Dec 28 2004
Bills run defense: overrated?
So the Buffalo Bills have the 5th best rushing defense in the NFL, allowing an average of only 96.5 yards per game. They rank 4th in yards allowed per carry (3.6) and 5th in total yards allowed. (1447) They have also allowed only 6 rushing touchdowns, tied for second in the league with the Steelers.
But how good is the Bills rushing defense really?
Right now, Buffalo is on a six game winning streak. During that streak, they have defeated St. Louis, Seattle, Miami, Cleveland, Cincinnati and San Francisco. Those teams have a combined record of 31-59, and only two of them have quality running backs that get regular use.
How did those running backs do, you ask? Well, the Seahawks’ Shawn Alexander didn’t do so hot, gaining only 39 yards on 13 carries. The Bengals’ Rudi Johnson, however, gained 130 yards on 23 carries. If Carson Palmer had been healthy for that game, the Bills might not have gotten such an easy victory.
Also, let’s consider how the Bills did against other good running teams:
1.) Corey Dillon (NE) vs. Bills: 45 carries, 230 yards, 1 TD
2.) Curtis Martin (NYJ) vs. Bills: 41 carries, 144 yards
3.) Chester Taylor (BAL) vs. Bills: 21 carries, 89 yards
That first one jumps out at you, doesn’t it? Dillion is a big bruising running back in the mold of… oh, I don’t know… Jerome Bettis, maybe? In two games against Buffalo, Dillon averaged 5.1 yards per carry. The Bills lost both games.
The Bills also lost to Baltimore in a game in which the Ravens’ backup running back had a good day. They did hold Curtis Martin under 100 yards in two games, but they only won one of them, and that was the one in which Chad Pennington went out with a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, Buffalo’s opponent this weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers, are second only to Atlanta in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game. With Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup, you know in advance that the Steelers are going to spend a lot of time running it down your throat.
That’s what they did to the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to the second Steelers-Ravens game, Baltimore allowed only 100 yds/game rushing and a mere 3.4 yards per carry. The Steelers gained 183 yards on 42 carries against the Ravens. That’s an average of 4.3 yards per carry. Steelers running backs gained 5.08 yards per carry, and their longest run was only 14 yards.
By the way, did I mention that Pittsburgh is tied with or outpacing the Bills in every statistical category associated with run defense? Did I also mention that Willis McGahee, good as he is, isn’t quite 100% yet?
If the Bills can stop the Steelers running game or run against the Steelers’ defense, you can call them playoff ready. Until then, I’m not sold yet.
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