Every 2017 NFL Playoff Team's Biggest Weakness
Buffalo Bills: Rushing Defense
Unlike some other teams later on, we had a wide array of options for the Bills' biggest weakness. Based on numberFire's team-adjusted metrics, the Bills were in the top half of the league in only Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play, where they ranked 12th. Everywhere else, it was struggle city.
But given that the Bills will face the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense in the wild card round, it's pretty clear we need to talk about their rush defense. They be stanky.
When Marcell Dareus was still in town, he wasn't playing a ton of snaps (he maxed out at 58.6% with the Bills), but he was clearly contributing. The Bills ranked 14th against the rush through the first seven weeks. Then Dareus was traded to the Jaguars, and the brown stuff hit the fan real quick.
From Week 8 on, the Bills were the league's worst schedule-adjusted rush defense, allowing 148.7 yards per game over their final 10 contests. They were so bad in this time that they wound up finishing dead last for the full season even when you include their decent stretch to start the year. That's going to be an issue this week.
As noted by numberFire's JJ Zachariason in his statistical breakdown of the opening round, the Jaguars have the second-lowest pass-to-run ratio in the league (trailing only the Bills). If the game's close, they're going to pound that rock. And with the Jaguars entering as nine-point favorites, Vegas doesn't expect them to be forced to throw. That could make the Bills' first trip to the postseason in 17 years a swift one.