The Buffalo Bills’ defense limited the Los Angeles Chargers to just 16 points in a 24-16 victory last week, showing marked improvement after conceding 62 points in their first two games. Despite four turnovers from Josh Allen putting the defense under constant pressure, they managed to restrict Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to a single touchdown and three field goals.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard downplayed the importance of how the defense found themselves in tough spots early on, focusing instead on their ability to respond. “To me, you don't over stress like how you get there. You got to win, right? You're trying to find a way to win, and there's going to be weeks the offense bails us out. Obviously, (the Chargers game) was one where we had to pick them up a little bit in certain spots,” Leonhard said. He added that his defense wanted to prove they could handle pressure, noting, “I don't care how it happens. I want us to step up in big moments, and the tricky part is you don't know when that's going to be.”
Run defense had been an area of concern, but the Bills have made strides compared with last season. They rank around the middle of the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (107.0) and yards per attempt (4.0), but their ability to stop runners behind the line of scrimmage stands out. According to Next Gen Stats, Buffalo leads the league with a 22.5% stuff rate, meaning they have stopped 22.5% of runs for zero or negative yards across 80 attempts. This statistic will be particularly important when they face the New England Patriots, who rely on a physical running game featuring backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, as well as former Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam.
Leonhard acknowledged some inconsistency, especially in tackling. “Up and down, right? It's been a little inconsistent. And the number one thing is tackling. I thought we were inconsistent in how we tackled (against LA). But then every time I got to a certain point in the (film review), and as I'm watching it, grading it, every time I wanted to say that we didn't tackle well, we come up with a huge stop, or make a one-on-one tackle out in space,” he said.
Linebackers coach Joe Brady echoed the focus on steady progress rather than statistics. “I think stats sometimes will lie to you. It's like, hey, what does it look like on tape?” Brady said. “I think the guys are doing a really good job of being intentional about. We've had three different teams in terms of the type of run schemes that we're getting, and it's so good for us in terms of being able to play different types of run schemes, how to approach the blocks, and kind of roll with it. There's obviously some runs that you know we got to do a better job attacking or fitting, but I think you can see the growth from us from game one to game three.”
Buffalo’s defense faces a challenge this Sunday at Highmark Stadium against the Patriots, who have struggled offensively following the loss of star wide receiver A.J. Brown in Week 1. Quarterback Drake Maye has been under pressure, with inconsistent performances contributing to New England’s 1-2 start. The Patriots’ main receiving threat has been former Bills receiver Mack Hollins, with 12 catches for 156 yards, while free-agent signing Romeo Doubs has failed to make an impact. Tight ends have also been largely neutralized by the Patriots’ defense so far, but Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid could change that narrative if he recaptures the form he showed early in the season.
Offensive line performance will be another factor. Right tackle Spencer Brown, who faced elite pass rushers in Houston and Detroit during the first two games, allowed no pressures against the Chargers, per Pro Football Focus. He also excelled as a run blocker. Brown will face a stern test against Patriots edge rushers Dre’Mont Jones and Elijah Ponder, as well as various blitz packages.
Linebacker Dorian Williams also made a significant impact against Los Angeles, with many considering him Buffalo’s best inside linebacker so far this year. His performance will be critical in containing New England’s running game and helping the Bills maintain their defensive momentum.
The Bills’ defense demonstrated resilience and adaptability last week, and their ability to build on that against a Patriots team dealing with offensive struggles will be closely watched at Highmark Stadium.
According to Yahoo Sports.
