Mario Williams is enjoying a renaissance season in his second year with the Buffalo Bills.
Under new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, Williams, an eight-year veteran, has moved around the line with success this season. The former No. 1 overall pick is off to one of the best starts of his career.
"I'm playing angry -- but not at the critics,'' he told MMQB.com's Peter King this week. "It just helps me to play that way. What people on the outside say really doesn't bother me."
Whatever is helping Williams, he needs to keep doing it. His 10 sacks through seven weeks is just .5 behind his 2012 total. The Bills pass rusher is one of three players on pace to break Michael Strahan's single-season sack record of 22.5 -- Williams is tied with Justin Houston for second in the NFL, behind Robert Mathis' 11.5 sacks.
To consider Williams as a potential record-breaker a season ago would have been difficult for Bills fans. However, with his 4.5-sack performance in Week 2, Super Mario already took down one of the Bills' franchise records held by the almighty Bruce Smith.
Facing the New Orleans Saintson Sunday, Williams could have plenty of opportunities to add to his sack total against Drew Brees, who averages 39.5 pass attempts per game.
The Bills will need Williams and Co. to pressure Brees to try to prevent a track meet from breaking out in the Superdome.
We previewed every Week 8 game in the latest "Around The League Podcast."