Bills have tough road ahead with defensive injuries piling up

[Woodman]

LONDON -- Last week, the Buffalo Bills (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills) lost cornerback Tre'Davious White (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3042717/tredavious-white), a cornerstone of the team’s defense, in a win over the Miami Dolphins (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/mia/miami-dolphins). On Sunday, the defensive injuries kept coming after they lost linebacker Matt Milano (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3046287/matt-milano) to what appears to be multiple lower body injuries and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16910/daquan-jones) to an injured pectoral muscle.

Not to mention the three defenders who missed Sunday’s 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/jax/jacksonville-jaguars) in London due to injuries, including starting defensive end Greg Rousseau (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362506/greg-rousseau) (foot) and starting cornerback Christian Benford (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4379778/christian-benford) (shoulder).

[Woodman]

Buffalo Bills face huge test with defensive injuries piling up - ESPN - Buffalo Bills Blog- ESPN (https://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/38311/bills-have-tough-road-ahead-with-defensive-injuries-piling-up)

“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]," safety Jordan Poyer (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15979/jordan-poyer) said after the game. "For the guys that stepped in [like linebacker Tyrel Dodson (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4035232/tyrel-dodson)], I thought played extremely well, stepping in the role of Matt.”

The question now turns to what happens the rest of the season for a Bills defense that has been among the league's best, including holding the Dolphins' No. 1 offense to just 20 points last week. The depth of the Bills (3-2) will now be seriously tested.

“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,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2976212/stefon-diggs) said. “So, when you go into that deep, the depth that we have, the deep edge that we do have, guys need to play well, guys need to step up and it's still a standard.”

[Woodman]

Defensive line

The Bills almost ran out of defensive ends against the Jaguars. With Rousseau and Shaq Lawson (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2977679/shaq-lawson) out, coach Sean McDermott was down to Leonard Floyd (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3043136/leonard-floyd) (who was in and out of the game), AJ Epenesa (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4240585/aj-epenesa), Von Miller (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/13976/von-miller) (who played limited snaps in his return from right ACL surgery) and Kingsley Jonathan (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4240405/kingsley-jonathan). Practice squad defensive tackle Kendal Vickers (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3044732/kendal-vickers) was brought up for the game and ended up playing 43 snaps, more than half of the total the defense played.

The highlight was Epenesa, who had a breakout game. He finished with a career-high two sacks including a strip sack, a fumble recovery and three batted passes -- also a career high.

“[Epenesa] showed up,” said McDermott, who took over defensive playcalling this season for his first time as a head coach. “We were getting low on numbers there and the D-line, we only had but so many players down the stretch there. But I noticed A.J., I thought he performed well and gave great effort.”

[Woodman]

Miller’s playing time should ramp up over the season and will add to what the Bills can do.

“Von was on a pitch count today, so we didn't have him through the [whole] second half, like we would hope down the road here,” McDermott said. “But it was great to have him back on the field.”

Losing Jones for significant time would be a major hit. He has 2.5 sacks and has paired well with Ed Oliver (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4039303/ed-oliver). Jones leads all Bills defensive linemen with significant snaps in pass rush win rate (26.9%).

[OpIv37]

It doesn’t matter. Even if, by some míracle, we get out of the AFC, we will never beat Philly or San Fran. Our time has come and gone.

[Woodman]

One game at a time.

[Woodman]

Late in the game, the Bills substituted in practice squad defensive back Ja’Marcus Ingram (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4240059/jamarcus-ingram) for Elam, but Ingram played only eight defensive snaps. McDermott said that was a situational decision to get another player on the field.

Even when Benford returns, the Bills will rely on their young players to step up in White’s absence. All of them continuing to develop will be key for this defense going forward.

[Jeff1220]

Late in the game, the Bills substituted in practice squad defensive back Ja’Marcus Ingram (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4240059/jamarcus-ingram) for Elam, but Ingram played only eight defensive snaps. McDermott said that was a situational decision to get another player on the field.

Even when Benford returns, the Bills will rely on their young players to step up in White’s absence. All of them continuing to develop will be key for this defense going forward.

Elam showed us why he's been a healthy inactive so far this season. They picked him apart.

[Woodman]

Elam showed us why he's been a healthy inactive so far this season. They picked him apart.

If they knew that and they apparently did why not give him some assistance.

We never even tried ..... all of those 3rd down conversions looked far too easy.

Knowing he would and was targeted should have been an advantage.

Like the Patriots knowing the plays ahead of time.

[Historian]

OP is right.

The window is closing, not because of a lack of talent, it's closing because these guys are getting too old to survive a 17 game season.

Next will be Poyer.

Then Hyde.

Then Morse.

Then we'll lose another young guy.

It's become a cycle, and it is the great equalizer.

[Woodman]

17 games was a mistake by the league.

I love football but that many games takes too huge a toll.

Careers will and have been definitely shortened.

I don't know what the right number would be ..... but I'd be in favor of cutting by 2 at least.

If the league doesn't do something it's gonna cost them as well as the players that make them the money they covet. It's weird that we gotta always say availability is the best ability but it's all so true.

[notacon]

It doesn’t matter. Even if, by some míracle, we get out of the AFC, we will never beat Philly or San Fran. Our time has come and gone.

https://y.yarn.co/e84715c9-9073-416d-925d-9eecdd5b2470_text.gif

[Thurmal]

It doesn’t matter. Even if, by some míracle, we get out of the AFC, we will never beat Philly or San Fran. Our time has come and gone.

These aren't 7-game series. Just need one night of excellence. Pretty sure I once watched a Giants team that was way less impressive than the 2023 Bills at this juncture of the season knock off arguably the best team of all time when it mattered most.

[sukie]

What is latest on Benford and Rousseau?

[BLUTO]

LONDON -- Last week, the Buffalo Bills (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills) lost cornerback Tre'Davious White (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3042717/tredavious-white), a cornerstone of the team’s defense, in a win over the Miami Dolphins (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/mia/miami-dolphins). On Sunday, the defensive injuries kept coming after they lost linebacker Matt Milano (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3046287/matt-milano) to what appears to be multiple lower body injuries and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16910/daquan-jones) to an injured pectoral muscle.

Not to mention the three defenders who missed Sunday’s 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/jax/jacksonville-jaguars) in London due to injuries, including starting defensive end Greg Rousseau (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362506/greg-rousseau) (foot) and starting cornerback Christian Benford (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4379778/christian-benford) (shoulder).

I really don't see Von Miller being a 'star' for the rest of the season. He looked old and slow. It was a crazy contract to begin with.

[Woodman]

I really don't see Von Miller being a 'star' for the rest of the season. He looked old and slow. It was a crazy contract to begin with.
That contract has been a detriment to us.

The older guys are never worth those huge ass contracts.

We needed to use it smarter :idunno:

[Woodman]

What is latest on Benford and Rousseau?

We would all love to know that answer.

No updates that I've seen.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll get some news.

[Woodman]

These aren't 7-game series. Just need one night of excellence. Pretty sure I once watched a Giants team that was way less impressive than the 2023 Bills at this juncture of the season knock off arguably the best team of all time when it mattered most.
Hard to believe some don't get that. :10: