Early in the third quarter of the Buffalo Bills Week Three contest against the Minnesota Vikings, Matt Milano put his own unique stamp on a shocking yet altogether emphatic victory. On the Vikings’ first second-half possession, the second-year linebacker sacked Kirk Cousins on third down. After a Bills three and out, he struck again. On second and 10, he dropped into coverage and, along with rookie Tremaine Edmunds, put a hit on Latavius Murray that jarred the ball into the air. Milano eventually hauled it in for the interception.
It’s certainly nice when your linebackers are out there forcing mistakes out of opposing quarterbacks. But Milano’s truly stood out. It was a full-body effort on his part, that’s for sure. The ball initially trickled down towards his legs and the only way he came up with the pick was to play a little soccer and kick it towards his upper body in order to corral the ball into his hands.
The Boston College product also recovered a fumble in the first half of Buffalo’s 27-6 rout. It helped set up the Bills’ second touchdown drive of the day when Josh Allen found a wide-open Jason Croom down the right side of the field. Anytime you get a sack, interception, fumble recovery trifecta, it sets you up for recognition from the league. And that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday as the NFL named Milano its AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Buffalo Bills Have Unearthed a Gem in Linebacker Matt Milano
Doing His Part in Re-Establishing Confidence
The narrative surrounding the Bills’ 2018 campaign is certainly a lot different given what transpired in Minneapolis. Though it remains uncertain whether or not they’re playoff caliber, no longer are analysts pegging this team as potentially one of the worst in NFL history. Allen’s stellar performance under center is one of the reasons why. But what Buffalo did on the other side of the ball in shutting down Cousins and company is praiseworthy in its own right. Milano undoubtedly played a part as his recent accolade can attest to.
Even during the two-game losing streak to start the season that precipitated all this talk about historical ineptitude, Milano’s play was noteworthy. Prior to Week Three, he was the only player on the team with a turnover as he recovered a fumble in the season-opener against the Baltimore Ravens. And as the team gets ready to face the Green Bay Packers this coming Sunday, he’s currently second on the team in tackles and is one of six with a sack on the year. He’s also one of two players in the NFL (Joe Schobert of the Cleveland Browns is the other) to have more than one fumble recovery through three games.
Late-Round Value in the 2017 Draft
His exploits reinforce the fact that with respect to the NFL Draft, Milano has been an absolute steal. That becomes readily apparent when you realize the Bills took him in the fifth round with the 163rd overall pick last year. Buffalo received that pick as compensation in the transaction that sent running back Mike Gillislee to the New England Patriots. Considering the Pats cut him earlier this month and he has just 37 yards rushing since joining the New Orleans Saints, it appears the Bills are winning that trade.
Milano may have had a fire lit under him on Sunday. In Buffalo’s home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Sean McDermott appeared to favor Ramon Humber at the WILL linebacker position. He saw more snaps during the game but Milano still finished with more tackles. But after what he pulled off against the Vikings, suffice it to say that Milano has cemented himself as the man on the weak side in the second level of the Bills defense.
Following in the Footsteps of a Fellow Former Eagle
This decade has seen Milano’s alma mater produce a few pro-level linebackers. The most prominent of those players who’s certainly a household name among most NFL fans is Luke Kuechly. The five-time Pro Bowler is a Carolina Panthers fan favorite who’s distinguished himself with his toughness, ability to lay big hits, and sideline-to-sideline prowess. Milano boasts his own unique skill set that’s still in the process of refinement. But if Sunday’s game was any indication, his potential is through the roof as he continues to work with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and linebackers coach Bob Babich.
After Sunday’s tussle with the Green Bay Packers, the season will be at the quarter pole. Whether or not Buffalo’s dominant Week Three victory was an aberration or a sign of things to come remains to be seen. But one thing is certain. This team showed grit and determination while blocking out the noise en route to its biggest win since October 16, 2016. That’s promising in and of itself. And Milano’s stellar play in the linebacking corps was a big reason why.
