There’s no two ways about it, the Buffalo Bills went on the road and came up short against the Cincinnati Bengals. They’ve watched what was once a sure-fire Wild Card spot fade into uncertainty and, at 5-4, are once again tasked with making critical adjustments after a loss.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons for optimism. General manager Brandon Beane’s flurry of moves preceding the Week 9 contest couldn’t swing the odds in Buffalo’s favor, but (at least defensively) showed some promise.
Few on the Bills' defense popped off the screen like defensive tackle Linval Joseph. Signing less than a week ago, his presence has been an immediate factor.
Buffalo assistant head coach Eric Washington elaborated on Joseph’s Week 9, adamant in his praise for the veteran.
“Let me first talk about Linval Joseph’s preparation, just absolutely amazing,” Washington said. “The professionalism, the way he came into this situation and how he came in—he was so proactive, he spent a lot of time on his own … He just showed why he’s a first-call professional, a first option for a lot of teams, and I’m glad that he’s here.”
Despite having to get acclimated to his new environment and getting up to speed on the game plan, something Washington emphasized was a matter of learning his specific assignments rather than the complete picture, Joseph played well. One of his two tackles came on a critical short-yardage down, and he was able to give Buffalo 30 snaps. He not only kept others fresh, but he performed in the process.
“He did a great job yesterday. He had a really impactful play on [third-and-1], they attempted a sneak and they ended up with no gain,” Joseph said.
In a season where quarterbacks are more successful sneaking (or pushing) past the first down marker, Joseph all but caught Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and ensured the chains didn’t move.
“He controlled the middle of the defense on some of the gap-scheme, downfield runs that Cincinnati likes to really feature,” Washington continued. “So he gave us nice rotation, his execution was flawless, and that’s what you want—a tremendous credit to him.”
Joseph is a 14-year veteran with experience winning a Super Bowl as a young player (2011 with the New York Giants) and getting to one as a veteran (2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles).
It wasn’t the outcome anyone in the facility wanted, but the relief that comes with ample reinforcements has arrived, even if the run game or overall consistency hasn’t.
The 24-18 loss only adds drama to the Bills' upcoming schedule, where Joseph will undoubtedly have a chance to make his presence felt again. Buffalo will host the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football to cap off Week 10’s festivities.
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