So, how is everyone feeling about this defense going into the playoffs?

[BuffaloBillies]

Milano looks back. Teams continually find running space going off-tackle left especially, so whatever we have to do to shut those off-tackle plays down. If that means 3 LBs with D. Williams in there - I'm all for it. T. Johnson's been a little quiet last couple games - saving it up for big playoff plays. Go Bills. 

[thenorthremembers]

I feel like I always do about defense.   If the offense isn't good it won't matter.   

[Boatdrinks]

5 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

I have zero confidence in this defense and the guy running it when it comes to the playoffs. The turnover luck will have to continue and Josh will continue to have zero margin for error for the Bills to have a chance. It's a big ask.

Wow thats  a pretty negative outlook. No need to watch , may as well just check phone for updates. Anyway, I wonder what the winning % in the playoffs is for teams without a takeaway ? 

[NickelCity]

Remember when George Wilson was playing safety and we had that thread about "this type of defense is not sustainable?" (About a defense that was quite soft but was generating turnovers).

 

I hope we string together 4 games of winning the turnover battle. 

[Simon]

13 minutes ago, MPL said:

I am most worried about the likely matchup against Baltimore in the Divisional Round. My only bit of optimism comes from the fact that the defense was without Bernard, Johnson, and Milano when they played in Week 5. Was Rapp out that game, too? 

 

The Ravens entire offense was predicated on taking advantage of Dorian Williams, Spector and Cam Lewis. It's virtually all they did.

I think Rapp started but may have been injured early and replaced by Bishop?

[Kelly to Allen]

In a playoff dress rehearsal 

 

Against a real QB in Rodgers 

 

With real skill talent in Adams, Wilson and Hall 

 

They were up 40-0

 

I can't wait for this historical playoff run. 

[JohnNord]

16 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Very badly.

 

we have had borderline elite regular seasons defenses with multiple All Pros fall apart in the postseason. 
 

Now we have a mediocre defense without any All Pros heading into the postseason.

 

We are going to need to run the ball and keep opposing teams off the field… a lot.

The defense never had multiple All-Pros the same season and more times than not, they never played together due to injury.  
 

It’s been Tre (2019), Poyer (2021), Milano (2022).  Also Johnson was a second team All Pro in 2023.  
 

If you are counting past All-Pros on defense, there’s 3 on the defense this season, maybe a 4th depending on Benford.

[QLBillsFan]

12 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

I have zero confidence in this defense and the guy running it when it comes to the playoffs. The turnover luck will have to continue and Josh will continue to have zero margin for error for the Bills to have a chance. It's a big ask.

Have to agree. Having said that in the past the Bills D has regressed in the playoffs. Better teams, predictable strategy, bad decisions, and ton of injuries. If they can play decent .. meaning 24 points given up Bills can win SB. Is it realistic given bend don’t break and overall huge turnover advantage in regular season? Hard to say but we know what the O is going to do. DL can they improve??? That’s the key! 

1 minute ago, Kelly to Allen said:

In a playoff dress rehearsal 

 

Against a real QB in Rodgers 

 

With real skill talent in Adams, Wilson and Hall 

 

They were up 40-0

 

I can't wait for this historical playoff run. 

With all due respect to suggest a playoff dress rehearsal vs Jets is bit of a stretch 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Buffalo_Stampede]

8 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

The Ravens entire offense was predicated on taking advantage of Dorian Williams, Spector and Cam Lewis. It's virtually all they did.

I think Rapp started but may have been injured early and replaced by Bishop?

That, and the offense had one of their worst games. Ravens were able to run and keep the defense on their heels.

 

 

 

[Kelly to Allen]

3 minutes ago, QLBillsFan said:

Have to agree. Having said that in the past the Bills D has regressed in the playoffs. Better teams, predictable strategy, bad decisions, and ton of injuries. If they can play decent .. meaning 24 points given up Bills can win SB. Is it realistic given bend don’t break and overall huge turnover advantage in regular season? Hard to say but we know what the O is going to do. DL can they improve??? That’s the key! 

With all due respect to suggest a playoff dress rehearsal vs Jets is bit of a stretch 🤷🏻‍♂️

Against Rodgers even at his age with Adams, Lazars, Wilson and Hall....

 

I think we'll be fine 

[Simon]

4 minutes ago, QLBillsFan said:

With all due respect to suggest a playoff dress rehearsal vs Jets is bit of a stretch

 

I know the Jets aren't the real deal but I think a dress rehearsal is exactly what they were planning all week as they knew it would be their last reg season game for all intents and purposes.

[saundena]

Not good.

 

We aren't very good defensively on 3rd and long and that directly impacts our offense because we can't get the opposing teams offense off the field and put Josh Allen back on the field.

 

Turns over help of course, but tend to be streaky and come in bunches as they say.  If the D gets hot in January we can go tie to toe with any offense.  We will need a very good plan to limit the Ravens.  That game could easily be a  ToP nightmare of we can't get time off the field and then fall behind.

[Warriorspikes51]

Can we get Calais Campbell please? 

Honestly....I want Ankou brought back and put on the 53.

I don't understand why he isn't here. He earned a spot IMO.  
 

 

8 minutes ago, Kelly to Allen said:

In a playoff dress rehearsal 

 

Against a real QB in Rodgers 

 

With real skill talent in Adams, Wilson and Hall 

 

They were up 40-0

 

I can't wait for this historical playoff run. 

Seems like a fair point!

Edited December 31, 2024 by Warriorspikes51

[saundena]

3 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Can we get Calais Campbell please? 

Honestly....I want Ankou brought back and put on the 53 
 

 

Unfortunately someone else will claim him before we do

[QB Bills]

8 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Wow thats  a pretty negative outlook. No need to watch , may as well just check phone for updates. Anyway, I wonder what the winning % in the playoffs is for teams without a takeaway ? 

In the last 4 playoff defeats (chiefs x 3, bengals), the defense (which has been more talented on paper than this year's version) has:

 

- zero interceptions

- two fumbles

- six forced punts

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but some of us choose to live in reality. Other than that one strong game against Lamar for three quarters, this defense is atrocious against good QBs. And before you say it, no, not every defense is that bad against Mahomes/Burrow.

[Chaos]

36 minutes ago, FireChans said:

Very badly.

 

we have had borderline elite regular seasons defenses with multiple All Pros fall apart in the postseason. 
 

Now we have a mediocre defense without any All Pros heading into the postseason.

 

We are going to need to run the ball and keep opposing teams off the field… a lot.

Disagree. That is a recipe for failure. We need to get in shootouts and let Josh win 48-44 for us. 

[FireChans]

9 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

The defense never had multiple All-Pros the same season and more times than not, they never played together due to injury.  
 

It’s been Tre (2019), Poyer (2021), Milano (2022).  Also Johnson was a second team All Pro in 2023.  
 

If you are counting past All-Pros on defense, there’s 3 on the defense this season, maybe a 4th depending on Benford.

Poyer and Hyde were both All-Pro in 2021.

 

Tre was a year removed from his All-Pro season in 2020. Hyde and Poyer's would come a year later in 2021. They were all on the field in 2020. Hyde and Poyer were together with Taron and Milano in 2021.

 

Are we counting Milano and Von as past All-Pros?

 

If it would help to be specific, we had multiple defenses in the past with All-Pro caliber players in their primes playing.

 

How many of those do we have this year? 1, maybe 2 if Benford gets it (I don't think he will).

[Boatdrinks]

2 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

In the last 4 playoff defeats (chiefs x 3, bengals), the defense (which has been more talented on paper than this year's version) has:

 

- zero interceptions

- two fumbles

- six forced punts

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but some of us choose to live in reality. Other than that one strong game against Lamar for three quarters, this defense is atrocious against good QBs. And before you say it, no, not every defense is that bad against Mahomes/Burrow.

As I said , no need to watch the game. 

[saundena]

Agreed.

 

We need to have a creative game plan on defence against KC, BAL and CIN (if they get in).  Can't keep relying on what we know hasn't been good enough in the playoffs.

[Kelly to Allen]

4 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

In the last 4 playoff defeats (chiefs x 3, bengals), the defense (which has been more talented on paper than this year's version) has:

 

- zero interceptions

- two fumbles

- six forced punts

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but some of us choose to live in reality. Other than that one strong game against Lamar for three quarters, this defense is atrocious against good QBs. And before you say it, no, not every defense is that bad against Mahomes/Burrow.

Defense has been injured 

 

There's no scenario where KC wins two super bowls if just Chris Jones got hurt. 

 

Each year is different too. It's not a transitive property from year to year

Edited December 31, 2024 by Kelly to Allen