Buffalo Bills head to the bye week

by Pat Freeman, The Mighty O’Ba

The Buffalo Bills head into the bye week with a 5-1 record, but if there is any record that is misleading, it is this one. Though the Bills are 5-1, they have allowed twenty-eight points or more in four out of their five games. The defense is ranked near the bottom of the league with many of the problems centered around the change of scheme, I believe.

What people need to realize is that for nine years the organization selected players that they felt would best fit their defense. When Joe Brady was given his first opportunity to be a head coach replacing Sean McDermott this off season, he decided to hire Jim Leonard who has never been a defensive coordinator and runs a different defense than what the Bills were running under the previous administration.

So, the Bills have had only one draft to fit a 3-4 scheme, and we are seeing the struggles of many of the players that were selected previously. These glaring deficiencies are more pronounced in the defensive backfield with many of them out of position all year. So far, you must grade this defense where they are ranked in the league and that is #30. This defense is the weak link of this team right now and during the bye week Bills need to first cut CJ Gardner.

I am sorry he is more of a problem than what he brings to the table. Tre Davious white’s return should help stabilize the defensive backfield because I think that he can help make sure the younger defensive backs are in position better.