3. Defenses are stepping up
During the regular season, the Bills ranked second in the NFL averaging 31.3 point per game and the Chiefs were sixth averaging 29.6 points per game. The two teams are known for their high-powered offenses this season, but don't count their defenses out. In the divisional round, for each team, it was the defense who made the victory possible.
Kansas City's defense held the Browns to just 17 points after they averaged 25.5 points per game during the regular season. They intercepted Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield once and held him to a 74.6 passer rating. When Cleveland had a chance to cut the lead to 10 during the second quarter, safety Daniel Sorensen forced a fumble through the end zone resulting in a touchback.
Buffalo's defense held an offense that was averaging 29.3 points per game to just 3 points. It was the Ravens' lowest point total of the season. The Bills sacked quarterback Lamar Jackson four times, had eight quarterback hits and blitzed at a rate of 41.5% according to Next Gen Stats. Defensive lineman Jerry Hughes led the group with two sacks and a team-high seven pressures per Next Gen Stats. When Baltimore was in striking distance and had a chance to tie the game, Jackson was picked off on a 3rd-and-goal by cornerback Taron Johnson who took it 101 yards to the house for a pick six.
On NFL Network's Good Morning Football, host Peter Schrager thought Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier deserved credit for the win.
"How about the defense for the Bills - just absolutely suffocating," Schrager said. "Any opportunity that the Ravens had to get going it felt like the Bills had an answer. We know the pick six and that was everything, that was the game changer. It felt like the Ravens were just knocking on the door to take the big lead or at least tie the game. Instead, a total switch.
"The entire game, Lamar was just completely bottled up. I'd point to the defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, 61 years old, has been a head coach in this league, has been a defensive coordinator in this league, has been around a long, long time. All season long I've been hearing out of Buffalo, Leslie's having quite a season too. We're all talking about [Brian] Daboll and Brandon Staley from the Rams. Buffalo has a defense that doesn't quit, and they're coached by a beloved NFL coordinator."
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January 19, 2021 at 05:25AM
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