Have Buffalo Bills built a defense that will come up big in NFL Playoffs?

These days, only the Kansas City Chiefs currently own a longer active postseason appearance streak in the NFL than the Buffalo Bills. Andy Reid’s has reached the playoffs 10 consecutive years dating back to 2015. The club has reached the Super Bowl five of the past six seasons—winning three titles.

On the other hand, Sean McDermott’s squad has made a postseason appearance each of the last six years, and is still waiting to make the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance since 1993. One issue in the playoffs has been the play of the team’s defensive unit, which has failed to answer the bell on a continuous basis. The Bills own a 7-6 postseason record since 2019—four of those losses to Reid’s Chiefs.

The numbers are disappointing, to say the least. In 13 postseason outings since ’19, McDermott’s club has allowed 24 points per game and an average of 369.5 total yards per contest. That latter figure includes 130.4 yards per game on the ground. The Bills have surrendered 35 offensive touchdowns in those 13 contests. While the team has come up with respectable 29 sacks, there have been only 14 takeaways by McDermott’s squad.

Conversely, quarterback Josh Allen and company have done a pretty good job reaching the end zone against opposing defenses, while taking care of the football. Buffalo’s offensive unit has produced 41 touchdowns in those 13 postseason contests, and the Bills have turned over the ball only six times in those games. Three of those six miscues (all by Allen) came in a 2022 win over the visiting Dolphins. McDermott’s team has not turned over the ball in five straight playoff games dating back to 2023.

This offseason, general manager Brandon Beane added veterans such as former Chargers' edge rusher Joey Bosa, cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson (both who began their careers in Buffalo and played for McDermott), and linebacker Shad Thompson. The Bills also signed defensive end Larry Ogunjobi and versatile Michael Hoecht, but the latter two will each serve a six-game suspension to start the season for violation of the league’s PED policy.

Beane also used the team’s first five picks in April’s draft on defensive help, including first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The Bills allowed 28 TD passes during the regular season, and four more in three playoff games in 2024.

So have the Bills actually done enough to address their playoff defensive issues? The real answer won’t come until January when McDermott’s team figures to make a franchise-record seventh straight postseason appearance.