Bills Central

Bills' defense holds keys to Super Bowl LX hopes

The Buffalo Bills will go as far as their defense take them in 2025
Jeremy Brener|
Buffalo Bills Maxwell Hairston jogs to another area of the field during voluntary workout at their practice facility
Buffalo Bills Maxwell Hairston jogs to another area of the field during voluntary workout at their practice facility | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills are set on offense with MVP Josh Allen as their quarterback and one of the league's top supporting casts around him.

That means the Bills' Super Bowl chances hinge on how well the defense can play in the upcoming season.

Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine thinks the team's free agent and draft additions could help elevate the unit.

Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano makes a catch during Minicamp at Highmark Stadium
Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano makes a catch during Minicamp at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

"For the first time in four years, the Bills defense did not rank in the top 10 in both scoring and total defense. Brandon Beane responded by signing Joey Bosa and getting aggressive in the draft," Ballentine wrote.

"Bosa, 29, will join Matt Milano as two talents who have shown the ability to be at the top of their position when healthy. The problem is the latter has played in just nine games over the last two seasons. The former has been on the field more, but injuries and aging have limited him to 13 sacks over the last three years.

"The Bills added CB Maxwell Hairston, DL T.J. Sanders, Edge Landon Jackson and DL Deon Walker in the first four rounds of the draft. If they can get immediate contributions out of them, along with Bosa and Milano, then they are going to be right back in the top 10."

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Teams with a good offense or defense without the other unit shining often make the playoffs, but they fall short of being a true Super Bowl contender. That was the case with the Bills last season after they were eliminated in the AFC Championship Game.

The Bills have had a good defense in the past, but last year saw a regression. If the Bills were better on defense, they may have found a way past the Chiefs.

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If the defense improves this season, the Bills' chances of making it to the Super Bowl increase. If not, it will be a difficult season to stomach for Buffalo.

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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