ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Turns out the Buffalo Bills didn’t need to actually contain quarterback Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles.
All they had to do was watch and wait for this so-called “Dream Team” to start unraveling all on its own.
Running back Fred Jackson combined for 196 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and linebacker Nick Barnett had two of Buffalo’s four interceptions to secure a 31-24 victory Sunday over a slow-starting, underachieving, far-from-elite opponent.
“All week, we talked about getting after Vick,” Barnett said. “We were trying to make him uneasy, make him think too fast.”
Barnett returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. And he sealed the victory by picking off Vick a fourth and final time with 1:49 left.
Bouncing back from a 23-20 loss at Cincinnati, Buffalo (4-1) has already matched last year’s win total, is off to its best start since 2008, and looking nothing like the team that opened last season losing eight straight en route to a 4-12 finish.
Philadelphia has lost four in a row — its longest skid since 2005 — and is off to its worst start since 1999, coach Andy Reid’s first season.
“Sitting at 1-4, there’s really not too much you can say whether you’re a good team or a bad team,” Vick said. “I know I have a lot of confidence in these guys. We just have to keep fighting.”
