It's a sometimes forgotten aspect of the game that was emphasized by Buffalo Bills' Hall-of-Fame head coach Marv Levy.
For as good as the Bills' offense has been through the first six games of the 2026 season, the special teams have been nearly flawless. Buffalo currently ranks second overall in the DVOA metric measuring special teams production and efficiency.
In fact, Buffalo has been so brilliant in that one-third of the game that special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers earned Bills' Assistant Coach of the Year honors in On SI's bye week superlatives.
Making the production even more impressive, it's not only one or two areas where the Bills' specialists are thriving during the team's 5-1 season start. Buffalo has enjoyed efficient across the board from kicking, punting, returning, covering kicks and winning the field position battle in key spots.
"Loving the way, the confidence that our special teams is playing with and the standard that they kind of showed and have to keep going," said head coach Joe Brady in the aftermath of the Week 6 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Of note, Ray Davis leads the NFL in kickoff return average (31.0) and Tyler Bass has made all 13 field goal tries.
Realistically, the Bills' special teams can claim credit for turning the tide in three of the five victories. Their special teams play was clearly superior on the road in Weeks 5 and 6.
Bills 36, Texans 31 (Week 1)
The Bills went on the road and pulled out a season-opening victory with plenty of help from the kicking game. In his first game in more than one year, Tyler Bass hit all three field goals in his return. Meanwhile, seventh-round rookie punter Tommy Doman netted 54.5 yards per punt on two boots.
Bills 37, Rams 34 (Week 5)
Ray Davis opened the primetime affair by returning the Rams' kickoff 70 yards, setting up an early Bills' field goal. Then, in overtime, Greg Rousseau blocked a 48-yard game-winning field goal attempt by the Rams to give the Bills new life on Monday Night Football. On the ensuing possession, Bass ended the marathon by nailing a 45-yard field goal coming out of the two-minute warning.
Bills 33, Raiders 30 (Week 6)
Bass made all four of his field goal attempts in the road win over the Raiders. His first three-pointer, which capped Buffalo's opening possession, was set up by a 40-yard kickoff return by Davis. Doman punted twice during the victory, forcing two fair catches by Las Vegas.
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