This year’s Buffalo Bills team looks different than years prior. While they are 11-4, it just doesn’t feel like that this team is the one that can finally get the franchise’s first Super Bowl ever. Surely, I could be very wrong as anything could happen. However, this team has been extremely inconsistent and has some major weaknesses that are hard to overcome.
Despite Buffalo putting a lot of resources into the defense this past offseason, it hasn’t helped them out one single bit, especially against the run. They signed players like Joey Bosa, Larry Ogunjobi, and Michael Hoecht. They also drafted T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker to add to the mix.
With dealing with multiple injuries and inconsistency on the defensive line, Buffalo’s run-defense has been atrocious at times. Sure, the Week 1 matchup against Derrick Henry may not have been the best matchup, but that should have been a wake up call to make some changes. That wasn’t the case and the Bills’ run-defense has become the team’s biggest liability.
Opponents have shown that they can run all over Buffalo and it puts pressure on Josh Allen and the offense to have to play near perfect football to stay in and win the game.
Bills' run-defense could be huge reason why Buffalo falls short of Super Bowl
There have only been four games this year where Buffalo didn’t give up over 100 rushing yards. The Bills have had four games where they have given up over 200+ yards on the ground this season. That is a massive problem that has continued all season long.
With allowing over five yards a carry this season, teams can see that Buffalo either can’t stop the run or take what feels like forever to adjust in the second half.
In addition to the bad run-defense, Buffalo has not played great situational football on third-downs. Whether it’s 3rd-and-1 or 3rd-and-11, there have been too many times where Buffalo allows their opponent to move the chains and keep Allen and the offense off the field.
This defense has been a huge liability despite the additions this past offseason. It’s too late to fix it now, so Buffalo will have to just see what the matchup is and just go from there.