Bills Central

TV analyst serves up stinging, 'panic button' criticism of 'light in the box' Bills

Former New England Patriots' receiver and FOX TV analyst Julian Edelman delivered stinging criticism of the Buffalo Bills' defense Sunday morning.
Former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has this pass go off his fingertips in the end zone against the Buffalo Bills .
Former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman has this pass go off his fingertips in the end zone against the Buffalo Bills . | Jamie Germano/@jgermano1/Staff Photographer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buffalo Bills weren't on the field Sunday. But it doesn't mean they weren't on somebody's hit list.

As the Bills attempted to enjoy their Bye and re-group from a two-game losing streak in advance of a Week 8 game at the Carolina Panthers, old nemesis Julian Edelman took some time to essentially start kicking dirt on their grave.

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Edelman, the New England Patriots' three-time Super Bowl champion receiver who is now a TV analyst with FOX, said not only that the Bills are trending down ... but that their style of play isn't sustainable.

Those are pretty harsh criticisms of a team that just two weeks ago was undefeated and the prohbitive favorite to reach Super Bowl LX from the AFC.

Bijan  Robinson vs. Bills
Bijan Robinson vs. Bills | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"The team that is trending down is the Buffalo Bills, I'm hitting the panic button right now," Edelman said Sunday morning. "They look light in the box. They're giving up 5.8 yards per carry and that's not sustainable. I'm worried about them, yes."

To Edelman's point, the Bills did allow 210 rushing yards to the Falcons last Monday night.

Aside from the two sloppy, ugly losses to the Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, Edelman is concerned that the Bills have constructed a roster and adapted a style solely to beat one team.

MORE: Sean McDermott's eye-popping record coming off Bye gives Bills hope for quick rebound

"It's like their team is designed to only beat the Chiefs," he said. "They have the two safeties and the coverage, but they're just so light in the box that they can't defend the run ... and they may not even get a chance to play the Chiefs."

Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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