Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment covers:
But first, a look at a prolific offense and a devastating defense ...
The season is only a few weeks old, but no units have shined brighter than the Buffalo Bills' offense and Minnesota Vikings' defense. Joe Brady and Brian Flores have unlocked their Jimmys and Joes by cleverly deploying the X's and O's on the grassy chessboard.
With both teams sitting atop their respective divisions at 2-0, the rest of the league is trying to figure out how to slow down the Bills' explosive offense and block the Vikings' blitz-happy defense. After digging into the All-22 film on NFL Pro, here are three keys to tackling two of the league's toughest assignments in 2026.
THREE KEYS TO STOPPING THE BILLS' OFFENSE
1) Play keep-away
Reducing the number of possessions Buffalo receives is the best way to neutralize one of the league's most explosive offenses. Josh Allen and Co. cannot score if they don't have the ball, so a ball-control strategy designed to shrink the game is the No. 1 objective for a team facing this juggernaut. This season, the Bills are averaging just 28:44 in time of possession (24th in the NFL) while running 60.5 offensive plays per game (15th), but they lead the league in scoring (38.5 ppg) and rank second in total offense (427.5 ypg). Given the Bills' explosive potential and efficient production, opposing coaches should build game plans around a complementary football strategy that emphasizes a slower offensive pace.
From taking the play clock down to five seconds or fewer before snapping the ball to staying in bounds on perimeter runs, every offensive player must understand the turtle approach being employed to keep Buffalo's high-powered offense on the sidelines. By reducing total possessions and plays, opponents can ramp up pressure on the Bills' offense to do more with less. Although the ultra-efficient unit has set off fireworks with limited possessions thus far, the slowdown strategy gives opponents a better chance to win with stops and turnovers, which are at a higher premium in a low-possession game.
2) Make Josh Allen win from the pocket
The 2024 NFL MVP is one of the league's most dangerous playmakers, having eclipsed 35 total touchdowns for six straight seasons. In each of the past three campaigns, the 6-foot-5, 237-pounder has logged at least 25 passing TDs and 12 rushing scores -- a feat no other quarterback has ever accomplished.
Although he is an explosive pocket passer with exceptional range, Allen is an unstoppable force when he uses his athleticism and running skills to create big plays on the perimeter. Whether picking up first downs on designed quarterback runs or impromptu scrambles/run-around tosses, the four-time Pro Bowler terrorizes defenses when he flees the pocket. To counter his big-play potential, defensive coordinators must implement a pass-rush plan that has everyone rush to the depth of his drop in order to restrict escape lanes in the pocket. Additionally, pass rushers must work together to create a coordinated mush rush, as opposed to operating as independent contractors attacking No. 17 with random 1-on-1 pass-rush maneuvers.
Defensive coordinators also need to account for Allen's impact on designed quarterback runs, particularly in goal-line and short-yardage situations. The supersized playmaker has a knack for moving the chains and/or finding the paint on quarterback powers following direct snaps or flash fakes in the backfield. Defensive play-callers must assign a defender to the quarterback to prevent the Bills from capitalizing on the plus-one advantage created by a running QB.
Finally, the Bills' signal-caller must be kept in check in the "gotta have it" moments when he is prone to leave the pocket while operating in playmaker mode. Allen has routinely relied on his improvisational skills on third down, in the red zone and in two-minute situations, so defenders must be aware of his tendencies in those moments to minimize his impact.
While containing Allen is easier said than done, the most successful defenses against Buffalo have made the superstar a one-dimensional threat.
3) Take away the middle of the field
The Bills made a blockbuster trade in March to acquire a WR1 in DJ Moore, but the team's dynamic tight end duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox is the linchpin of the passing game. Kincaid, in particular, has emerged as Buffalo's top pass catcher, with his speed, quickness and ball skills posing problems for linebackers and safeties matching up with him. The 2023 first-rounder leads the team in targets (14), receptions (12) and receiving yards (225), doing most of his damage on short and intermediate routes between the numbers.
In addition, Kincaid is a sneaky vertical threat who routinely cruises past defenders on seam routes. Since 2024, Allen has totaled 11 completions for 253 yards and three touchdowns when targeting Kincaid on open, downfield throws (3-plus yards of target separation and 10-plus air yards, per Next Gen Stats).
Given the playmaking tight end's impact, opponents must shut down the middle of the field and force Allen to find completions elsewhere. By jamming the middle with a robber safety or utilizing bracket coverage with a linebacker and safety assigned to Kincaid, the defense can put the onus on Moore and others to win their 1-on-1 matchups on the perimeter.
Despite the fanfare around Moore's arrival and his eye-popping yards-per-catch average thus far (20.0), the Bills' inside-out passing game is nearly impossible to stop when their No. 1 tight end is getting loose over the middle. By limiting Kincaid's impact and forcing Buffalo to rely on a complementary pass catcher to carry the aerial attack, opponents can hope the tactics disrupt a well-oiled machine that is already in midseason form.
THREE KEYS TO SURVIVING THE VIKINGS' DEFENSE
1) Crack the code
Vikings DC Brian Flores' exotic pressures and unorthodox coverage patterns are masked by a clever series of pre-snap disguises that befuddle quarterbacks at the line of scrimmage. With the organized chaos creating hesitation and doubt for novice and experienced passers, opposing coaching staffs should operate at a quicker pace to give their quarterbacks access to the offensive coordinator at the line of scrimmage (communication devices shut off with 15 seconds left on the play clock) and allow for double-cadence calls (QB barks out the signals and fakes a snap count before re-assessing the defense and repeating the process with a different play call based on the defensive look). Those kinds of tactics force the Vikings to reveal their plans.
While plenty of quarterbacks have attempted these techniques against Flores' aggressive approach, the Vikings' snowflake game plans make it hard to predict how the defense will align after the snap. As a zone-blitz-heavy outfit, Minnesota's D balances ultra-aggressive six-man "hot" pressures with three-man rushes/drop-eight coverages. Consequently, quarterbacks are lured into a high-stakes guessing game that ultimately produces mistakes and turnovers.
Against a unit that relies heavily on blitzes and chaos, a quicker tempo produces more vanilla defensive looks due to communication and alignment/assignment issues. With so many tempo ploys available to offensive coordinators, the best game plan should mix no-huddle, sugar huddle and fast-break tactics that eliminate the time Minnesota needs to run intricate pre-snap disguises.
2) Win early downs with quicks, screens and runs
If opponents want to avoid the chaotic pressures Flores likes to employ on third down, they must stay on schedule by gaining 4-plus yards on first down using a mix of quick throws, screens and downhill runs to keep Minnesota defenders guessing.
Considering Minnesota's ridiculous blitz rate thus far this season -- 75 percent, nearly 30 percent more than anyone else -- the ball has to come out quickly to keep the quarterback upright in the pocket. Although the Vikings utilize vision-and-break blitz zones, with defenders keying the quarterback, catch-and-throw routes are the best way to consistently pick up 5-yard gains. Whether targeting running backs, tight ends or wide receivers on swings, quick outs, hitches or slants, the high-percentage throws create a series of 1-on-1 tackling drills that test the defense's prowess in space. Moreover, it gives the offense a chance to produce some chunk plays on easy throws. Given how challenging it is to tackle early in the season -- due to limited reps in preseason and training camp -- it makes sense to test Minnesota's defensive backs on the perimeter. If a few quick passes turn into big plays after missed tackles, the ultra-aggressive play-caller might have to scale back some of his exotics to settle down his troops.
Beyond the screens and quick-game strategies, opponents must run the ball at the Vikings. Despite Minnesota's heavy use of six-man pressures that snuff out many running plays, a persistent ground attack keeps the game plan from turning into a one-dimensional call sheet more suited to a 7-on-7 passing competition.
The Vikings rank 13th in rush defense, with opponents averaging 100 yards per game on the ground. Although those numbers are solid for a defense that aims to harass quarterbacks and create turnovers, it suggests opponents might be able to carve out some room on the ground with early-down runs to stay on schedule against a D that wants to create chaos at every turn.
3) Take your shot
Flores is unapologetically aggressive, following a "live by the blitz, die by the blitz" creed that scares some offensive play-callers into submission. However, the aggressive pressure tactics create plenty of big-play opportunities if the protection holds up at the line of scrimmage.
With that in mind, quarterbacks must attack the pressure with scripted deep balls that punish the Vikings for leaving their defensive backs on islands. Whether using max protection out of run-heavy sets on second/third-and-short situations or taking a shot on first down, opponents must consistently threaten the Vikes downfield to keep their defensive backs from squatting on short and intermediate routes.
Moreover, the selective deep shots could make Flores reconsider some of his choices if his unit surrenders a big play or two early in the contest. Remember, the Packers raced out to a lead against the Vikings in Week 1 by taking a few shots to Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft and Jonnu Smith. By flipping the script on the Vikings and attacking their pressure with long bombs, opponents can dictate the terms to the defense and turn Minnesota's aggressive approach into a favorable situation.
Three wildly disappointing units: Can they be fixed?
While the Bills' offense and Vikings' defense have opened the 2026 campaign in style, several units have seriously stumbled out of the gates. I'd like to spotlight three that have been particularly awful.
The marriage between Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert was supposed to take Los Angeles' offense to another level, but the Chargers have been a disaster through two games. The unit has failed to grasp the exotic pre-snap motions and shifts that are staples of the new OC's playbook, leading to costly penalties in pivotal moments.
Additionally, the aggressive play designs that were expected to unlock Herbert's game have failed miserably, with the ultra-talented gunslinger routinely missing the mark on anticipatory throws. The seventh-year pro enters Week 3 with a career-worst 59.3% completion rate, while owning the lowest passer rating of his NFL tenure by more than 20 points (71.6).
While some of Herbert's struggles can be attributed to the Bolts' leaky pass protection and inconsistent playmakers, the offense lacks the rhythm, cohesion and execution needed to compete with the AFC's heavyweights. With a difficult schedule on the horizon, it is unlikely the switch flips on the 0-2 Chargers' slumping offense before their playoff hopes flicker out.
Despite the Cowboys' 1-1 record, their Super Bowl hopes currently look like a pipe dream as the defense hemorrhages under new coordinator Christian Parker. The 34-year-old play-caller is overseeing a unit that has struggled to stop the run, partially due to blown assignments and misalignments at the point of attack.
Opponents have rushed for 347 total yards -- putting Dallas at 30th in run D through two weeks -- with defenders vacating gaps and ducking blocks, leading to chunk plays on the ground. The undisciplined execution has also allowed mobile quarterbacks to attack the perimeter on designed runs and scrambles, exploiting out-of-position edge defenders and linebackers. With the Cowboys surrendering 50-plus rushing yards to each opposing quarterback in their first two games (Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels), they must quickly improve discipline and attention to detail in order to handle the dual-threats remaining on their schedule (including Lamar Jackson this Sunday and Jalen Hurts in two division games).
While the Cowboys certainly have enough talent up front to stop the bleeding against run-heavy teams, Parker must place Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and others in ideal roles to help them impact the game on early downs. With what we've seen so far from this defense, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey and other backs on the schedule are salivating at the opportunity to run wild against an undisciplined unit.
Don't fret over 1-1 New England's slow start on offense. The Patriots' attack is too good to keep struggling. Drake Maye and Co. will likely find their stride when A.J. Brown (ankle) returns from injured reserve. Until then, New England must rely on the rushing attack and complementary passing game to get back on track.
Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson must shoulder a heavier workload to force opponents to load the box and create more opportunities for play-action passes. After enjoying a transcendent sophomore campaign that saw him finish as the MVP runner-up, Maye is struggling with turnovers this season, throwing four picks in two games. In this moment, he'd benefit from a more conservative approach that allows him to rebuild his confidence and serve as a game manager until he rediscovers the magic that made him a dominant playmaker in 2025.
With the offseason additions of Brown (a true WR1) and Romeo Doubs, it is only a matter of time before the aerial attack finds its way. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is undoubtedly digging into old Pats playbooks to find concepts that work with his quarterback and top pass catchers. It might take a while to see the tweaks pay off, but I'm confident the Patriots' upgraded talent and rock-solid tactics will eventually allow them to get back on track as title contenders.
