Miller makes presence felt throughout 1st 6 video games with Payments

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — It was a well-recognized second with a far completely different final result for Payments receiver Stefon Diggs now that Buffalo has Von Miller to lean upon.

Strolling off the sphere in Kansas Metropolis after Dawson Knox scored the go-ahead landing with 1:04 remaining, Diggs issued a forceful however easy message to Miller on the sideline.

“End the sport,” Diggs stated.

In an eerily becoming 13 seconds later, Miller did simply that.

Lining up on the left aspect, Miller faked left and burst inside to get round deal with Andrew Wylie and flush Patrick Mahomes out of the pocket. Miller then obtained his proper hand on Mahomes’ jersey, forcing the quarterback to double-clutch earlier than throwing a brief cross intercepted by Taron Johnson to seal a 24-20 victory.

In January, in the same scenario, the Payments infamously fell brief, blowing a three-point lead within the remaining 13 seconds of an eventual 42-36 additional time loss within the AFC divisional playoff spherical. Mahomes accomplished two passes for 44 yards to arrange Harrison Butker’s tying discipline objective. Mahomes’ second completion, a 25-yarder over the center to Travis Kelce, got here with cross rusher Jerry Hughes — the participant Miller has changed — coming a step brief from attending to the quarterback.

The distinction between the outcomes wasn’t misplaced on Diggs.

“It’s loopy, as a result of we’ve been there earlier than and people moments really feel like not even deja vu,” he stated following. “It looks like one thing model new.”

That distinction is Miller, who at 33 is hardly model new, however provides an imposing presence to Buffalo’s protection.

“No, I don’t assume it may be understated in any respect,” coach Sean McDermott stated of Miller’s addition.

“He’s an elite participant. He’s introduced a mindset to our soccer staff,” McDermott added. “He’s taught and introduced an assertive management kind of strategy to our soccer staff. He’s really a particular human being, and we’re comfortable to have him.”

Not coincidentally, the Payments are comfortable to enter their bye week at 5-1, the most effective document within the AFC. Even after this weekend’s video games, Buffalo will nonetheless high the convention when it returns to host Inexperienced Bay on Oct. 30.

And Miller, who initially second-guessed his offseason resolution to go away the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Rams and brilliant lights of Los Angeles for a rust-belt metropolis equivalent to Buffalo, is glad to be a Invoice.

“To return out right here and have success like this, I’ve been round Josh since March, and he got here out right here and performed his (behind) off,” Miller stated, referring to quarterback Josh Allen.

“Protection, we do what we do,” he added earlier than paying tribute to Payments followers. “I’m comfortable for Payments Mafia, as a result of they deserve wins like this.”

The buzz in Buffalo is at full tilt.

And whereas followers spent this week renaming a portion of Buffalo’s Hertel Avenue to “Hurdle” in honor of Allen leaping over Chiefs security Justin Reid for a 16-yard achieve to arrange Knox’s TD, a lot of the credit score additionally belongs to Miller.

Thus far, he appears just like the lacking piece on an in any other case deep and gifted staff that has fallen brief in playoff losses at Kansas Metropolis in every of the previous two seasons.

Miller is tied for second within the NFL with six sacks, and is a part of a protection that’s allowed the fewest factors and second-fewest yards within the league. That’s a major bounce even over final season’s unit, which completed first in quite a few statistical classes but additionally padded its numbers by beating up on weak opponents.

Buffalo went 11-6 in 2021 however was 2-4 towards opponents that made the playoffs. This yr, the Payments have already got wins towards the Rams (3-3), Ravens (3-3), Titans (3-2) and Chiefs (4-2).

That is the influence general manager Brandon Beane anticipated Miller to make when he altered what was imagined to be a conservative strategy to free company by signing the participant to a six-year contract that pays him greater than $52 million over the primary three seasons.

“I don’t ever plan to be a giant spender. I wish to construct and develop our personal. However I’m by no means going to draw back from seeing if there’s one thing there. And on this case, all of us watched this man down the playoff stretch and what he confirmed he’s nonetheless obtained,” Beane stated in March. “In order that’s why it made sense.”

Miller’s addition additionally took the burden off what Beane anticipated can be a younger secondary after shedding beginning cornerback Levi Wallace to free company and with Tre’Davious White’s availability unsure whereas recovering from a season-ending left knee damage. Buffalo’s secondary has held up, even after shedding beginning security Micah Hyde to a season-ending neck damage in Week 2. White started working towards final week and will return in time to face Inexperienced Bay.

Instantly, an already sturdy protection has an opportunity to grow to be stingier. Buffalo has 5 video games left towards division rivals, a shot at successful its third consecutive AFC East title and the within observe for home-field benefit all through the AFC playoffs.

If it means yet one more rematch towards the Chiefs, so be it, now that Buffalo has Miller, a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion who relishes every alternative he needs to be a difference-maker.

“That’s the reason they introduced me to the Denver Broncos, and that’s the reason they traded for me to the Rams final yr,” Miller stated. “And that’s why I’m right here. It’s within the job description.”

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