Jaguars' Defense Has Key Opportunity to Prove Itself vs. Bills

The Jacksonville Jaguars' upcoming bout with the Buffalo Bills might be the most evenly matched game in the first round of the 2025 NFL playoffs. These two teams were separated by a single win in the standings, and they rank similarly in plenty of meaningful metrics on both sides of the ball.

There are a couple of key disparities, though. The Bills' run defense is one of the worst in the postseason field this year. Jacksonville will have to prove that it can expose that weakness, though, as its rushing attack has faded dramatically down the stretch of the regular season. The other side of the ball features a battle of the titans between the Jaguars' ground defense and the Bills' league-leading running game.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Buffalo Bills, Ray Davis — Sep 23, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Ronald Darby (25) and safety Andre Cisco (5) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Can the Jaguars shut down the Bills' rushing attack?

The Buffalo Bills had one of the most potent offenses in the NFL this season. Despite having the reigning MVP Josh Allen at quarterback, they weren't led by their air attack. No, the Bills were a run-first team this year, and for good reason.

James Cook had an incredible campaign in his fourth year in the league. He finished with a league-leading 1,621 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, spearheading the Bills' ground game that ranked No. 1 in total yards, scores, and yards per carry. Thankfully, the Jacksonville Jaguars defense is well-equipped to take away that strength of Buffalo's attack. Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile believes that it'll be a great challenge for his unit:

This would make sense if the Jaguars weren’t also:

3rd in Rush Success Rate
7th in Rush EPA

The Jaguars have an elite run defense. No mental gymnastics required. https://t.co/J9XTUu27ED
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) January 6, 2026

"I think it's just an opportunity for us to play with technique and do our job. That's kind of the way we're looking at it. That's the way the guys in room are looking at it. That's how I'm looking at it. They challenge you in so many ways with their run game. They make everybody tackle. They do a really good job in their combinations, do a good job playing with their hands as an offensive line. Really everybody, I would say. I think their perimeter does a very good job blocking. And that's generated a lot of the big runs for them down the field, even in the screen game, which are an extension of the run game. They've done a great job in the perimeter blocking."

"So, it's a challenge at every level of the defense, and the running back obviously is elite. I think he does a tremendous job. Cook does a tremendous job of finding cracks. You look at some of the stuff on tape, there's nowhere to go and he pops through there. So, he's an elite back, and obviously the quarterback's an elite runner as well, but they have a bunch of good backs. They’ve really given everybody fits at this point in the season in the run game, so it's a great challenge for us.”

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