All-Pro Offensive Tackle Has Revenge on His Mind in Week 4

The last time the New Orleans Saints visited Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, most of the players on the Bills’ current roster weren’t even playing in the NFL yet.

That 47-10 shellacking in Week 10 of the 2017 season, though, is a memory that’s stuck with Pro Bowl offensive tackle Dion Dawkins all these years.

And to say the that 31-year-old offensive lineman is looking for revenge on Sunday when the Saints come to town again may be an understatement.

“We lost to the Saints the last time they played here,” Dawkins told reporters on Thursday. “I don’t forget stuff like that, not that that’s about to make us play harder, but that’s in our heads, and regardless of the last names that changed, the logo is still the same.

“The last time they came to our home field, they beat us, so it’s time for us to restamp that and let that be a win. That’s the mindset.”

Aside from Dawkins, just three players — linebacker Matt Milano, cornerback Tre’Davious White, and safety Jordan Poyer — remain on Buffalo’s roster from that game, and all three are presumably equally motivated to return the favor of a one-sided beatdown in Week 4.

The Bills are a 15.5-point favorite — the biggest betting favorite in the NFL in Week 4 — and Sunday’s matchup might just get out of hand pretty quickly.

Buffalo has the top-ranked offense in the NFL, averaging 420 yards and scoring 34 points per game. The Saints defense is allowing 30 points per game, and the team has been outscored 90-47 through its first three games.

In addition to Dawkins wanting to exact revenge, the Bills also have a few other things to play for against the Saints.

With one more rushing touchdown, running back James Cook will take sole possession of the franchise record for most consecutive games with a rushing score (eight).

Conversely, Buffalo is just one game away from setting a new NFL record for most consecutive games (including the playoffs) without committing a turnover (nine). The Bills haven’t committed a turnover in their last 574 straight offensive plays — the longest streak in the NFL since 1950.