Ed Oliver stood tall, faced the music and subsequently produced a masterpiece.

The Buffalo Bills’ defensive tackle fell under scrutiny following the Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Buffalo failed to sack quarterback Matthew Stafford in the 44-42 loss, and Oliver was mostly held in check outside of two quarterback hits.

It was another seemingly subpar performance during a ho-hum season for the highly-paid defensive centerpiece. Oliver accounted for only 1.0 sack and eight quarterback hits through his first 11 appearances this season, which was temporarily interrupted by a hamstring injury that cost him two games.

Perceived as underachieving during the second season of a four-year contact extension reportedly worth $68 million, Oliver faced questions from the Bills’ press corps. After responding tactfully in a professional manner during a locker room interview, the 2019 first-round draft pick responded on the field against the Detroit Lions in Week 15.

“He’s a stand-up guy. He really is,” said McDermott when asked about how Oliver has handled himself amidst criticism last week.

Before breaking down the defensive tackle’s latest performance, McDermott took the opportunity to have a laugh at Oliver’s expense.

“He’s not that tall when he stands up, but he’s a stand-up guy,” said McDermott while laughing at his own joke on Monday.

Viewed by some as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick, Oliver was considered a bit undersized for his position when the Bills took him at No. 9 in the order. Height, however, has not been a hindrance for the 6-foot-1 interior lineman. He has proven capable of affecting the game at the NFL level and showed that again in the 48-42 road win over Detroit.

“I thought he played a heckuva game last night. It doesn’t take a trained eye to be able to see that,” said McDermott.

Last time out, Oliver recorded a season-high 10 pressure on 42 pass rush snaps according to Next Gen Stats. He registered four tackles, three QB hits and 1.0 sack.

“Run game, in his gap, coming off the ball, getting off blocks, making plays. In the pass game, certainly affecting the quarterback. That’s what he’s capable of, and that’s what we need more of, quite honestly, on a more consistent basis.”

Oliver, who turned 27 years old on December 12, balled out in 2023 after signing his extension. The native Texan set career highs in tackles (51), sacks (9.5) and quarterback hits (16).