Keon Coleman's best performance to date, O-line dominance key, Bills' win over the Seahawks

SEATTLE – As far as wins go, the Bills couldn't have asked for much more in their 31-10 win over the Seahawks on the road.

The offense collected five shots on goal and was effective both on the ground and in the air. The defense forced turnovers, made big stops and limited the Seahawks to just three points when the game still counted. Best of all, the Bills had no reported injuries during the game.

Add to that last-minute losses to the Dolphins and Jets on Sunday, and at 6-2 the Bills now have a whopping three-and-a-half game lead over the AFC East and only nine games left on the schedule – and they have that also got the tiebreaker. It was a near-perfect Sunday for the franchise.

Here's what stood out as the Bills returned to Orchard Park with one of the NFL's best records.

The Bills went into their match knowing a few important things about their opponents. The Seahawks boast a highly explosive offense when they can get going, and their two best assets have been running back Kenneth Walker III and wide receiver DK Metcalf. The Bills took a break in the game against the Seahawks without Metcalf due to injury, so Walker III, who limited his explosiveness, was their main target.

It wouldn't be an easy task considering Terrel Bernard, their best sideline-to-sideline run defense linebacker, was out with an ankle injury. It pushed Baylon Spector, who had struggled to get off the blocks in previous appearances for Bernard, into the lineup in a key role to help slow down one of the NFL's greatest home run hitters.

Go deeper

Bills win third straight with 31-10 win over Seahawks: Takeaways

The book on Walker III was pretty clear for the Bills. During the week, defensive tackle Ed Oliver effectively said that the running back usually tries to get out of the tackles to make the big play. That meant that everyone on defense – from the defensive ends in edge containment to the linebackers getting off blocks to the cornerbacks squeezing in and bringing down the safeties – had the job of being the Seahawks' best offensive option in to keep check. And they couldn't have played it better. Walker III tried everything. He tried to get out of the tackle. He tried to push the middle up. And yet Walker III couldn't do anything. His rushing day ended with just 12 yards on nine carries, and when you take a closer look at those nine attempts, the Bills' performance is even more impressive.

Walker III's longest ground gain was a measly five yards, and that was just the result of a fumble by quarterback Geno Smith that allowed the running back to gain some space. The other eight attempts resulted in seven yards. Six of those eight attempts were one yard or less. It was a complete dominance over the Seahawks at the top that completely frustrated the Bills' opponents. After the game, Bills head coach Sean McDermott mentioned he wanted to make the Seahawks one-dimensional by taking away their explosive runs. Without the threat of big plays on the ground and without Metcalf in the lineup, the Seahawks' path to making big plays shrank into non-existence.

Taron Johnson and the Bills defense kept running back Kenneth Walker III in check. (Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)

It was a masterful job by the defense in so many places. They forced a negative rushing attempt by the two on first-and-goal and put the Seahawks in a passing situation that led to the terrible snap, giving the opponents only a field goal. Then, after Josh Allen's first interception, the defense saved the offense from scoring with four straight stops that could have easily swung the game in the Seahawks' favor, 10-7. Instead, the Bills got the stop; They drove down the field for a touchdown at the end of the half and had nothing to worry about the rest of the afternoon. This side of the ball deserves full marks, and this game aside, there are plenty of reasons for optimism going forward.

The Bills will bring Bernard back soon, which the team described as “day-to-day” this week. Rotational edge rusher Von Miller returns from his suspension this week. And the most important news: The Bills said there is a “vision” for star linebacker Matt Milano to return this season. Although they didn't share the timeline, they now believe it's a matter of “when” and not “if.” Then at some point there is this whole Micah Hyde idea, which the team made no secret of when asked. Suddenly the Bills' defense, which looked like a big question mark at the start of the year for a variety of reasons, appears to be on the rise. This defense, if the offense plays this well, could be a scary combination for the rest of the AFC.

Big man INT!

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/6FCtI5v7a5

– Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 27, 2024

Complete OL dominance…minus the penalties

Speaking of the offense, while Allen, James Cook and the receivers get a lot of the credit, the offense deserves almost as much, if not more. Whether as a run blocker or to give Allen plenty of time to distribute the ball, the offensive line dominated the Seahawks' defensive line and continued to show why this is the best starting five the Bills have had for Allen in his entire career. The Bills quarterback remained in control for the most part throughout the game and felt little pressure throughout the contest as the Seahawks finished the day without a single quarterback hit.

The ground game looked almost too easy for Cook at times, with a great forward push that gave him the space he needed to be patient and find the right rushing lane to maximize his attempts. There weren't many moments in the game where Cook had to force defenders to miss just to get more distance out of the game. Cook also deserves a lot of credit for his rushing efficiency and for showing he can win between the tackles with speed and power. Cook and the offense formed a mutually beneficial partnership throughout the game.

The Bills have remained remarkably healthy with their offensive line all season, just as they have been in 2023. With the continued dominance of Dion Dawkins, the emergence of Spencer Brown, the revelation of David Edwards in the lineup at left guard, and the consistency of center Connor McGovern and right guard O'Cyrus Torrence, the Bills are in a great position. If this continues, they will have one of the best starting lineups in the NFL, something that seemed unlikely just a few years ago. They are a big reason why the Bills have remained consistent on offense for the most part throughout the 2024 season. If they get their punishment problems under control, they will be near perfect.

New Bills receiver Amari Cooper was the star of the city just last weekend, and for good reason. His arrival completely changed the face of the Bills' passing attack. However, as he continues to advance, the contributions the Bills receive from rookie Keon Coleman and third-year receiver Khalil Shakir are immeasurable.

Coleman had a tremendous statistical performance against the Titans last week. However, with a few broken plays, it wasn't nearly as dominant as the yardage would have suggested. Without question, Coleman's game against the Seahawks was the best of his young career. He scored seven goals and won on his stretches, proving to be a threat throughout the game rather than just a guy who makes big bets every now and then. In addition, his blocking behavior continued to improve.

Coleman's development has brought money to a team that seems to be making progress on offense every week. It was even more encouraging for the entire offensive environment as Cooper's snaps increased (unofficially 52 percent, including penalties), but they didn't come at the expense of Coleman. Instead, Mack Hollins slipped into the WR4 role and played just 47 percent of the snaps.

As for Shakir, his overall impact on the Bills' game plan continues to be one of the most important offensive developments in 2024. Shakir scored ten goals on the night, and he did so with less time on the field than one would expect. Shakir played just 58 percent of the offensive snaps as the team's slot receiver, making his nine receptions and 107 yards rushing performance all the more impressive. The emergence of Coleman and Shakir, as well as Cooper moving closer to a full-time role, gives the Bills a legitimate three-receiver set to hang on to as long as they stay healthy. The need to trade for another receiver is probably out of the question at this point. They probably believe this trio gives them a great chance at a playoff push this season.

Bills MVP: RB James Cook – The Bills set out to make a statement on the ground, and they did just that, dominating the line of scrimmage and allowing Cook to gain 111 yards in just over three quarters.

Bills LVP: Penalties – It didn't hurt them in the end because the Seahawks continued to erase all of their positive moments with penalties, but for the Bills to get so many penalties without consequences is untenable.

Next: The 6-2 Bills return to Buffalo for their rematch against the 2-5 Dolphins on Sunday at 1 p.m.

(Top photo of Keon Coleman and the offensive line: Jane Gershovich / Getty Images)