The Buffalo Bills are sitting pretty at 5-1, first in the AFC East, and second overall in the AFC as they head into their bye week, but let’s be real: this team is far from perfect, and it’s their defense that’s raising some serious red flags. Despite their killer record, their defense ranks a shocking 28th in points allowed, 31st in total yards, passing yards, and first downs allowed, plus 30th in EPA per play allowed. Yeah, you read that right.
Josh Allen Is Playing Out Of His Mind
Seriously, though, let’s talk about the offense, because what Josh Allen and Co. are doing is nothing short of incredible. This unit is on an absolutely prolific scoring pace, leading the entire league with 32.8 points per game. Think about that for a second. ESPN.com’s Buffalo Bills beat reporter Nick Suss dug into the history books, and only 14 teams in NFL history have ever kept up that kind of scoring for a full season. Those teams? They averaged 13 wins, made it to the conference championship nine times, and played for the Super Bowl six times. That’s elite company.
Allen isn’t just throwing bombs, either. He leads the league with eight rushing touchdowns, and his 76.2 QBR puts him squarely in the top five. Dude is a dual-threat nightmare. Running back Cook is also making magic happen, leading the entire league in carries of 10-plus yards. The offensive line and rushing attack are beasts, too, ranking in the top three for yards gained before contact. And get this: wide receiver Keon Coleman is having a straight-up resurgent third season. It’s awesome to see! Even the special teams units are locking it down, leading the league in field goal accuracy and net yards per punt. On defense, there are some glimmers of hope: defensive tackle Deone Walker has become a seriously disruptive force, and Greg Rousseau and the defense are top five in QB pressures. So it’s not all doom and gloom on that side of the ball.
The Ugly Truth On Defense
Alright, let’s rip off the band-aid. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, in his first year, has seen his unit surrender the most passing yards in the league and the second-most passing touchdowns. It’s just not getting it done. Opponents are converting 45% of their third-down attempts, which is the fifth-worst mark in the entire NFL. Seriously, you gotta get off the field on third down! It’s killing them. And on second down, opposing offenses are completing a wild 70% of their passes, averaging almost six yards per play. That’s just letting teams march right down the field.
So, here’s the deal: this bye week is HUGE for head coach Joe Brady and his staff. They’ve got to scheme up some ways to fix these defensive issues, because right now, that unit is the biggest thing standing between this Bills team and their Super Bowl dreams. It’s all about finding answers and tightening things up, and they’ve got some time now to figure it out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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