Through just four games this season, the Buffalo Bills have managed to change the minds of nearly every analyst who wrote the team off this summer. Nobody expected the team to be competitive, especially after the amount of turnover they saw this offseason.

Buffalo coach Sean McDermott has fallen in love with the word “process” and uses it nearly every day when referring to the team. He’s talked about getting “addicted to the process” rather than relishing in the fact that his team is 3-1 after many predicted them to go 4-12.

Buffalo’s strong start is surprising for a number of reasons, one of those reasons being their stellar defense. Pundits thought that the Bills’ defense would struggle in the 2017 season, but thus far, they’ve done anything but. Buffalo has meshed together quickly and plugged holes as they’ve come with strong, able players.

The Bills shipped off wide receiver Sammy Watkins and cornerback Ronald Darby this summer. The fan base was up in arms and caught off guard, but the team didn’t bat an eye. Although the receiving corps seems slightly worse-off than it was with Watkins, quarterback Tyrod Taylor has still managed to utilize his tight end and running back in the passing game, tossing five touchdowns in the process. His lone interception came in Week One when a pass thrown to tight end Charles Clay in the end zone deflected and landed in the hands of a New York Jet.

The defense for Buffalo has been nothing short of dominant.

The team is near the top of the league in yards per game (9th), points allowed (1st), sacks (9th), and interceptions (3rd). The Bills are light years ahead of last year’s defense and similar to the one of 2014. Jim Schwartz was their defensive coordinator in that season.

Thus far, Buffalo has come away with seven takeaways (six interceptions and one fumble recovery). Two of those interceptions came Sunday against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. The Bills also almost came away with a fumble recovery after Buffalo kicker Stephen Hauschka chipped a kick towards a short field and the Bills nearly recovered it.

Something unique about this Buffalo team is that nearly the entire roster is new. Just 12 players remain from the 2016 defense and the secondary is completely new. Rookie Tre’Davious White and E.J. Gaines have stepped up and embraced the zone defense that McDermott deploys. Communication is happening and safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are holding down the top half of the defense. This secondary has allowed just one passing touchdown, which didn’t come until Sunday.

For the Bills, success is coming with this process created by head coach Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane – and it’s happening quicker than anybody anticipated.

For now, kick back and enjoy watching this Buffalo defense flourish in front of your eyes because many of these players are going to be on McDermott’s roster in the future and all of them are determined to win.