The statistics of the Bills’ defense over the last two weeks have been shockingly bad: In last week’s loss to the 49ers, they gave up 45 points and 621 yards. In the loss two weeks ago to the Patriots, the Bills gave up 52 points and 580 yards. Those are two of the three worst yardage totals in franchise history, and against the 49ers they became the first team in NFL history to give up 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing in the same game. So is Bills defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt panicking?
Not at all. Wannstedt says he’s actually quite confident in his defense, and he expects them to have a big game today against the Cardinals.
“No, I expect us to bounce back this week and play good,” Wannstedt told the Buffalo News. “I mean, we have proven that we are capable of that both run and pass and pressures and everything that’s involved with it. And we just got to get back to doing it; that’s all.”
Wannstedt has never been through a pair of games like these, but he says he’s been through plenty of challenging situations before.
“You go through something like this probably every year you coach, to be honest with you,” Wannsted said. “And I know this: From a defensive standpoint, if you continue to give great effort and you know what to do and you got guys that care about it, you’re going to play good defense.”
It’s rather shocking, considering the investments the Bills have made in having a good defense, that Buffalo is as bad defensively as it is. If Wannstedt doesn’t get things turned around in a hurry, it’s hard to see him having a job for long.