NFL, and it allowed Buffalo to produce a league-leading +24 turnover margin.

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Rapp, who was last seen picking off Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Lamar Jackson on an overthrow this past January in the divisional round, twice intercepted reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen during team periods on Friday.

Bills defensive back Taylor Rapp pulls in a throw as he warms up. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Towards the end of 7-on-7 drills, there appeared to be a miscommunication between Allen and his intended target, which looked like Elijah Moore, and Rapp took advantage. Allen hung a ball up along the sideline with no receiver in the vicinity, and the Bills' starting safety raced over to make a diving play.

About one-half hour later during the non-padded practice, Rapp snagged another misfire by Allen. With Joey Bosa applying the pressure, the quarterback over threw tight end Zach Davidson over the middle and Rapp was in the right place to pick it.

"Every DB [defensive back] knows that it comes in bunches, so it's great to get a few under my belt," said Rapp during a post-practice appearance on One Bills Live.

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Entering his third season with the Bills, the Super Bowl LVI champion has more experience than any of his fellow safeties on the 90-man roster, and it showed on Friday.

"We have a standard as a defense," said Babich. "The guys know the standard and they know if they haven't met it. And, then, they know if they have met it."

Not long after Babich divulged those words, Rapp went out and put that standard on display at St. John Fisher University.

Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (20) tries to get up after making an interception on a pass by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) during fourth quarter action of their NFL football game Jan 07, 2024, in Miami Gardens. | BILL INGRAM/THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK

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