Despite offense and defense getting most of the attention, and most of the playing time, there are three phases of football, and the Buffalo Bills are quietly dominating the one that goes the most unmentioned.
Buffalo's special teams units are producing at some of the best rates in the league, turning kicking, punting and returning into a strength for the team to lean on.
Here's how well special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers' units have been producing through six weeks.
Kicking
Tyler Bass has missed two extra points this season, but is a perfect 13-for-13 on field goals this season. In fact, he's made 18 straight field goals dating back to 2024, the longest streak by a Bills kicker since Rian Lindell had 18 in 2007.
The Bills haven't called upon Bass to kick in the 50+ yard range, but he is 5-for-5 on kicks between 40 and 49 yards, including a clutch game-winner in overtime against the Rams.
On the flip side, Greg Rousseau won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his blocked kick against the Rams, saving the game and allowing Bass the opportunity to drill that 45 yarder. His play marked the first blocked kick in OT that led to a win since 2015.
Joe Andreessen, who recently earned a three-year extension, is currently tied for fifth with nine special teams tackles already this year, on pace to beat his mark of 23 last year which was second in the NFL.
Punting
Rookie Tommy Doman Jr. hasn't been called upon much this season. In fact, the Bills have punted just 12 times so far this season, the lowest mark in the NFL. Still, the seventh-rounder has made the most of his limited opportunites.
After two weeks, Doman ranked third in the league in EPA/punt above expected on his four punts. Through six weeks, his 12 punts have traveled 584 yards, while allowing just 32 return yards.
The rookie's 45 net yards per punt is currently the best mark in the NFL, and Buffalo's 32 total return yards on punts is the third best in the league behind only Seattle (11) and Carolina (31).
Returning
After being an All-Pro kick returner last year, Ray Davis has picked up where he left off. He currently leads the league in kick return average with 31.0 yards per return, after being the only player last season to average over 30 yards per return. Greg Dortch also ranks 21st with 26.0 yards per return on his 18 attempts.
He hasn't taken one to the house yet, but Davis took the opening kickoff against the Rams 70 yards to start the game, the longest return for the Bills on an opening kickoff since Nyheim Miller-Hines had a 96 yard touchdown return against New England back in 2022.
When Davis returned the opening kickoff against the Raiders 40 yards, he became the first player to return two straight opening kickoffs for 40+ yards since Brad Smith for the Jets in 2010.
Bottom line
After Week 5, the Bills had the sixth-highest special teams EPA at +19.2, according to Ari Meirov.
The phase's performance in Week 6 was praiseworthy from Joe Brady in his press conference on Monday, called the kickoff team "elite" and saying "it's just guys making plays."
Look for Bass, Doman Jr., Davis, Dortch and Andreessen to continue making plays this season that continually put the Bills in positions to succeed in the other two phases of the game.
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