The Rex Ryan era in Buffalo got off to a strong start, but it’s quickly gone downhill since.
The Bills won two of their first three games, but they have fallen to 3-3 overall with three home defeats. But their defensive statistics are arguably more startling than their record.
The Bills were fourth in total defense in 2014, but they have fallen to 18th in 2015. They are also asking some of their defensive lineman to drop into coverage more, and their sack total has dropped as a result. And to make matters worse, some current and former Bills players appear to be questioning Ryan’s defensive approach.
“I think I probably set a record on dropping (back) today, but that’s part of the scheme for us to go out and be put in a position to win,” defensive lineman Mario Williams told ESPN on Sunday. “Whatever’s called, you have to go out and do it.”
Fellow defensive lineman Marcell Dareus added, via Yahoo Sports: “We want to make some plays. We don’t want fans looking at us crazy. We like making plays. We like getting sacks, just being out there exerting a lot of energy and having fun. … It’s not been a lot of times where there have been all four of us, full tilt, ears pined back and we’re going after it. We haven’t had a lot of that this year. Hopefully Rex is going to implement it. There’s nothing we can do.”
Even former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly is puzzled by the defensive scheme.
“Dropping Mario Williams into coverage a lot?” he told Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports. “Didn’t we pay him a lot of money to hit the quarterback? And if I’m the opposing quarterback and I see him dropping into coverage, oh that’s a big plus. I’d definitely have a smile on my face.”
Make sure to look for that smile on Blake Bortles’ face when the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Bills in London on Sunday. But this is no laughing matter for Buffalo.
Thumbnail photo via Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports Images
