Commanders' D-Line vs. Bills' Josh Allen: 'Make it Easy!' Says Gabe Davis
The Washington Commanders will welcome the Buffalo Bills to FedEx Field on Sunday for a contest that could be a stepping stone for coach Ron Rivera's group. So what's the key to victory?
There is little question that the defensive line is the heart and soul of the Commanders. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne are arguably the best pair of interior linemen in the sport. Complemented by edge rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young, few teams throw an equivalent combination of speed, strength, and skill at opposing offensive lines.
There may be no such thing as completely nullifying such a terrific front, but mitigating its impact will be vital to putting up points.
In Week 2, the right side of Buffalo’s line, guard O’Cyrus Torrence and tackle Spencer Brown, rendered Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby ineffective. The result? A swift 38-10 victory.
The line will have its hands full again in Week 3, but comments made on Thursday reminded fans that winning the battle in the trenches comes down to more than just the linemen themselves.
Bills receiver Gabe Davis recently spoke about how Washington’s defensive line will impact Sunday’s contest.
© Jamie Germano, Democrat & Chronicle
“That’s one of the things that our coach harps on,” Davis said. “Each week, we’re going against the D-Line as well. We have to be aware of that and know that we don’t have all this time at the line of scrimmage, we have to get open.”
A lack of quick releases and early separation could force quarterback Josh Allen to hold onto the ball longer than he’d like. With pressure bearing down, he’s more prone to turnovers like the four he committed in Week 1 against the New York Jets.
“Like I was preaching earlier about making it easy for 17,” Davis said. “So we gotta know that we’re not only going against the guy in front of us, but we’re going against the guys on the line of scrimmage.”
Davis caught six of his seven targets in Week 2, generating 92 yards and a touchdown. Against a Commanders secondary that is yet to fully gel, there will be opportunities to make Allen’s life easy … weather permitting.
Winning reps early and often would make any offense more successful, but the threat of Washington’s defensive line makes Davis’ job that much more important on Sunday. Keeping Allen upright is a necessity to escape the DMV with a win.
