Bills’ Taron Johnson breaks down Chiefs’ Travis Kelce
In facing the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills are going to do their best to not make the occasion bigger than it already is.
Head coach Sean McDermott already dusted off his trademark line, “Control what we can control,” this week at his video conference.
Even so, the Bills (8-2) will have to deal with Travis Kelce when the Chiefs (9-0) come to town on Sunday.
Kelce’s reputation as one of the best playmakers in the NFL is deserved but if Buffalo is going to “control” him, plenty of that responsibility will involve plenty of Taron Johnson.
Johnson is well aware what it’s like to face Kelce having done so plenty of times in both the regular season and postseason.
“He’s such a smart player,” Johnson said. “He knows his angles, really good at leverage.”
“I feel like Patrick Mahomes is on the same page as him,” Johnson added. “I feel like that’s the biggest thing, how smart of a player [Kelce] is, how smart Patrick is.”
The Kansas City tight end averages 4.85 catches per outing against Buffalo and 62.8 yards. Worth noting, those numbers also include his early, not-as-productive years which predated Mahomes lining up as his QB.
Even so, those are still good numbers the Bills will want avoid giving up in Week 11.
For more from Johnson on defending Kelce, see the attached clip below:
One more time: Taron Johnson’s ‘Play of the Week’ in Bills vs. Colts
The Buffalo Bills have a huge clash upcoming against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s the Game of the Week in the NFL’s Week 11 slate.
But before we fully put our attention on that next contest, let’s take one more look back at the “Play of the Week” in Week 10.
Truly, because Bills cornerback Taron Johnson was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week following his team’s 30-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts… and one massive play from him went a long way into winning that honor.
On the first snap the Colts conducted on offense, Johnson notched a pick-six interception on quarterback Joe Flacco.
Check out Johnson’s effort one more time in the clip below:
Bills CB Taron Johnson named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson has been honored by the NFL for his efforts in Week 10 against the Indianapolis Colts.
In that 30-20 win for the Bills (8-2), Johnson played a big role. His game was highlighted by a pick-six interception and a sack against Colts quarterback Joe Flacco.
Following the outing, Johnson has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 10:
In recording a pick-six and sack, the 28-year-old became the first defensive back in team history to put together such an outing.
In total, Johnson had three tackles including one for loss against the Colts. The DPOTW honor is the first in Johnson’s career.
The Bills have five total Player of the Week honors so far in 2024. Most recently, kicker Tyler Bass won the Special Teams Player of the Week Award last week against the Miami Dolphins.
Johnson helped to set the tone for the game on the defensive side of the ball with the big play, but also in his overall performance.
He had three tackles, a sack, one tackle for loss, and two pass deflections as well.
“I’m not sure what he was seeing,” Johnson said of opposing QB Joe Flacco’s read on the pick. “But I’ve seen that play before . . . against a different team, and I played it differently. I mean, we [were] in a different call too. In the game I’ve seen it, I played it differently, and I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way. And, I took the ball. After that, I scanned the field and took it to the house.
I’ve seen that play before… I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way and took the ball.”
They were also without receivers Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper on offense, so the defense stepped up.
“I know we’re banged up on offense, but the defense came out, and especially in that second half, made a lot of plays, and I feel like that helped us win,” Johnson added.
On the day, the Bills offense had three interceptions total, along with four sacks and two forced fumbles.
Much to the approval of head coach Sean McDermott.
“I thought that the defense and the takeaways was a big time difference in the game, and then also getting momentum back after our turnovers with some key stops and fourth down stops”, McDermott said. “We were able to make them (Colts) one-dimensional, which was important for us. It was a resilient win overall. Very resilient win.”
With Tyler Bass going a perfect six for six, special teams and defense held up their end.
“I think they’re just a very competitive group,” McDermott added. “They take a lot of pride in not letting each other down.”
The Bills’ front seven has been inconsistent this year in defending the ground game, and they have been under the microscope this week after allowing the Miami Dolphins to run all over them. Running backs De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert each averaged over five yards per carry and combined for 119 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Now, they have Jonathan Taylor to worry about.
Taylor has been one of the best backs in the NFL when healthy since he entered the league. This year he is averaging an impressive 4.8 yards per carry and is 19th in the NFL in rushing yards (502), just ahead of James Cook (496).
The Bills will need execution and effort from their front seven throughout the game to keep Taylor in check. Guys like DaQuan Jones, Ed Oliver, and Greg Rousseau will be counted on to make an impact at the line of scrimmage.
CB Taron Johnson vs. WR Josh Downs
Getty Images
Slot cornerback Taron Johnson, a second-team All-Pro last year, will be tested by a young up-and-comer in Week 10. Second-year wide receiver Josh Downs operates out of the slot and has quickly gained rapport with quarterback Joe Flacco.
In four games together this year, Downs has averaged 9.75 targets, 7.5 receptions, and 69.25 receiving yards per contest. He has the most catches from Flacco by a decent margin and has been the most-targeted receiver in all four games.
Johnson has a tough task with keeping tabs on Downs and also being ready to head downhill to tackle Taylor in the running game. It’s a tall task but that’s nothing new for one of the best nickel corners in the game.
QB Joe Flacco vs. Bills pass coverage
Getty Images
We could more widely talk about the playcalling duel between Shane Steichen and Bobby Babich, but let’s zoom in a bit. Flacco vs the Bills’ coverage will be a chess match to watch.
Flacco has been around the block. In his 17th year, he is still proving he can be effective. He has seven touchdowns and two interceptions through four games played, and his 94.5 passer rating ranks 14th in the NFL.
The Bills passing defense struggled against the Dolphins last week as Tua Tagovailoa completed 89% of his passes. The Bills currently rank middle-of-the-pack in passing defense DVOA (15th).
The defense might have a little bit of an easier day if WR Michael Pittman Jr. can’t play due to injury, but what would really help them is having more of a pass rush.
PFF: Highest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8, 31-10.
Statistics might help determine who played well or not, and so may the eye test. But, let’s take it a step further with some help from the analytics folks at Pro Football Focus.
Last week against the Tennessee Titans, Bills wide receivers Amari Cooper and second-round rookie Keon Coleman had their way against their matchups. This week, they face tougher cornerback matchups. On the outside for Seattle will be Riq Woolen, who ranks 18th-best among corners according to PFF.
They also have cornerback Devon Witherspoon who was the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Witherspoon is used both on the outside and in the slot. He may shadow Cooper, but either way, the Bills’ wide receivers need to be prepared to win some tougher matchups to help out Josh Allen and the offense. A couple of big plays from Coleman or Cooper could be the difference in the game.
Jaxon Smith Njigba vs. Taron Johnson
Getty Images
With DK Metcalf ruled doubtful for Week 8, a lot more targets may fall on the shoulders of second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The bad news for Smith-Njigba is that All-Pro Taron Johnson will occupy the area of the field where he likes to work.
Smith-Njigba has had a hot and cold season, with games of 12 catches and games of two or three catches. His usage has been mainly matchup-dependent, but if Metcalf can’t play then his usage would have to go up. The Bills’ All-Pro nickel corner going against the first WR taken in the 2023 Draft is a great matchup in the slot.
Bills offensive line vs. Seahawks pass rush
Getty Images
How the Bills offensive line holds up against a talented Seattle front will determine the level of success the team can have on the road. We know it can get loud at Lumen Field, and if Josh Allen is constantly under pressure then it will make things a lot more difficult.
The Seahawks rank eighth in the NFL in sack percentage and are tenth in sacks per game. They rank fourth in the league in pressure rate while not blitzing much. And, they just got Byron Murphy back from injury, who was their first round pick in April. It’s a tall task to keep them out of the backfield all game, but the Bills will need to limit how often they get back there. Running the ball will help keep the defense honest.
3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Titans in Week 7
The Buffalo Bills will host the Tennessee Titans at Highmark Stadium in Week 7.
The Bills (4-2) are coming off a crucial divisional win over the New York Jets in Week 6 and lead the AFC East. The Titans (1-4) stand toward the bottom of the AFC under first-year head coach Brian Callahan.
The Bills have an enticing new weapon on offense after trading for Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. Even before Cooper’s arrival, the Bills rank third in the NFL in offensive DVOA through six weeks.
On the other hand, the Titans have been a disaster on offense. They are turning the ball over and they have struggled to pass consistently. The Titans do, however, boast the league’s top defense in yards allowed per game.
The Bills are favored by 9.5 points on Sunday but every week is a challenge in the NFL. They’ll need to execute the game plan to gain their fifth win of the year.
Here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 7:
Win the turnover battle
Getty Images
When it comes to turning the ball over in 2024, the Bills and the Titans are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Bills are ranked second in the NFL with a turnover differential of +8, while the Titans are ranked second-to-last with a turnover differential of -7. Will Levis leads the NFL in interceptions with seven. On the flip side, Buffalo’s Josh Allen has not thrown one.
The Bills need to do what they have been for much of the season, and that is win the turnover battle. The Bills are favored by nearly double digits in this one, but a couple of turnovers could shift the momentum quickly.
Get the receivers involved
Getty Images
It’s not just newcomer Amari Cooper that has to get going in the Bills offense, it’s many of the other wide receivers who are still new to Allen. Among the WRs, only Khalil Shakir had played a game with Allen before the year. And it has shown through six weeks. Shakir has been the only consistent receiver (when healthy). He leads the Bills in receiving while ranking just 55th in the NFL in receiving yards.
The Titans have a stingy defense, but they haven’t seen an offense like the Bills’ this year, especially on the road. If the Bills can get Cooper going, it should open up opportunities for others. Perhaps Cooper is the missing ingredient that will have everybody eating again.
Limit the run
Getty Images
It’s no secret that the Titans’ passing game has struggled this year, but one constant for them has been the play of running back Tony Pollard. He’s coming off games of 88 and 93 rushing yards, respectively. He’s averaging over four yards per carry and is 18th in the NFL in rushing yards despite already having a bye week. The team will be without RB Tyjae Spears due to injury, so it should be the Pollard show.
If the Bills can limit the Titans’ ground game, it should force Levis into uncomfortable third-and-longs. The idea of playing against a young QB who is turnover prone should have Bobby Babich’s defense foaming at the mouth.
WATCH: Bills’ Taron Johnson has late interception vs. the Jets
Taron Johnson capped off the Buffalo Bills’ 23-20 win over the New York Jets on “Monday Night Football.”
After a big first half , the Bills (4-2) stayed on top of the AFC East after beating the Jets (2-4). The second portion of the game went different, but in the end, Johnson made the difference.
As New York was hoping for a comeback, Buffalo and Johnson slammed the door closed.
Johnson picked off Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to end their last chance on offense. Johnson picked off Rodgers and the Bills offense went on to ice the game after that.
