Key area of Buffalo Bills' defense vastly improved entering stretch run

After a poor start to the season, the Buffalo Bills’ run defense may be starting to figure some things out as the team enters the stretch run.

The Bills have been among the worst teams in the league at defending against opposing ground attacks throughout the season, allowing 148.9 yards rushing per game through the first 12 weeks of the season. But in Weeks 13 and 14, through minor adjustments, the Bills’ run defense has turned in consecutive stout efforts to help achieve much-needed victories.

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) rushes for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Week 13

The Steelers managed just 58 yards rushing against the Bills, which is the lowest total put forth by a Bills opponent this season. Buffalo limited Pittsburgh’s top ball carrier, running back Jaylen Warren, to just 35 yards on 10 attempts, his second-lowest rushing total of the season at that point.

Week 14

As highlighted by Next Gen Stats, the Bills outrushed the Bengals by 121 yards while limiting their opponent to just 62 total yards on the ground during their win on Sunday afternoon. In doing so, it was their second straight game allowing fewer than 70 rushing yards after having recorded just two such performances through the first 11 games of the season.

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What’s changed?

One of the most significant factors in the sudden turnaround exhibited by the Buffalo run defense has been the insertion of Shaq Thompson into the team’s starting lineup. With captain Terrel Bernard out for the past two weeks, the veteran LB has taken the reins as the Bills’ defensive play caller and has produced well.

Thompson played 93% of the team’s defensive snaps against the Steelers and followed that up by playing every single one of the team’s 56 defensive snaps on defense against the Bengals. He has totaled a combined 15 tackles in two weeks, which leads the Bills during that span. Thompson has also recorded an impressive eight defensive stops in his past two games. His presence has been invaluable for the Buffalo defense.

What’s next?

Looking ahead, the Bills will face a New England Patriots’ rushing attack on Sunday that is coming off a 119-yard performance against the New York Giants before their Week 14 bye. During the win over the Giants, Patriots running backs averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

By no means does New England possess one of the league’s most fearsome rushing attacks, as they currently rank 21st in the league in yards rushing per game. The Patriots are led by their passing attack, driven by MVP candidate quarterback Drake Maye, who has led New England to the second-most yards passing per game (249.7) in the NFL through 14 weeks.

Still, this is a ground game that has proven more than capable of carrying a significant load throughout the season, particularly during a stretch from Weeks 7 through 10, when the Patriots averaged 157 yards rushing per game in four consecutive winning efforts.

The Bills’ run defense has displayed vast improvement over the past two weeks and did a solid job against the Patriots' ground assault in the two teams' first matchup in Week 5. Buffalo allowed New England to rush for just 71 yards during a 23-20 defeat.

The Bills' run 'D' must once again bring its best this week if it hopes to walk out of Gillette Stadium a winner on Sunday.

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