Bills Central

Buffalo Bills' defense can be beaten only one way in playoffs

One is a strength, one is a weakness, but which one should opponents attack?
Owen Klein|
The Eagles' offensive line faces off against the Bills' defensive line with rain pouring down on them during second-half action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 28, 2025.
The Eagles' offensive line faces off against the Bills' defensive line with rain pouring down on them during second-half action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 28, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills' run defense has been their biggest question mark in 2025, but with the regular season winding down, this team has seen improvements in that regard over the last few weeks that'll make them a force in the playoffs.

The Bills are ranked 29th in rushing defense entering Week 18, but they limited last season's Offensive Player of the Year, Saquon Barkley, to 68 rushing yards on 19 carries. Another reason for improvements is that people are getting healthier.

Matt Milano
Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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Matt Milano has turned back the clock to his All-Pro self, the one before multiple significant injuries, and even though Ed Oliver, who may be the heart and soul of the unit, suffered a setback in his rehab for a torn bicep, there's still an outside chance he'll return.

Eleventh-year veteran Shaq Thompson has also provided a surprisingly strong season to go with his leadership and knowledge of head coach Sean McDermott's defense.

The Bills' improvements have touched ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky so much that he said the only way teams can beat the Bills' defense is by attacking their biggest defensive strength, one that they're the best in the league at.

Shaq Thompson
Dec 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Cincinnati Bengals guard Dalton Risner (66) looks to block Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson (45) in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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"I think a lot of people are going to say, 'Well, you just don't want to face a good running game.' I see it differently," Orlovsky said on One Bills Live on Tuesday. "It's gonna be by a highly effective, on-point passing game. Because if it's not, you won't have success throwing the football against them."

It won't be long until the Bills are in playoff football for the seventh straight year, and even though their opponent in the wild-card round is unknown, they shouldn't be daunted if it's a team with a strong running game.

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Owen Klein
OWEN KLEIN

Owen Klein has covered football, basketball and baseball for Penn State athletics as a broadcaster on local radio, including producing Penn State’s 2024 men’s basketball Big Ten Tournament games and calling Penn State football’s Whiteout vs. Washington in November 2024. He has internships with the Buffalo Bisons and CBS affiliate WIVB in Buffalo, NY, in the summer of 2025. He is a Penn State University broadcast journalism student at the Bellisario College of Communications majoring in broadcast journalism and is passionate about college and professional sports, the Pokémon Video Game Championships and the Buffalo Bills.

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