Dorian Strong earns first career start
With the Bills dealing with injuries at their cornerback two position, they leaned on sixth-round rookie draft pick Dorian Strong to fill the hole. Strong started opposite Christian Benford and play every defensive snap.
Strong shook off an early defensive holding penalty; Next Gen Stats tracked Strong having only allowed one reception when lined up in man coverage, a mesh route that crossed him up and gave Zay Flowers a free release.
Head coach Sean McDermott said he was impressed by how hard Strong played, praising his effort to take a good angle on Derrick Henry's 49-yard run in the second quarter and keep the RB from scoring.
"You don't see a lot of corners finishing off that play, especially when it's one on one with Derrick Henry," McDermott said.
Babich praised Strong for how he handled the week and his mental preparation. It's a huge spot for a rookie to come into in his first NFL game.
"He did not blink. He went out there, did not flinch, challenged. Certainly, there's some things he's got to improve on, but that was one of the highlights, is the way Dorian played. That's credit to him and his preparation," Babich shared.