The Buffalo Bills unfortunately were not playing in Super Bowl LV after falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. If the Bills want to get to and eventually win a Super Bowl in the coming years, the game on Sunday provided a clear blueprint of what they should do this offseason to improve the team.
The focus for general manager Brandon Beane this offseason needs to be in the trenches, on both sides of the ball.
One of the reasons the Bucs were able to win so easily is that they are able to contain Patrick Mahomes and limit him to 270 passing yards and no touchdowns while forcing two interceptions. They were able to do this in large part by making Mahomes uncomfortable in the pocket and sacked him three times with 10 QB hits.
These numbers are even more impressive when considering the Bucs were able to get this pressure primarily with their front four and not blitzing as much as they typically do. In fact, Chris Simms tweeted the Bucs only blitzed on 9% of the plays in the Super Bowl.
Ton of credit to Todd Bowles. Guy who loves to blitz only called blitzes 9% of plays. Kudos on a great plan
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) February 8, 2021
Last season, the Bills didn’t do a very good job getting regular pressure from their front four and it wasn’t until they started to blitz more that they were able to disrupt quarterbacks. The fact they needed to blitz meant they had one, or more, fewer players dropping back into coverage. If the blitz didn’t get to the quarterback, it made their job a little easier.
However, improving the pass rush shouldn’t be the only thing the Buffalo Bills need to focus on this offseason. They also need to make sure they are able to protect Josh Allen with improvements on the offensive line.
There is a chance the Buffalo Bills could have four new starters next year if they release Mitch Morse and not re-sign Jon Feliciano, Daryl Williams and Ike Boettger. In an offseason that likely will have limited workouts, this could be a big undertaking to rebuild almost an entirely new line.
This was one of the reasons why I ranked Feliciano and Williams as must re-signs this offseason. Both players played well this past season and bringing them back can help this offensive line next year.
The expectations for the Buffalo Bills has undoubtedly been raised after this season. The focus is no longer just making the playoffs or winning the division but securing a Super Bowl victory. If the Buffalo Bills want to achieve that the focus this offseason needs to be on the offensive and defensive lines after watching Super Bowl LV.