Von Miller was the NFL’s worst full-time player in 2023. Now, after playing a key role in the Buffalo Bills’ 31-10 blowout win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, the future Hall of Fame edge-rusher is pacing the league’s Comeback Player of the Year race. Miller and the Bills made a statement with the lopsided victory over their AFC East division rivals.
The triumph once again came at a cost, though. Standout linebacker Terrel Bernard suffered a pectoral injury in the contest and did not return. He could be facing an extended absence. Bernard joins a growing list of high-impact injured Buffalo defenders. That’s going to put a lot of pressure on Miller to continue his early-season resurgence. Otherwise, defensive performances like last night could become a rarity for the rest of the 2024 campaign.
Von Miller Returns to Form, Helps Bills Crush Dolphins
Miller Looked Retirement Bound in 2023
The 35-year-old Texas A&M product returned from a torn ACL in Week 5 last season. The next 12 games appeared to show the major knee injury ended his days as a feared edge-rushing legend.
Miller finished 2023 with just three total tackles and nothing else. No sacks, no forced fumbles, no passes defended, no interceptions. Nothing. Nobody in the NFL played as much and did so little. It was a massive concern for the Bills, who were still on the hook for the remaining four seasons of his six-year, $120 million contract.
The former Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams superstar looked far more agile throughout training camp this year, though. The uptick came after an interview with Pat Benson of Sports Illustrated where the eight-time Pro Bowler stated he shouldn’t have taken the field last year.
“My biggest individual goal is just getting back to playing my style of football,” Miller said in June. “It’s crazy how you get injured, and you come back, and you really shouldn’t have even been playing, and people judge you by a product on the field. I could have easily sat out all of last season, but I couldn’t do my teammates like that. I felt like being later in my career, I didn’t want to sacrifice any of my years. But at the same time, I shouldn’t have been out there.”
So far, based on his monumentally improved play through two games, that assessment was spot on.
Superstar Pass-Rusher Back Playing at Pro Bowl Level
Miller has looked like a completely different player for the Bills in 2024. He’s once again a constant presence in the opponent’s backfield to make life difficult on opposing quarterbacks.
His stat line through the first two games—four tackles and two sacks—is already better than all of last year. He racked up four total pressures on Thursday night, and his speed-reaching Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa was back at nearly peak levels.
Von Miller generated all 4 pressures and a sack on 14 pass rush matchups against Dolphins RT Austin Jackson.
Every one of his pressures got to the QB in under 2.5 seconds. Miller’s 2.10-second average time to pressure is his fastest in a game since 2021.
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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 13, 2024
It’s not just the numbers, either. Miller is passing the eye test. The burst, small-area quickness, and leverage at the line all seem closer to his first year in Buffalo.
Von Miller (@VonMiller) runs the E/T stunt. Miller attacks inside with the chop/spin & gets pressure! #PassRush #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/4g3mJk5CJo
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) September 13, 2024
He’ll also benefit from the presence of rising star Greg Rousseau, who tallied three sacks in the Bills’ Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Having another talented edge-rusher on the line should prevent teams from trying to double-team the two-time Super Bowl champion.
Put it all together and Miller could return to the double-digit sack club this season.
Bills Need Miller’s Production Amid Injury Crisis
Bernard joins linebacker Matt Milano (biceps) and slot cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm) on the injury list. You could argue they are three of the Bills’ five most important defensive players. None of them have been ruled out for the season, but they also don’t have a firm return date yet.
Those injuries come on the heels of the longtime safety tandem of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer leaving in the offseason. Poyer signed with the Dolphins in free agency. Hyde remains a free agent but hasn’t decided whether he’ll continue his football career.
So, what’s left? Well, the Bills defense remains strong in two areas: edge-rushers and boundary corners.
Miller and Rousseau are joined by A.J. Epenesa and Casey Toohill to create a deep pass-rushing group. It’ll get even deeper when Dawuane Smoot and rookie Javon Solomon return from short-term injuries.
At cornerback, the outside tandem of Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford has been outstanding through two weeks. They slowed down prized rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. in the opener before keeping Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in check Thursday night.
A moment to appreciate the job Bobby Babich and Sean McDermott have done tonight preparing this defense. No Matt Milano or Taron Johnson and then you lose your defensive captain in the first quarter… holding this offense to 10 points and 3 turnovers…
— Nate Geary (@NateGearySports) September 13, 2024
If the Bills can remain strong in those two aspects, the defense should have enough talent to remain afloat. The problem is it’s only Week 2 and the injuries are already a central concern. They’re going to need the injury luck to turn in their favor quickly before any other key contributors are lost.
That said, the banged-up unit is a pivotal reason Buffalo is 2-0, and having Miller flying around the edge is a crucial factor in that success.
Main Photo: [Gregory Fisher] – USA Today Sports
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