The Bills went into the locker room up 14-10, but the four-point advantage wasn't enough for their defense.
Cole Bishop ended the second quarter for the defense on a high note to carry that energy into the remainder of the game.
The previous drive for the Saints' offense resulted in a field goal, but quarterback Spencer Rattler was pushing down the field and got his team into first-and-goal territory when Bishop stepped up for Buffalo. On second down, Rattler couldn't connect with Rashid Shaheed in the end zone, so New Orleans opted to try something new on the next play.
Wide receiver Chris Olave ended up with the ball in his hands as the passer and targeted Rattler who took on the role of the pass catcher this time around. Olave tossed the ball up in the air, and Bishop was already prepared to make the leap with one arm extended. He positioned himself perfectly in front of Rattler, caught the ball, and returned it past the Buffalo 10-yard-line before getting shoved out of bounds.
"It was a huge play of the game if you kind of really think about [the] big picture," head coach Sean McDermott said. "… They score before half potentially, they come out with the ball after half. And now you're talking about, potentially, … [a] 14-point situation there. So, big time play … they ran a gadget there and [Bishop] did a great job sniffing it out."
It was his first career interception and he immediately jumped up into the stands with fans to celebrate the moment. Bishop also had five tackles on Sunday in addition to his pick.
"It was awesome," Bishop said after the 31-19 win over the Saints. "You know, I'm just trying to go out there and do my job, help the team as much as I can. So, being able to make a play in the red zone is huge."
Check out the best game photos from Sunday's game between the Bills and Saints at Highmark Stadium. This gallery is presented by Gabe's Collision.
Buffalo Bills vs New Orleans Saints, Regular Season, September 28, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.
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In the first half, Rattler took advantage of the room the defense gave him. His plan to use his legs worked and defense was a beat behind to adjust and adapt. The spark from Bishop's interception couldn't die when the Bills' defense came out in the second half on the field.
"From my perspective, it's missed tackles, it's guys staying in their gaps [and] doing their jobs," Terrel Bernard said after the game. "And like I said, that's correctable. So, we'll get back to work and get those things cleaned up."
Buffalo made a statement forcing the Saints to punt on the opening drive of the third quarter. After Allen rushed into the end zone, the Bills were back in business and looked stable moving forward.
"I thought the team really came together in the second half," McDermott said. "We weren't really playing [a] complimentary brand of football in the first half, and came out in the second half [with] a little more energy and an attitude. And I thought that showed in the first drive for defense."
While the defense allowed Rattler to connect with Olave with 14 seconds remaining in the third quarter, it held off New Orleans from adding another two on top of the touchdown. The Saints went for the two-point conversion to make it a one-possession game as they were down 21-16. The failed attempt kept the deficit at five and Buffalo only allowed another field goal.
"Just having to sit down, sit back, and really bunker in on the run stop," Deone Walker said regarding adjustments on defense throughout the afternoon.
The defense forced two incompletions after the Bills went up another score to extend their lead. Joey Bosa interfered with Rattler's ability to get a clean pass out to Olave after Shaq Thompson handled the first incompletion. Then on third-and-seven, Rattler connected with Shaheed, but Christian Benford caught him before he advanced enough for the first down. Tre'Davious White finished the job on that drive as New Orleans hoped to convert on fourth-and-three. Alvin Kamara made the catch, but White brought him down one yard short.
The Saints got the ball back just before the two minute warning, but the Buffalo defense was fired up and ready to end the game. Rattler missed a throw on first down and A.J. Epenesa was all over him on second down that solidified the fate of the Saints for the afternoon.
The sack pushed them back 11 yards and they were forced to eventually attempt another fourth down conversion. On fourth-and-six, Bosa pushed into the backfield, delivered another sack to Rattler, and forced a fumble. The defensive end had three tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one quarterback hit on Sunday.
Despite a cleaner game defensively in the second half, the Bills aren't where they want to be yet on that side of the ball. New Orleans was persistent with the no huddle style of offense.
"Obviously it wasn't our best game. You know, some things to clean up in the run game. The quarterback got out on us a couple times," Bernard said. "But, you know, it's things that are correctable. Staying in your gap, tackling the ball when it shows up in your gap. [I] think those are the main things that we'll take away from this game … We didn't play our best game, but we did enough to win."
