Bills' defense under construction but blueprint is promising
Through the first three games of the season, the Buffalo Bills have allowed 71 points, with 40 of those coming in Week 1.
The Bills' defense allows only 131.3 yards per game through the air, which is excellent, but they are giving up an average of 156 per game on the ground. To be fair, that number is somewhat skewed by the 238 the Ravens pounded out in Week 1.
Missing pieces
The Jets put up 100 yards on the ground, and the Dolphins ran for 130. What can the Bills do to improve the run defense?
It's not anything scheme-wise, but it's more about the personnel. The Bills were without Ed Oliver in the last two games and Matt Milano against the Dolphins. They also have two talented defenders currently suspended, Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi, both of whom will return in three weeks, and should help the defense.
Rookies learning on the fly
The other part of this is the rookie defensive tackles the Bills are leaning on right now in Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders. They are both just three games into their rookie seasons and are still learning on the fly. The same can be said of safety Cole Bishop, who has only four starts under his belt. Let's also not forget that Bills first-round rookie cornerback Max Hairston will be coming off IR soon.
The Bills' next three games are against the Saints, Patriots, and Falcons, followed by the team's bye week. All three are winnable games, and an opportunity for the Bills' young players to continue to grow within this defense.
After the bye week, Ogunjobi and Hoecht will return. It's at that point, Week 8, against the Panthers, that we will begin to see a very different Bills defense. Week 9 is a big showdown with the Chiefs, who will likely have Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice on the field.
Reinforcements on way
Things look rough right now for the Bills' defense, but keep the faith, be patient, and things will improve. The run defense will get better, and the pass rush will show more consistency as well, especially with Hoecht and Ogunjobi added to the mix.
We've already seen the Bills' defense make key plays when needed, such as Oliver's forced fumble against the Ravens and Terrel Bernard's interception against the Dolphins. These plays will become more common as the Bills' defense develops and will become a vital part of the Bills' postseason push.
Yankees Shortstop Might Be Team's Secret Weapon
The New York Yankees might have a secret weapon on their hands as they move closer to the post-season: Jose Caballero's base stealing abilities.
Despite playing just 35 games since being traded to the Yankees from the Tampa Bay Rays, Caballero has stolen 14 bases. He leads the MLB in steals, with 48 bases stolen out of a total 121 games this season.
As a hitter, Caballero doesn't offer phenomenal numbers. He's slashing .234/ .337/ .347 this season and .265/ .370/ .471 on the Yankees, with only five home runs to show for a fairly full 2025. However, the Yankees have had trouble getting runners on base all season. Caballero's boldness and capabilities with stealing only serve to help the team, which can sometimes suffer from total offensive shutouts, like last week against the Minnesota Twins. This issue has improved since Cabaellero started playing more games and splitting time with divisive fellow shortstop Anthony Volpe.
While Caballero's base running has helped give the Yankees, a team that is often criticized for over-relying on home runs, a boost, it's not always perfect. During the Pinstripes' recent game against the Baltimore Orioles, Caballero was picked off between first and second base in the second inning. Though the Yankees won the game 7-0, it was the second time Caballero was caught stealing in four games.
“You got to live with some of it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “When you’re running a lot and you’re stealing a lot of bases, there’s some risk that goes with that, so there’s going to be some outs along the way. You try to do your homework and prepare as best you can to limit those things. As much as we’re pushing the envelope in the running game, those things are going to happen from time to time.”
Of course, Caballero should be cautious when he attempts to steal bases, especially in high-pressure situations where one out can make the difference between a win and a loss. However, the former Ray's talent might just be a secret weapon for the Yankees post-season, as they try to contend with a reputation for over-reliance on home runs and inability to get runners on base.
