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The Buffalo Bills stormed past the inept Seattle Seahawks in Week 8

The Buffalo Bills stormed past the inept Seattle Seahawks in Week 8

The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks 31-10 in a Week 8 meeting between the leading teams that wasn't nearly as close as the final score would suggest. A 21-point gap doesn't mean a close result at any level, but the dominance that Buffalo exuded on Sunday isn't quite reflected in the margin of victory.

The Bills scored touchdowns in every single quarter, totaling 7, 7, 10 and 7 in each. Teams that regularly manage to put points on the board are hard to beat. This is especially true when good teams already have a very comfortable lead and are still chasing points. Buffalo didn't lag behind throughout the afternoon as the weather and the outcome of the first coin toss presented their biggest challenge.

And the weather? It was far from a pretty day in Seattle, but the Bills overcame every challenge it presented. After quarterback Josh Allen threw his first interception of the season, Buffalo didn't give up a single point, thanks to Allen attacking the would-be pick-six and the defense defending its dirt and more from the three-yard line.

A rain-soaked first half did its best to level the playing field, but the football continued to bounce Buffalo's way — best exemplified by Allen's running fumble that stuck with the Bills. The same cannot be said for the Seahawks, who managed to destroy themselves at every opportunity. Everyone. Singles. Opportunity: Wasted.

Teams that have two golden chances to score touchdowns at home from three yards out must turn the ball in. There are no excuses. This is what separates great teams from good ones. But on Sunday, Seattle twice failed to maintain composure to finish.

The Seahawks' failure on two crucial plays was due to both clumsy execution and Buffalo's defense. It's a fair bet that Seattle sports radio and sister site Field Gulls will be talking a lot about the Seahawks' failures in the red zone – particularly the bad snap that sailed 20 yards past quarterback Gino Smith and failed on fourth down, where quarterback Gino Smith failed ended up in the middle and on the turf.

Once again Josh Allen found his way to an early exit when it was clear the result was all but known. That may limit his statistical success, but every single Bills fan should be happy to see camera footage of Allen sitting on the sideline thanks to a blowout.

On the day, Allen went an efficient 24-of-34 for 283 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He added seven runs for 25 yards – and even gave running back James Cook goal-to-go contact. That meant Cook was able to run the ball six times twice while finishing with 17 carries for 111 yards. Sunday's win marked the first time this season that Cook managed more than 100 yards on the ground.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper had a quiet second appearance with the Bills, catching just one pass on two targets for three yards. Less time should be spent on what Cooper didn't do and more time should be spent on what Buffalo's complementary receivers did all afternoon.

Wide receivers Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman had great games. Shakir was once again nearly unstoppable when targeted, finishing his career with nine receptions on 10 for 107 yards. A YAC machine, Shakir has been compared to players like Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and Cole Beasley by NFL Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-analyst Tom Brady.

Week 8 was Shakir's first 100-yard game of the season and the third of his young NFL career. He's a nightmare for defenses and someone who plays like a running back in traffic. If teams can't bring him down on the first touch, which happens often, that's a problem.

Keon Coleman continued his rookie rise and proved to be a vicious monster in the red zone this week. Coleman finished the game with five receptions on seven targets for 70 yards and an improbable touchdown. He once again showed off his skills in traffic and a knack for getting YAC – all while going up against a very talented cornerback in Tariq Woolen.

Even tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox got in on the action with several big downfield plays. Knox hit both targets at critical moments, totaling 50 yards. Kincaid saw a significant number of targets (7) and scored five for a punishing 31 yards and a touchdown.

As far as Buffalo's defense goes, Week 8 may have been the best first half from defensive coordinator Bobby Babich's squad – from the assistant coaches to every player on that side of the ball. Holding Seattle to three points at home in the first half is no small feat, even without wide receiver DK Metcalf.

There are many Bills defenders who deserve recognition, from every single defensive lineman to linebackers Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector who continue to pick up the slack, and of course the composure displayed by every member of Buffalo's defensive backfield.

Of course, the Buffalo Bills didn't play perfect football. The elephant in the room is the excessive amount of penalties. It was ugly for both sides with that FOX broadcast at one Point The total of 23 penalties were the most in a game this season. There is still time to clean things up and I expect that will be a priority for head coach Sean McDermott. Against better teams, penalties are sure to do more damage than the Bills did in Week 8.

Next up for the Buffalo Bills are the Miami Dolphins, who will visit Highmark Stadium again with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

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