Revenge Game? Dallas Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore Faces Buffalo Bills in Week 15
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore will look to make a triumphant return to Western New York against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, as he'll face one of his former teams for the third time this season (New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers).
He returns to his old stomping grounds coming off of an impressive game similar to his greatest hits—following a No. 1 receiver and ruining their day. In Week 14, that meant facing off against Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown and coming away with a strong performance, complete with a forced fumble and a 33-13 win.
The Bills present Gilmore with a similar challenge in star receiver Stefon Diggs. Buffalo’s leading receiver has struggled in recent weeks but is well on his way to yet another 1,000-yard season. In 13 games, he’s been targeted 132 times for 87 catches, 993 yards, and eight scores.
Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore makes a play on the ball against Eagles WR A.J. Brown.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott went out of his way to praise Gilmore after acknowledging that he may travel against Diggs in Week 15.
“I have great admiration for his game,” McDermott said. “To be able to play at such a high level for such a long time; the habits he probably has and the amount of preparation he puts into, how he handles it. Takes care of his body in addition to that.”
Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons testified to how he takes care of himself with an anecdote about eating warm noodles simply for the nutritional value they provided. Parsons is no stranger to NFL-level preparation but was taken back by Gilmore’s dedication.
Those habits have helped him get named to two All-Pro teams, five Pro Bowls, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. Even if he’s not quite as lockdown as he once was, few corners in the game are more respected than Gilmore.
“Very aware football player that uses great technique and he certainly knows what routes are coming it seems like in certain situations,” McDermott said.
As for Buffalo, getting Diggs the ball means entering dangerous territory. Gilmore is strong in his own right, but opposite him is DaRon Bland who has set the single-season record for pick-sixes in a season.
Even so, expect to see a heavy dosage of Diggs targets. The Bills have not been able to consistently find success with their ancillary targets, and while the rise of tight end Dalton Kincaid has been enjoyable, the offense is at its best when Josh Allen is hot and connecting with his best receiver.
Diggs’ ability to get open against Gilmore—and Allen’s ability to scramble against an elite pass rush with man coverage behind it—will be critical to keeping Buffalo afloat in the AFC playoff picture. A win on Sunday likely means Week 18’s date with the Miami Dolphins goes from do-or-die to a matter of seeding.
