Buffalo Bills vs. Washington Football Team: First-half open thread

The Buffalo Bills host the Washington Football Team in the third game of the 2021 NFL season. Both teams are coming off exciting Week 2 victories, albeit different versions of “exciting.” The Bills dominated the Miami Dolphins en route to a 35-0 blowout victory, while Washington was able to win a wild back-and-forth affair with the New York Giants thanks to a 43-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal as time expired. They came away with a 30-29 win.

In what was expected to be a homecoming of sorts for former Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, the game will now be started by Washington backup Taylor Heinicke. Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury in Week 1 and has since been placed on injured reserve. Heinicke leads an offense that has some weapons, including running back Antonio Gibson, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, and tight end Logan Thomas.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen is looking for that breakout performance to silence the “regression” chorus, and while his main motivation certainly isn’t silencing his “haters,” he definitely seems to be pressing a bit as the season begins. The Bills have played against two top-notch defenses to start the year, as well, so Allen’s pedestrian statistics (56 percent completion rate, 449 passing yards, three passing touchdowns) aren’t cause for alarm just yet.

Your first-half thread is here, friends. Remember to sort the comments by “oldest” for the traditional game thread experience. Use that “Z” key to your heart’s content. Stay civil with each other. And oh yeah—enjoy the game wherever you may be.

Go Bills!