Buffalo had allowed 78 points in back-to-back losses to the

Coming into the 2018 season http://www.authenticsbuffalobills.com/cheap-corey-bojorquez-jersey , it was expected that the Buffalo Bills defense would be the strength of the team, but after two weeks, the Bills boasted a defense that ranked at or near the bottom in most major statistical categories. Baltimore Ravens (47-3) and Los Angeles Chargers (31-20) in starting the season 0-2, although there was reason for hope. In the second half of the Chargers game, Buffalo held their high-flying offense to three points and only 61 total yards of offense (including only three rushing yards when the Chargers were in an obvious run-the-ball-and-kill-the-clock mode) after halftime.Since then, Buffalo’s defense has thrived, throttling Kirk Cousins and the potent Minnesota Vikings offense during a 27-6 Week 3 win in Minneapolis, and holding Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers offense in check in a 22-0 setback at Lambeau Field. Buffalo’s defense harassed and confused the Tennessee Titans during a 13-12 Week 5 win at New Era Field. The unit’s turnaround continued in Week 6, when the Bills sacked Deshaun Watson seven times, forced three fumbles, and recorded two interceptions in doing everything it could to earn the win against the Houston Texans. Watson entered the game having thrown for 300 or more yards in his last four games, but the Bills limited Watson to 177 passing yards. Buffalo has not seen an opposing signal-caller throw for 300 or more yards in its last 15 games, the longest current streak in the league. Since the Week 2 blowout loss to the Chargers, Buffalo has climbed the rankings in many key statistical categories. Buffalo was next-to-last in the league in points allowed per game (39) after the team’s 0-2 start, but has climbed to 12th (allowing 23 points per game). After ranking 18th in total defense, Buffalo has risen to 3rd, allowing 48 fewer yards per game (from 359 yards per game to 311 yards per game). The run defense has gone from 22nd to 8th (from 113 yards per game to 92.5 yards per game), while the pass defense has climbed from 16th to 6th (from 246 yards per game to 219.2 yards per game). Buffalo’s pass rush has done some serious damage over the last four weeks http://www.authenticsbuffalobills.com/cheap-star-lotulelei-jersey , rising from 16th to 7th (from recording sacks on six percent of plays to nine percent). Jerry Hughes (4.5 sacks) is leading the charge rushing the passer, followed by Kyle Williams (3.5 sacks), Trent Murphy (3), and Lorenzo Alexander (2.5). Add it all up and you have a defense that, according to the experts at Football Outsiders, trails only the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens in their DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) ratings, which according to the Football Outsiders website “breaks down every play and compares a team’s performance to the league average based on situation in order to determine value over average. The resurgence of Buffalo’s defense is good news, considering how mightily the Bills offense has been struggling, especially moving forward knowing that prized rookie quarterback Josh Allen will miss the next few weeks with an elbow injury. If the Bills (2-4) are to win games over the next month, most of the responsibility is going to fall on Leslie Frazier and his 4-3 defense—whose squad has certainly been the backbone of this team over the last month following a slow start to the year. Another miscommunication almost led to another game-altering interception for Jimmy Garoppolo.Only this time, the San Francisco 49ers got bailed out by a flag and held on to beat the Detroit Lions.Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and caught a break when a defensive holding call negated a late interception as the 49ers held on to beat the Lions 30-27 on Sunday."Very happy," Garoppolo said of his emotions after realizing a penalty wiped out his mistake. "I didn't see what happened on that with the flag and everything but very happy."The big play came after Detroit (0-2) had cut San Francisco's 30-13 lead to three points thanks to two fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Matthew Stafford. Then with the 49ers (1-1) facing a third-and-2 near midfield, Garoppolo threw a quick out to Matt Breida. Tracy Walker stepped in front and intercepted the pass, returning it to the San Francisco 7.But Quandre Diggs was called for holding George Kittle on the other side of the field, giving the 49ers a reprieve."I didn't see it, but it doesn't matter," Detroit coach Matt Patricia said. "That's the way the game is being called all the way across the board. We just can't do it, make plays and then the penalties."Last week a wrong pattern run by Kendrick Bourne led to a pick-six by Garoppolo http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-john-miller-jersey , who threw three interceptions in a 24-16 loss at Minnesota that gave him his first loss after winning his first seven career starts.Garoppolo threw a 4-yard TD pass to Bourne in the second quarter Sunday and an 11-yarder to Garrett Celek in the third to hand Patricia, his old friend from their New England days, a second straight loss to begin his tenure as coach of the Lions. Garoppolo finished 18 for 26 for 206 yards, but was sacked six times.Breida did much of the rest by rushing for 138 yards and breaking the game open with a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter with help from impressive downfield blocking by receiver Pierre Garcon. It was the longest run for San Francisco since Colin Kaepernick scored on a 90-yard run against the Chargers on Dec. 20, 2014."It's like backyard football," Breida said. "You see someone break a long run, see someone out there running, you have to block someone. That's what he did."Stafford was much sharper than he was last week for the Lions when he threw four interceptions. He went 34 for 53 for 347 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions but it wasn't enough.He threw TD passes in the fourth quarter to Marvin Jones Jr. and Michael Roberts but was unable to lead another scoring drive after taking over at the 16 with 1:08 to play. He threw an incomplete pass to Theo Riddick on fourth-and-2 from his 39 with 14 seconds left, ending the comeback attempt."We just have to make a few more plays, whether it be earlier in the game or later," Stafford said. "There's a million plays throughout the game we can clean up and be better, and it starts with me."EJECTIONDetroit running back LeGarrette Blount was ejected in the third quarter. Blount took exception to Elijah Lee pushing Stafford as he stepped out of bounds. Blount was standing on the sideline right in front of the play and went on the field and pushed Lee. Blount was assessed a personal foul and ejected.THIRD-QUARTER WOESThe Lions once again struggled coming out of halftime. Detroit was outscored 31-7 in the third quarter in a loss to the Jets last week and then 14-3 by the 49ers in this game.RECORD-SETTINGThe 49ers had three drives stall after getting inside the red zone in part because Detroit sacked Garoppolo three times on plays that started inside the 20. That led to three field goals for Robbie Gould, giving him 29 straight makes, two more than Phil Dawson's franchise record set in 2013.GOOD RETURNSRookie D.J. Reed started the second half with a long kickoff return that initially appeared to go for a touchdown. But he was called for a facemask penalty while giving a stiff arm and was only credited with a 90-yard return, the longest for the Niners since Kyle Williams had a 94-yarder in 2012. San Francisco still managed to get a TD with a 26-yard drive capped by Garoppolo's pass to Celek.INJURIESLions CB Darius Slay left with a concussion in the third quarter. ... 49ers S Jaquiski Tartt left in the second half with a shoulder injury.ANTHEMInjured 49ers WR Marquise Goodwin raised his fist during the national anthem. No other player had a visible protest.UP NEXTLions: Host New England on Sunday night.49ers: Visit Kansas City on Sunday.