The Bills had four sacks in six games coming into Sunday’s contest against the Redskins. They sacked John Beck nine times alone.
It was a defensive performance that has Bills fans rightfully dreaming about an AFC East title. The key change may have been the move of Marcell Dareus from defensive end to nose tackle.
The No. 3 overall pick had 2.5 sacks and two more tackles for loss. He chased Beck to the sideline on one fourth down play.
“You can’t find a big guy that runs like that,” linebacker Nick Barnett said via the Buffalo News.
We’ve watched Dareus closely in Bills games this year. He’s been solid for a rookie up until now, but this was the breakout game everyone wanted to see.
“He played unbelievable,” teammate Chris Kelsay said. “He made the plays that needed to be made. He’s a force to be reckoned with.”
The Bills defense has been searching for answers all year. They won’t get to face a shaky line like Washington every week, but perhaps moving Dareus to nose tackle could make a huge difference.