The Buffalo Bills’ last preseason game was on the road against the Chicago Bears. The Bears won 24-21 in a close game and a few Bills players had a very good game.
We are awarding our third issue of the Player of the Week Award in 2023 to cornerback Siran Neal, who had two tackles, two pass deflections, and helped teammate Ja’Marcus Ingram secure Buffalo’s only interception of the game.
Ingram with the INT!
📺: WIVB | @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/yLeqxa84f7
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 26, 2023
The Bills special team veteran was drafted by Buffalo in 2018 in the 5th round and is listed fourth on the depth chart at CB. Usually, Neal appears on special teams but Bills fans will remember his catch against the Patriots on a fake punt in December 2020.
Today, Neal was tasked with multiple snaps against the Bears first string wide receiver Darnell Mooney on the right side of the field. He prevented Bears QB Justin Fields on finding Mooney in the end zone at the end of the first quarter. He deflected another pass intended for Mooney in the end-zone from backup Chicago QB Tyson Bagent, limiting the Bears to a field goal attempt when down 7-0.
Neal would continue to frustrate Bagent and the Chicago offense when he crucially disrupted the timing of Bears wide receiver Daurice Fountain in Chicago’s sole interception of the game. When the Bills fumbled the ball after conceding a rushing touchdown to Bagent and were down 14-10 with the Bears looking to take the lead, Neal physically disrupted Fountain’s crossing route, which provided Ingram the opportunity to jump the route and intercept Bagent. This helped the Bills go into the locker room with a 7 point lead.
Neal’s physicality and man-marking skills in coverage was clearly evident and we hope he will get more snaps for the defense in the regular season and continue to make an impact in special teams.
Buffalo will be on the road at MetLife Stadium for their first regular season game against the New York Jets.
[lawrence-related id=121350,121408,121405]