The Bills D has been good for "most" of the first two games

[TheyCallMeAndy]

DL - Thought they had a real good night all things considered. Walker obviously is a budding superstar. Ed Oliver is above average when he actually plays. Everyone else is in that "solid rotational guy" bucket, but I still have hope for TJ Sanders. I don't think anyone is a liability consistently. 

 

ILB - Thought they looked MUCH better vs Detroit. Bernard looks healthy and free. Williams and KEO seem to rotate a bit, Williams getting most of the snaps. 
 

OLB - The stars of the show. We've seen Groot get off to hot starts before, hope he maintains. 

 

DBs - Not sure if they just need more time on task with each other, but no one looks particularly good right now. Minus Max. Seemed like they are still just a microsecond off still. 

[NoSaint]

Just now, Simon said:

 

4 of the next 5 games are Chargers, Patriots, @Rams and Ravens.

I kind of wonder if them being thrown into the fire right off the bat might actually end up serving them well long term.

its going to give this board heart palpitations but it might well create the narrative that they are gelling when we stop playing top ten teams and start playing some average or even bad ones too right?

 

if we show average against elite, we might look sharp against raiders, jets, phins, etc… and end up ranking fine and having momentum

[Special K]

43 minutes ago, GaryPinC said:

Both games they made the plays they needed to late in the game to close it out.  Gotta love that, especially with the D-line leading the way. If you only do one thing right, let that be it!

 

That's really all that has been missing from the D over these years.....Josh Allen is the ultimate closer on Offense, but when he needed the D to make a key stop to close out a game, there were more fails than successes, especially in the Playoffs.

 

So far this D is 2 for 2 in closing out games......that's what counts.

[NoSaint]

2 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

DL - Thought they had a real good night all things considered. Walker obviously is a budding superstar. Ed Oliver is above average when he actually plays. Everyone else is in that "solid rotational guy" bucket, but I still have hope for TJ Sanders. I don't think anyone is a liability consistently. 

 

ILB - Thought they looked MUCH better vs Detroit. Bernard looks healthy and free. Williams and KEO seem to rotate a bit, Williams getting most of the snaps. 
 

OLB - The stars of the show. We've seen Groot get off to hot starts before, hope he maintains. 

 

DBs - Not sure if they just need more time on task with each other, but no one looks particularly good right now. Minus Max. Seemed like they are still just a microsecond off still. 

benford seemed to start a lil slow last year too 

 

but also Amon ra and Nico is a rough draw out of the gate.

[CincyBillsFan]

Just now, Special K said:

 

That's really all that has been missing from the D over these years.....Josh Allen is the ultimate closer on Offense, but when he needed the D to make a key stop to close out a game, there were more fails than successes, especially in the Playoffs.

 

So far this D is 2 for 2 in closing out games......that's what counts.

Agree. That 3 & out halfway through the 4th quarter with Detroit at their own 10 yard line sealed the game.

 

 

[folz]

Gave up some points in the 2nd half, but I do like how Leonard and the boys made the adjustment to shut Gibbs down.

 

He had 87 yards (rushing and receiving) and a touchdown in the first half.

 

Second half he only had 26 yards. Granted, Detroit had to go more to a passing game (and St. Brown) because of the score, but it was clear someone was always picking Gibbs up out of the backfield (quickly...Bishop and Bernard it seemed mostly) and the D-line started to stuff him on runs.

[billieve420]

Defense hasn’t been as bad as the scores suggest but still some frustrating plays each game where they can’t get off the field. Hopefully they continue to improve over the course of the season. 

[Simon]

7 minutes ago, billieve420 said:

Defense hasn’t been as bad as the scores suggest but still some frustrating plays each game where they can’t get off the field. Hopefully they continue to improve over the course of the season. 

 

They were better in Week 2 than in Week 1.

Now we'll see if they're better in Week 3 than they were in Week 2. 

[gonzo1105]

As I’ve said a bunch this isn’t the 1990s you’re not going to hold good offensive teams down in 2026 they are going to score points. 
 

if you hold a good offensive team to 24-27 points you have to win if your the Bills with the talent they have. 
 

The secondary has issues but people were sick of watching slow methodical drives that killed the clock under McDermott . We’re getting off the field at times, getting big sacks, and forced some turnovers in week 1. 
 

We were up 21-0 before the Lions finally got it going offensively. That’s good enough to win in this day and age of the NFL 

[Buffalo716]

I see a lot I like!

 

There were some things I thought the scheme switch would help like the run defense and getting 5 on the LoS more 

 

Its a good numbers game game offers variety and I was excited about that and I like what I see

 

The back half isn't there but that will tighten up

[ganesh]

4 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Walker and Rousseau are beasts.  Hoecht is much better when he rushes in the interior.  Chubb had nice game.  The back 7 looked shaky again in my opinion.  

IGB continuing with his 'holding' penalties.

[Chugga]

The biggest issue I see with this defense is the massive drop off when rotating the d-line.

 

I’m not sure we have had a sack all season on a play that Deone Walker hasn’t been in on.  

It’s quite obvious how much push and pressure this team gets with Walker on the field and how terribly glued to blocks the entire d-line is when he’s not on the field.

 

And sadly the back 7 just doesn’t have it yet to hold up long enough if there isn’t good pressure.  Lions didn’t even move the ball first two drives.  3rd drive we trot out a combo of Solomon, Gaines, Parker, and whoever else and the drop off is glaring.  By time the starters caught their breathe and were back on the field the lions were within the 10 yard line.

 

Obviously backups aren’t supposed to be as good as the starters, but our drop off seems massive.  At least in the past you might get an Epenesa splash play.  Parker really needs to develop and I was hoping to see something out of TJ Sanders who has been a healthy scratch every game as far as I know?

[machine gun kelly]

4 hours ago, Simon said:

Both games they have had a single 16-17 minute stretch where they have really struggled.

Right now those stretches are outliers, not the norm.

With new guys playing new positions under new coaches starting against two good offenses, I will take good defense being played for 3/4 of the game right now.

Agreed, they are a work in progress.  They are exactly what Leonard and Brady described.  New players playing in a new scheme, and making some communication errors, but flashes of excellence.  My guess is they will improve their synergy as the season progresses, and we've made it past the best defense in the NFL, and another high powered team in the NFCN.

 

The Chargers, Rams, and Pats looked flawed in their openers so maybe the first five games are not a murderers row.  I’m not indicating these next three are a cake walk, but they also are not invincible either.

 

Go Bills!

[Nihilarian]

That Lions offense is loaded with stars, and Buffalo did well to somewhat contain Gibbs in the second half, as that guy had 156 yards on the ground last week. They put up 42 points against Buffalo in 2024. Their TE and receivers are some of the best in the NFL. Goff is no slouch either, with 327 yards and 4 TDs. St. Brown: 9 catches for 142 yards.

 

Groot looks like a different player from last season, with 7 pressures, 2 sacks with both for a loss, four QB hits, and one fumble this game.

 

Good Lord, if the Buffalo defense ever catches up with the offense, this team will be unstoppable this year. 

[GunnerBill]

I think there were some positives last night. It was still a bit up and down defensively, I wouldn't describe it as a "clean" game on that side. But I do think there are some signs of progress. 

[BeastMaster]

Goff made a few amazing throws to St Brown during the game. Nothing anyone could do against those.

 

I am hopeful that they can continue to gel and will become a defense that can be relied upon when needed

[Buffalo Boy]

   I feel this was a decidedly improved outing over last week. Progress!

   Haven’t seen the stats but the run D felt better, especially in the second half ( symptom of them being behind perhaps) 

   The back seven had some really good and some really bad. For all the wide open  receivers there were some beautiful pass breakups with our guys hands literally on the ball including a missed pick.

   Lastly, what would last years week 2 D have looked like/allowed in this game? 31 seems appropriate, a bunch of WRs consistently catching balls in the deep middle of the field . Add to that, I can easily imagine a much worse showing against the run.

   Two games in for a new coach/scheme/bunch of new players and we see decided improvements. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I honestly believe Leonhard and co have more film to look at and a ten day mini bye to heal up and keep the improvement moving forward.

[Matt_In_NH]

Not sure I can agree with this.  

[bouds]

Look, I'll be patient with the D, but if we're being honest there hasn't been much improvement.

 

At least we stopped Gibbs tonight, but down big the Lions just killed us with the pass even though we knew they were going to pass.  Considering the amount of draft capital spent over the last two seasons on D, you'd think we'd be a bit better by now.  Long way to go.

Edited September 18 by bouds

[NoSaint]

3 hours ago, Chugga said:

The biggest issue I see with this defense is the massive drop off when rotating the d-line.

 

I’m not sure we have had a sack all season on a play that Deone Walker hasn’t been in on.  

It’s quite obvious how much push and pressure this team gets with Walker on the field and how terribly glued to blocks the entire d-line is when he’s not on the field.

 

And sadly the back 7 just doesn’t have it yet to hold up long enough if there isn’t good pressure.  Lions didn’t even move the ball first two drives.  3rd drive we trot out a combo of Solomon, Gaines, Parker, and whoever else and the drop off is glaring.  By time the starters caught their breathe and were back on the field the lions were within the 10 yard line.

 

Obviously backups aren’t supposed to be as good as the starters, but our drop off seems massive.  At least in the past you might get an Epenesa splash play.  Parker really needs to develop and I was hoping to see something out of TJ Sanders who has been a healthy scratch every game as far as I know?

said it last week and with growing sample sizes I’d be pretty curious the units efficiency in different personnel packages