Head coach Rex Ryan walked out of the defensive meeting room on Saturday. He wanted to let middle linebacker Preston Brown and safety Corey Graham run the show. As he sees it the defense is not his scheme. It's not defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman's scheme. It's the team's scheme, the players' scheme and he wanted them to make it theirs.
"We'll never be as good defensively until the players take ownership of it. I think we saw that today. And that was a great thing to watch," Ryan said after the Bills' 41-14 win over the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
"He wanted us to take over the defense," Brown said of his coach. "[Plus], it's more comfortable without coaches."
Brown is an obvious choice to run the players-only defensive meetings considering his role within the defense. He receives the calls on the field and must dictate them to the entire group. But he's not only a signal caller. He's a play maker, too, as evidenced by his knack for big plays the last two weeks.
The second-year linebacker from Louisville delivered two interceptions in the first half of his team's Week Three road win, the second of which he took all the way to the end zone for six points. Brown also recorded seven tackles and two pass deflections.
On his interception return for a touchdown, Brown said he has no idea how it happened.
"[The ball] just went right to my hands, and then I had to do something with it," he said. "It was a great play. It just happened to come right to me."
Brown added that he has not had a game with two interceptions since little league football, if he has ever had such a game at all.
The linebacker's play was a microcosm of a larger defensive improvement from the Bills after allowing 40 points and 522 yards to the Patriots in their week two loss. The Bills did allow 399 yards of total offense to the Dolphins this week, but they held their opponent scoreless until the third quarter. They had a 27-0 lead at halftime with Brown's two interceptions and a third by rookie Ronald Darby turned into 13 points. While Ryan knows the defensive unit must continue to improve, it was nice to see the group reverse the entropic trend seen from Week One into Week Two.
Even in the loss to the Patriots, a game which left Brown feeling incredibly disappointed with the play of the defense, the Bills defensive leader flashed his penchant for being in the right place at the right time. In the fourth quarter of that game, the linebacker recovered a fumble and elicited a spark out of the team, which rallied back to within one score before losing by eight points.
Brown credits his play-making ability to hustle, just being in the right place at the right time.
"It's trying to get to the ball. Good things happen when you're around the ball," he said. "It's just popping my way right now, so I'm going to keep trying to get to the ball and see if good things keep happening."
Photos of all the action from week 3: Dolphins vs. Bills.
Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay (85) evades a tackle by Miami Dolphins cornerback Brice McCain (24) for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens , Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) jumps to block a pass by Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) celebrates his touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. To the right is Buffalo Bills wide receiver Percy Harvin (18) and wide receiver Robert Woods (10)(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) looks to pass under pressure from Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams (95) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay (85) run away from a tackle by Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Koa Misi (55) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is seen on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) runs with the ball during the first half an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) grabs a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams (29) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills punter Colton Schmidt (6) returns the ball but is roughed up by the Miami Dolphins during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills regain control of the ball. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Percy Harvin (18) runs the ball between Miami Dolphins strong safety Reshad Jones (20) and cornerback Brent Grimes (21) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Miko Grimes, the wife of Grimes, was arrested Sunday after Miami lost to the Buffalo Bills. According to a Miami-Dade Police news release, Grimes was arrested in the parking lot of Sunlife Stadium after the game. Miko Grimes is facing charges that include disorderly conduct, battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence. No details were given about what led to the arrest. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Tyrod Taylor, de los Bills de Búfalo, corre con el balón durante el encuentro ante los Dolphins de Miami, el domingo 27 de septiembre de 2015 (AP Foto/Wilfredo Lee)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) hands the ball to Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams (29) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, left, shakes hands with Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin during the end of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey (51) greets Buffalo Bills offensive guard Richie Incognito (64) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) signs autographs at the end of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Buffalo Bills offensive guard Richie Incognito (64) raises his helmet at the end of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
