It’s hard to imagine that we will see a better game this season than Ravens-Bills in Week 1. That game had everything you could ever want to see in a primetime matchup between two Super Bowl-caliber heavyweights. And in the end, the Bills proved to be just a little bit better this time around.
However, there are plenty of areas that need to be cleaned up before the Bills can even think about a postseason run. And one example is the safeties, who continue to be the weakest positional group on the roster. The Ravens exposed them all night and the Bills are extremely fortunate to escape this week with a win considering how poorly the unit played.
The Bills made a mistake to not invest more into the safety position
The Bills used this offseason to improve on defense, adding Joey Bosa and several other veteran defensive linemen. They also used their first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston, who missed Week 1 with a knee injury. But their biggest mistake was not doing more to improve the safety position this offseason.
Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp got the start this week, and neither player stood out in a positive way. However, Rapp was far worse, and his inability to make plays in space was shocking to see. While he’s never been a good athlete, Rapp’s calling card has been his ability to tackle. But he couldn’t even get a hand on Derrick Henry on several explosive runs.
Bishop was also a disaster in the run game, but he was much better in coverage. The Bills plan to be patient with Bishop after playing just 358 snaps as a rookie. He is expected to make mistakes, but the hope is that he’ll improve as the season goes along. That same grace can’t be given for Rapp, who is in his seventh year in the NFL. He’s generally been a good run defender and a liability in coverage, but he was just downright bad on Sunday night.
The Bills desperately need another competent safety, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see them make some calls this week. But the decision to put off the safety need this offseason has already proven to be a mistake by Brandon Beane. And if this unit doesn’t improve, it could end up being the reason why they are unable to advance in the playoffs. That might seem like hyperbole, but that’s how bad this group played in Week 1.