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| Buffalo Bills |
Last week, the Buffalo Bills suffered a significant blow to their defense as they lost cornerback Tre'Davious White, a linchpin of the team's defensive strategy, during a victorious match against the Miami Dolphins. This setback was followed by more defensive injuries on Sunday, with linebacker Matt Milano sidelined due to apparent multiple lower body injuries and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones nursing a pectoral muscle injury.
Additionally, three key defenders were absent in Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, due to various injuries. Among them were starting defensive end Greg Rousseau (foot) and starting cornerback Christian Benford (shoulder).
Safety Jordan Poyer reflected on the situation, remarking, "It was like midway through the first, second quarter, you kind of look out there and some of the guys normally out there kind of gone. Milano, [Jones]." Poyer commended linebacker Tyrel Dodson and others who stepped up to fill the void left by the injured players.
The pressing question now is how the Bills' defense, which has been one of the league's finest, will fare for the rest of the season. Just last week, they held the Dolphins' top-ranked offense to a mere 20 points. The depth of the Bills (3-2) will now face a significant test.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs reflected on the challenge, saying, "It's tough to see guys get hurt, but flip side, I try to think about it, we do have depth, we do have a lot of guys that can play football at a very high level." He emphasized the need for players to step up and maintain their high standards.
Moving forward, the defense must look to various levels to fill the gaps:
**Defensive Line:**
The Bills found themselves with a shortage of defensive ends against the Jaguars. With Rousseau and Shaq Lawson out, Coach Sean McDermott had limited options, including Leonard Floyd, AJ Epenesa, Von Miller (who played sparingly due to his return from right ACL surgery), and Kingsley Jonathan. Practice squad defensive tackle Kendal Vickers was called up and played 43 snaps, over half of the total defensive plays.
The standout player was Epenesa, who had a breakout performance. He achieved a career-high with two sacks, including a strip sack, a fumble recovery, and three batted passes. McDermott praised Epenesa's effort, noting the team's dwindling numbers on the defensive line.
Epenesa, in the final year of his contract, displayed increased confidence. He tallied four quarterback hits and a team-leading five pressures. The pass rush proved effective against Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, pressuring him on 22 dropbacks, the second-highest of his career. Lawrence was sacked five times, tying a career high. The Bills now have 21 sacks this season, tying them for the league lead.
As the season progresses, Miller's playing time is expected to increase, further bolstering the Bills' capabilities. Losing Jones for an extended period would be a significant setback. He has 2.5 sacks and has formed a formidable partnership with Ed Oliver. Jones leads all Bills defensive linemen in pass rush win rate (26.9%). In his absence, veterans Tim Settle and Jordan Phillips, along with Vickers, are expected to take on added responsibilities.
**Linebacker:**
Replacing Milano, a 2022 Pro Bowler, is a challenging task. The responsibility falls to fourth-year linebacker Dodson and rookie Dorian Williams. Dodson played 64.6% of defensive snaps on Sunday, while Williams played 35.4%.
Dodson stressed the "next man up" mentality and acknowledged Milano's pivotal role as the energy and leader of the defense. He delivered notable plays in Milano's absence, tallying 5 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass defensed, and 1 forced fumble. Williams contributed with four tackles and a pass defensed.
While Milano's statistics are impressive, they don't fully capture his impact. If Milano misses significant time, younger players will need to collaborate with second-year middle linebacker Terrel Bernard and the experienced players to fill the void as effectively as possible. The Bills may also explore options to add depth to the linebacker position.
**Cornerback:**
With White sidelined, the Bills rely on Benford as their top cornerback. However, he was inactive for Sunday's game due to a right shoulder injury sustained against the Dolphins.
In his absence, the task fell to fourth-year cornerback Dane Jackson and second-year cornerback Kaiir Elam. Elam, the team’s first-round pick in 2022, had been inactive for the first four games of the season.
Elam, serving as the nearest defender, allowed six receptions on nine targets for 93 yards, resulting in a passer rating of 100.7. In comparison, Jackson allowed three receptions on six targets, including a touchdown catch, resulting in a 104.2 passer rating allowed, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Coach McDermott emphasized the expectation for players to perform well, regardless of their previous playing time or status. In the latter part of the game, the Bills substituted practice squad defensive back Ja’Marcus Ingram for Elam, though Ingram only saw eight defensive snaps. McDermott clarified that this decision was situational to give another player some playing time.
Even when Benford returns, the Bills will rely on their young players to step up in White’s absence. The continued development of these players will be crucial for the defense moving forward. Safety Micah Hyde emphasized that it's Elam’s responsibility to perform, and the team's job to provide the necessary guidance and confidence. He acknowledged that while Elam did his job, there's room for improvement, and they're determined to bounce back in the coming week.
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