Facing Bills could show if 2-0 start is legitimate

Josh Allen thinks some open, honest communication helped the Buffalo Bills get their act together after a rough start to the season. The veteran quarterback wants to keep the same approach.

Jonathan Allen thinks coming back from a deficit to win each of their first two games will help the Washington Commanders. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle knows rallying from behind every week isn’t sustainable.

Back on track following a thrashing of the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo charges into a Week 3 matchup today at Washington, which is 2-0 for the first time in more than a decade. The game is a measuring stick for the Commanders and another chance for the Bills to show they’re on the way to becoming a Super Bowl contender.

“Pretty big,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said. “This is one of the elite teams coming in and we’ve got to gear up, we’ve got to practice, prepare, get ourselves ready to go and give us a great opportunity to see where we stand.”

The Bills stand at 1-1, trying to put their turnover-heavy season-opening defeat to the New York Jets far in the rearview mirror. After throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble in that game, Allen was 31 of 37 for 274 yards and three touchdowns against Las Vegas.

Allen called it smart football. “Staying within the system, not trying to do anything too crazy,” said Allen, who’s set to play his first game at FedEx Field. “Just making sure we’re being smart and methodical with what we’re doing … and win football games.”

The Commanders have won their first two games, beating Arizona after falling behind 13-7 and then coming back from a 21-3 deficit to upset Denver on the road.