Bills' Connor McGovern Underrated Piece of Week 3 Win

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Connor McGovern has flown under the radar as a critical piece of the offense during the Week 3 win.

The story of the Buffalo Bills’ 37-3 win over the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field on Sunday was their dominance in the trenches. The pass rush suffocated Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, sacking him nine times. The defensive effort meant Buffalo’s offense didn’t have to do too much, but they still delivered.

Quarterback Josh Allen would throw for 218 yards and run for 46 more, putting two touchdowns next to his name in the box score. The rushing attack looked good, too. Running back James Cook had another big day, rushing 15 times for 98 yards.

Against a Washington defensive line that strikes fear into every opposing offensive line coach, it was a strong performance from the offensive line. The run game doesn’t work without the front five doing their part, and Allen was kept off the turf.

For that, they have (at least in part) left guard Connor McGovern to thank. He was arguably Buffalo’s best lineman on Sunday, taking on elite tackles like Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Pro Football Focus was lower on his run-blocking reps, but gave him a strong 73.7 grade as a pass protector.

Bills LG Connor McGovern was absolutely awesome in Week 3 and may have played the best game of his career considering the reps he put on tape vs. Jon Allen.

- First three defeating Allen's signature 'bear' move
- Next two vs. Allen in the 2i
- Independent hands vs. Allen's… pic.twitter.com/BtnMGHEhtn

— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) September 25, 2023

Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was quick to credit his offensive line’s performance on Monday.

Buffalo Bills guard Connor McGovern making an adjustment to his protection as a member of the Dallas Cowboys / © Eric Hartline, USA TODAY

“I thought they did a great job,” Dorsey said. “That’s an extremely talented defensive front that we played and … I think when you have a game like that, you give a lot of credit to the offense line.”

He would go on to credit Allen and some of the secondary blockers who helped shut down the Commanders’ elite pass rush.

“I thought the offensive line really stepped up to the challenge,” he said. “There were a lot of one-on-one blocks that they had to win as well.”

Elite talents win football games for their teams frequently in the NFL. Shutting those stars down, however, must also be acknowledged. McGovern’s strong day helped make it two consecutive performances in which the opposition’s best defensive player struggled to find the stat sheet.

McGovern and the rest of Buffalo’s offensive line will have their hands full at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. Keeping Allen upright could be the difference in a game that promises fireworks and playoff-like stakes.