Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
PFF: Lowest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8, 31-10.
Statistics might help determine who played well or not, and so may the eye test. But, let’s take it a step further with some help from the analytics folks at Pro Football Focus.
Using PFF grades from Week 8, here are the five lowest-graded players from the Bills (6-2) defense against the Seahawks (4-4).
PFF grade: 60.9.
PFF grade: 57.7.
PFF grade: 53.8.
PFF grade: 46.4.
PFF grade: 28.6.
Bills’ Dorian Williams: ‘It’s all starting to click now’
Buffalo Bills linebacker Dorian Williams has found himself in a big role in year two.
Williams, a 2023 third-rounder out of Tulane, was projected to be a top reserve linebacker for the Bills this year. A training camp injury to starting linebacker Matt Milano changed the course of Williams’ season.
Thrust into a starting role from Week 1, Williams has now had five consecutive starts to begin the year. It’s near-impossible to replace the production from the former All-Pro Milano, but Williams has shined so far.
While Williams has started to his his stride, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott complimented him even earlier.
“I thought he did a good job,” McDermott said after Williams’ first start against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1.
He enters Week 6’s matchup against the New York Jets (2-3) tied for the league lead in tackles (54). He posted 11 solo tackles in his last game. Williams is flying around the field, using his instincts, and making solid tackles. The way he finishes plays is reminiscent of Milano.
42 with shades of 58#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/9t2WK2IbCL
— Kam (@ktjuiceman) September 26, 2024
When asked about his play this year in Thursday’s post-practice press conference, Williams was appreciative of the support around him.
“Learning every week, taking what everybody has to say into account. I think it has helped a lot, for sure,” he said.
Williams was transparent in saying he wasn’t prepared to see much time during his rookie year, but fellow linebacker and team captain Terrel Bernard reassured him that his time would come.
“Last year I did come in a little under the bar I think,” Williams said. “[Bernard told me] ‘learn every day… my first year I didn’t really know what was going on either’. Once he told me that, I understood what was expected out of me. I took the offseason to learn a lot. They let me keep my iPad so I studied all summer and it’s all starting to click now, for sure.”
In 2023, Williams started just two games for the Bills. Now, he is looking like he could be the long-term answer at weakside linebacker given Milano’s health struggles. Milano will take his job back when he’s ready to go later this season, but Williams is taking the opportunity in front of him and running with it for now.
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Bills’ Dorian Williams forces fumble on Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (video)
The Bills were looking for any sign of life against the Ravens and got it from Dorian Williams.
The linebacker knocked the ball loose as Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was taking off into Bills territory. Jackson had been carving up the Bills defense but Williams hopefully gave his team some signs of life.
Fellow linebacker Baylon Spector ended up recovering the ball.
The turnover can be found below:
BILLS BALL‼️
📺: @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/BkyAdPgCBZ
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 30, 2024
#Bills’ Dorian Williams says he’s ready to step up for Matt Milano:
Dorian Williams knows it is his time to step up.
With the news that All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano will be out indefinitely with a bicep injury, Williams is in line to come off the bench for him.
“I feel ready,” Williams said. “That’s what we’re brought here to do.”
Williams was a third-round pick of the Bills at the 2023 NFL draft. When selected, Buffalo was not expected to select a linebacker–Now it’s a good thing the Bills decided to invest in depth behind Milano.
While the team would love to have Milano on the field, there is confidence in Williams. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said it will need to be a team effort, but he has confidence in Williams.
“We’ve got to be resilient,” McDermott said via video conference. “Dorian’s going to do a good job. He’s been making progress.”
Williams’ full thoughts on his opportunity can be found in the Batavia Daily News clip below:
Dorian Williams on his opportunity to step in and replace #Bills injured LB Matt Milano: “I feel ready.” #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ZzmVvDapOr
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 15, 2024
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10 #Bills players who could have bigger roles in 2024:
Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane made headlines as of late by pointing to where the Bills need to get younger at key positions and hit on their upcoming NFL Draft picks.
He also forecasted a 2024 roster in which younger players may need to step in and step up to play more hands-on roles than the team usually asks of them early on in their professional careers.
Without knowing who this offseason’s new additions might be via the draft and free agency, some players already on the Bills depth chart could prove to be contributors this upcoming season.
Here are 10 Bills players who could have bigger roles in 2024:
Best photos from rookie season of #Bills 2023 draft class:
The Buffalo Bills did not have the biggest of draft classes in 2023 but their haul from it ended up being an impactful one.
At the top, tight end Dalton Kincaid slowly came along during his first year in the pros after being a first-round pick. Then as a surprise selection in Round 2, offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence became a Day 1 for Buffalo.
On the flip side, some players from the Bills’ recent draft class were even too good to stick around. The likes of seventh rounder Nick Broeker now lines up on the Houston Texans’ offensive line after Buffalo had to cut Broeker and try to get him on their practice squad.
Following the conclusion of all six draft picks’ first year in the NFL, here are some of the top photos of each from their first season in 2023:
Here is Bills Wire’s stock report following Monday AFC Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Buffalo Bills made it back to the AFC playoffs in one of the more unlikely fashions as they finished the season with five-straight victories to clinch the AFC East title.
The season didn’t stop there as they still had to keep winning as their main goal is getting to the Super Bowl. That started with Monday’s AFC Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers via a 31-17 win.
To make this game more interesting than it was already as a win-or-go-home scenario, this contest was originally supposed to take place on Sunday. However, due to the dangerous conditions in Buffalo over the weekend, the NFL postponed the game until Monday.
The change in schedule didn’t seem to affect the Bills in a negative way as they took it to the Steelers from the beginning with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Here is the stock report following the playoff win over Pittsburgh:
PFF: 5 highest-graded #Bills players on defense in Week 11 vs. the #Jets:
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Nee York Jets, 32-6, in their Week 11 matchup on Sunday afternoon.
The Bills (6-5) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. On offense, the Bills were lead by quarterback Josh Allen who led a new-look offense with Joe Brady now calling the shots as offensive coordinator.
But not everyone had a game to remember, defense included.
To get more wins, Buffalo will hope such efforts will remain throughout the rest of the 2023 season as the push toward the postseason unfolds… particularly, they’ll need these efforts from these players to continue, according to Pro Football Focus.
Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on defense against the Jets (4-6) according to PFF’s metrics:
Not their best day:
The Buffalo Bills lost to the Denver Broncos, 24-22, in their Week 10 matchup on Monday Night Football.
According to Pro Football Focus, here are the five worst-graded Bills players on defense during the contest:
Not their best days:
The Buffalo Bills lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-18, in their Week 9 matchup on Sunday Night Football.
The Bills (5-4) had a few players that stood out above the rest in this one. Particularly on defense, Buffalo had a sound game plan. However, the Bills were not perfect and in the end, the final score tells that story.
The Bills will hope consistency and wins return in their throughout the rest of the 2023 season. But Buffalo will need these players to turn it around a bit as far as Pro Football Focus is concerned.
With that, here are the five worst-graded Bills players on defense against the Bengals (5-3) according to PFF’s metrics:
