TRENCHES: Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell and Aidan Hutchinson TEST Buffalo Bills in Week 2 Matchup

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

This is the Locked On Podcast Network, celebrating 10 years of your team every day.

SPEAKER_2 (0:10)

This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card. One of my favorite parts of game day is everything leading up to it. Getting the house ready for a watch party, putting on my favorite team hoodie, and making one last run to the store before a kickoff. You know the routine. And with my Apple Card, I can earn up to 3% unlimited daily cash back on every purchase I make with Apple Card using Apple Pay, not a month from now, but every day. Apply in the Walla app on your iPhone today, subject to credit approval. Apple Card, issued by Goldman Sachs Bank, USA Salt Lake City branch. Terms and more at applecard.com.

The NFL season is finally here, Locked On NFL is covering every second of it. You can find us breaking down all the action on Amazon Music every single day with bold takes and real analysis that matters. Opening day storylines, roster moves. If it's happening with your team, we're on it. No waiting, no fluff. Subscribe on Amazon Music and never miss a snap.

Joe Marino (1:22)

It's week two and the Detroit Lions are coming to town and they're bringing with them two of the best linemen in the league. We'll tell you what Buffalo has to do to deal with them right now.

SPEAKER_4 (1:38)

You are Locked On Bills, your Daily Buffalo Bills podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

Joe Marino (1:49)

What's up, Bills Mafia? It's Joe Marino. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Get $350 in bonus bets, guaranteed when you bet $5 every day for seven days. Join all the action at fanduel.com. Well, folks, welcome in. Welcome to Block and Shed, our weekly O-Line, D-Line conversation with Jerry Ostroski, 102 game starter for the Buffalo Bills.

I'm excited to talk about two of the most elite linemen in the league, Penei Sewell and Aidan Hutchinson. The Bills have a lot to deal with when it comes to those two guys. Jerry, welcome in.

Jerry Ostroski (2:28)

Hey, I appreciate you, man. Fired up to be here to talk about a couple of the elites. And this is a Detroit Lions team that has good line play on both sides of the ball. Of course, offensive line led by Penei Sewell, who's one of the most athletic, most powerful linemen in the league. You want to talk about both aspects. He's got it in aces. And then, of course, Aidan Hutchinson, I mean, coming back from that gruesome leg injury, he hasn't missed a beat, man. He's worked himself back. It's better than ever.

Big problems with both these guys for the Bills on the Thursday night in a short week.

Joe Marino (2:58)

Yeah, a couple of first-round picks the last two years as well. One offensive lineman, one defensive lineman in the last two drafts. So plenty of line talent for the Bills to deal with. But before we get there, let's look back on this Texans game. Obviously, game one of the year, the Bills win the game. We both have had a chance to review the film. I'll let you take this where you want to go, Jerry. O-line, D-line, what really popped for you when it comes to that Bills tape against the Texans?

Jerry Ostroski (3:23)

The biggest thing for me to pop was the pass protection plan that they had and the way they varied it all game long. And I think Josh gave a little bit of a tell when he said Austin had a good plan. Well, there's only one Austin on that coaching staff. And that's Austin Gunn, who's the assistant offensive line coach.

So when you think about this protection scheme they came up with, it must have been him. And of course, the others chipped in. But the thing you can't do with elite pass rushers is what the Bills did the last three times they played them, which is do the same thing over and over again. Great ones pattern protections, they pattern movements, and they're able to beat you at will after a while. This was totally different. They didn't just utilize chips, they utilized actually moving Josh into specific areas, baiting the pass rush inside and walling it off. They used, hey, I don't know what it is about defensive ends, but when you put tight ends on them and pass protection, it's like kryptonite, man. They have no idea how to pass rush against a tight end. Then you saw Dawson Kincaid, you saw everybody, Dawson Knox, you saw these guys get some one-on-one time. Then of course, when it comes down to it and they need a play, and they got a score touchdown to win this game, what do they do protection-wise? They go one-on-one and go just normal straight up pass pro, and Dion and Spencer do a great job with it, and they throw the strike and win the game. So that to me was the biggest thing. I thought the protection plan was fabulous.