PFF recognizes Buffalo Bills pass defense as best in the AFC East in 2018

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 10: Tre'Davious White #27 of the Buffalo Bills throws his arms up during the third quarter agains the Indianapolis Colts on December 10, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 10: Tre'Davious White #27 of the Buffalo Bills throws his arms up during the third quarter agains the Indianapolis Colts on December 10, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Pro Football Focus is high on the Buffalo Bills pass defense. So much so that they ranked them at No. 1 in the AFC East in some telling statistics.

Despite their 6-10 record, the Buffalo Bills’ 2018 pass defense ranked near the top in most box score rankings for the year. They allowed the fewest passing yards in the league at 2,867, placed eighth in allowed touchdowns at 22, and finished seventh in interceptions with 16. Analytics back that up, painting a similar, favorable picture of the Buffalo pass-defense.

Pro Football Focus compared the Bills’ pass-rush team grades and passer rating allowed to the rest of the AFC East. The results; the highest ranking in the division in both categories.

For pass-rush team grades, per PFF’s Twitter, the Bills finished with a 73.9, putting them in 10th for the entire league. Followed by the Bills are the New York Jets at 69.2 (16th), New England Patriots at 68.6 (19th), and Miami Dolphins at 66.7 (25th).

As for lowest passer rating against, via PFF’s Instagram, the Bills’ lowly 82.6 passer rating allowed put them at the top of the division and third in the NFL. The Patriots came in second at 85.4 (seventh) while the Jets at 93.1 (14) and Dolphins at 94.1 (18) rounded out the division.

Regarding individual player grades, the Bills finished with five defenders grading at a high 75+ in 2018, included in the five is:

Out of all Bills, PFF is highest on the recently extended Hughes, praising him extensively. His 88.8-grade comes at seventh in the league for edge rushers, and their own Anthony Treash noted that “Jerry Hughes is an unsung hero on the Buffalo Bills defense, fully deserving of a two-year extension.” In that very article, Treash mentioned that

"Hughes’ pass-rushing performance was truly among the best in the game in 2018. On 397 pass-rushing snaps, he had the second-highest pass-rushing grade (90.4), the highest pass-rush win rate (23.9%) and the league’s highest pressure rate (19.7%)."

There are some notable names that PFF views lower than most. CB Tre’Dravious White is notably devoid of the above list. Though he carries All-Pro potential and has shown it, PFF gave him a 61.0 grade in 2018, good for 88th in the league at his position.

Nonetheless, they dubbed White as one of the best players under-25 in the NFL, as Mark Chichester said of him;

"White has been more than solid over the course of his two-year career so far, and he has earned a two-year coverage grade of 83.3 for his efforts. Since 2018, he’s allowed just 51.9% of his targets to be caught, and he has allowed a passer rating of just 69.1 on throws into his primary coverage."

Jordan Poyer was notably left out too. However, on the field, he has continued to pass the eye test. In his two years in Buffalo, he’s tallied nine interceptions, 13 pass deflections, 195 total tackles, and 13 tackles for loss. Along with White, Wallace, and Hyde, Poyer and the Bills will look to continue their good coverage play in 2019.

The front-seven featured three players with a 75+ grade, but they could have more at the end of 2019. In addition to Hughes, Alexander, and Milano, the Bills have a front-seven stock full of respectable veterans and promising prospects.

Veterans DE Trent Murphy and  DT Star Lotulelei are intriguing, but the real star-potential comes from the younger players. 2018 first-round selection LB Tremaine Edmunds had a good rookie season and hopes to build upon it. 2019 No. 9 overall pick DT Ed Oliver comes with Aaron Donald comparisons; enough said. Second-year DT Harrison Phillips could be the next Kyle Williams, and edge rusher Shaq Lawson has potential under an extensive injury report.

No wonder PFF is high on the Bills’ pass defense. Under general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, the team has built a complete mix of stars, established veterans, uber-talented prospects, and solid role players alike. If their success last year tells us anything, it’s that Tom Brady, Sam Darnold, and Ryan Fitzpatrick/Josh Rosen won’t like playing Buffalo anytime soon.

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