The Buffalo Bills defense needs no remainder of how the Kansas City Chiefs offense can make big play after big play.
In fact, the Bills are expecting that this week, according to safety Micah Hyde. But the plan is to use that to their advantage, in a sense.
When assessing the Chiefs offense, Hyde said the Bills want to stop them every single play. But when they don’t? No big deal. Onto the next play and stop that one, no matter how much the one before hurts.
It’s all about the correct mindset for the Bills defense.
“We’re all subborn in a sense. We’re all alpha males out here, trying to not give up a first down, not trying to give up a yard. When you have a team [like the Chiefs] lighting up the scoreboard, just year after year, it’s proven that they can put up some points, you kind of just have to go into the game and limit their big plays,” Hyde said via video conference. “Make them nickel and dime us down the field and try to take the ball away. Force field goals. That’s the formula to try and win the ball game.”
“It’s gonna happen,” Hyde added on the explosive Chiefs offense. “Gotta flush it and move on.”
Easier said than done, but it’s not a bad idea considering the way the Chiefs handled Buffalo’s defense twice last season.
During the regular season meeting in 2020, it felt like big play after big play came from running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He had 161 total rushing yards.
Between both games, tight end Travis Kelce scored four times, twice in each. But he had a massive outing in the playoffs, combined with wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Together, the two had 22 catches and 290 yards.
Whether it’s a mindset or not, something has to change to prevent such individual efforts from the Chiefs. Might as well try that because if anyone puts up any similar numbers to that? The Bills aren’t winning in Week 5.
But Hyde wasn’t alone in thinking this approach will help.
Middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who is fresh off an AFC Player of the Week Award, said yes, Buffalo’s defense will be game planning. But what they do on their own end will also be key.
“Focusing on ourselves. Obviously you want to game plan against the offense, but like you said, you’ve got to be prepared for everything [against the Chiefs]. I think it goes back to make sure we do what we do at a high level,” Edmunds said via video conference.”It just comes down to executing at a high level, defensively.”
[lawrence-related id=89132,89497,89480]