Let’s step aside from all the stats illuminating just how bad the Bills defense is performing (most notably against the run) so far this season. I’ll leave that analysis to Erik Turner @Cover1 and others far more capable than I am in that regard. The intangibles are where my wheelhouse lies… and there are plenty of issues to go around regarding the Bills and BillsMafia’s current state of mind.
Of course there were plenty of overreactions made by fans on social media after Kansas City defeated the Bills 26-17 in the rain at Bills Stadium on Monday evening. Overreacting is what fans do (remember the word ‘fan’ is short for ‘fanatic’).
However, if most fan bases are emotionally volatile by nature, BillsMafia sets itself apart with levels of irrationality only seen at a few places around the NFL. I’ve written about the psychopathology of our fan base many times over the years. So it should come as no surprise to read irrational tweets about firing, hiring and everything in between after a second loss in a row by the Bills.
Understandably, there was a fair amount of withering criticism directed at the underperformance by the Bills defense in particular. Clearly the Bills have specific issues they need to address regarding the defensive scheme, as well as execution (or lack thereof). Like I wrote earlier, I’ll leave that to the technicians to solve.
My question about Buffalo’s defense right now focuses on what looks to be a lack of leadership. The main person who concerns me in this regard is Tremaine Edmunds.
Edmunds is considered “QB of the defense” at the middle linebacker position. Entering his third season with the Bills as a first round draft pick, Edmunds is just 22 years old. That’s a definitely a big load to take on at such a young age.
Until this season, there were veteran players who became the de facto leaders of the defense. Kyle Williams was the face most people associated with in terms of leading the defense for more than a decade. When he retired after the 2019 season, outside linebacker/jack of all trades Lorenzo Alexander assumed the role until he retired at the end of last season.
Kyle was a natural leader. He wasn’t a talker, but he was a barker when it became necessary. Williams stoked up the team with his pregame speeches and lit a fire under those deserving of a shake down when necessary. Very few are made for the leadership role the way Kyle was.
Although Lorenzo Alexander wasn’t with the team nearly as long, his steady personality and willingness to do whatever the team needed endeared him to his teammates, coaches and fans. ‘Zo didn’t get fired up in quite the same way as Kyle, but his natural leadership skills helped the defense transition after Williams retired.
During Kyle’s last season with the team, he specifically took Tremaine Edmunds under his wing and passed on the baton of leadership. ‘Zo helped guide Edmunds as well… and also did a heck of a job helping the Bills defense prepare for the future.
Welp, the future is now.
And to date this once proud defense is in a shambles. The defensive line gets blown off the line of scrimmage with regularity, the linebackers are caught out of position too often and the defensive backfield is scrambling to make more tackles than they should have to be making. Solid veterans are getting nailed for stupid personal foul penalties showing a lack of mental discipline.
So what the heck is going on?
From the outside looking in, it appears this defense lacks any kind of identity at the moment. Is this because Tremaine Edmunds is struggling with his role as the leader and face of the Bills’ defense?
Of course players will parrot old phrases that leaders don’t have to be loud or assertive to be effective, and they would be right. It’s true that leadership comes in many shapes and sizes. You don’t have to be a yeller to get your point across.
However, you do have to have the RIGHT kind of leader for a particular group. In some groups or in this case defenses, a leader like Ray Lewis can get the job done without yelling just based on his alpha personality. Some defenses fly fine with quieter guys like Luke Kuechly.
When I look at the overall personality of the Bills defense, I see a lot of young players drafted or signed by McBeane who have played together for a few years.
Jerry Hughes, Harrison Phillips, Star Lotulelei, Tremaine Edmunds, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White.
These are the players who have been with the team the longest and form the backbone of the Bills’ defense. Taking a look at their individual personal style, this is a group dominated by laid back personalities and leadership predominantly “by example”.
Groups of any kind tend to function more effectively when there is a representative mix of different personality types. This group is overwhelming passive in their communication style and that may be part of the problem. This group is missing a Kyle Williams type “in your face” leader who will get in everyone’s face and to the bottom of what is going on with the lack of mental discipline happening at the moment.
With respect to the ascension of Tremaine Edmunds in the role, there are some specific issues that make this an even more difficult transition to leadership than anticipated. Most of us assumed this defense would be playing at a similar level as recent years. That has definitely not been the case so far in 2020.
You would hope your 22 year old leader would be able to find his footing with a defense functioning on at least half its cylinders, but this defense this season isn’t even performing at that level. So when your own statistics aren’t measuring up to what they have been in the past, how do you step into a leadership role and ask more from your teammates when maybe you’re not feeling all that great about your own performance?
My point is that it’s not Tremaine Edmunds inherent personality to be assertive. That’s just not his style. So to expect him to grab his teammates by the short hairs when he’s probably not feeling like he’s at the top of his own game is an awfully big ask for a 22 year old.
They’re probably already doing it, but I hope Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier are working more directly with Edmunds to bring the guys together for a meeting of the minds. Heck, maybe a Zoom meeting with Kyle Williams might be helpful.
Whatever measures are being taken, we can only hope the results will start to show on the field because the current state of collapse by this defense is alarming.
~The Caboose~