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Bills vs. Chiefs: Buffalo's protection problems largely vs. blitz

No NFL team has a better pass rush than the Kansas City Chiefs this season - and the Buffalo Bills are having problems protecting backup quarterback Thad Lewis. Uh oh.

By Brian Galliford
  • (Play 1, 1 of 2) This isn't quite as bad as the fake handoff to no one that we've seen executed in empty sets or to the opposite side of the back, but: that play fake isn't fooling anyone, and it's delaying Thad Lewis in his drop and reads.
  • (Play 1, 2 of 2) As Lewis begins his drop, he realizes he's in trouble: Fred Jackson sees two unblocked blitzers to his left and front, and David Hawthorne is already through the line and out of Jackson's range. Seven pass rushers, a poor play fake and no hot reads (note Robert Woods and Stevie Johnson haven't reacted to the pressure) means bad business for Buffalo's offense.
  • (Play 2, 1 of 2) A more traditional play fake is slightly more effective, but Lewis is again already in trouble: the Saints are rushing seven again, and there will be at least one unblocked rusher to his blind side.
  • (Play 2, 2 of 2) Frank Summers can't get enough of the first inside blitzer, so Tashard Choice has to step into him, as well. That leaves a delayed rusher free to crush Lewis, who also misses his hot read (Lee Smith) running open short behind the delayed blitzer.
  • (Play 3, 1 of 2) As Lewis and Choice execute a better play fake, the play is already in trouble because Cameron Jordan, the Saints' best defensive lineman, has beaten Erik Pears with ease on the right side of the formation.
  • (Play 3, 2 of 2) Choice makes a half-hearted attempt at slowing down Jordan before turning and presenting himself as a dump-off option. Lewis is sacked on what was, by far, the easiest pressure the Saints generated all day.
  • (Play 4, 1 of 2) Look, Jackson is a pretty good running back, but no defense in the NFL is buying that play fake. Jackson is already in blitz pick-up mode, looking away from the direction he'd be running.
  • (Play 4, 2 of 2) As Lewis begins his drop following the play fake, Junior Galette has already beaten Chandler off the left side. Lewis doesn't sense the pressure, and you know the rest.
  • (Play 5, 1 of 3) Here's another Saints blitz that coincided with a Bills play fake. With Chandler releasing into a route, Galette will be coming free (he's the end isolated on the read-option play fake), and Hawthorne (57) is on his way, as well.
  • (Play 5, 2 of 3) The Saints got the Bills into this situation a lot on Sunday - one back responsible for picking up two blitzers. The rule of thumb for the back in this situation: hit the inside guy, which in this case would be Hawthorne.
  • (Play 5, 3 of 3) Choice instead blocks the outside guy, Galette, leaving Hawthorne to crash into Lewis at a dead sprint. Lewis was able to get rid of this ball, but needless to say, he took a lick.
  • (Play 6, 1 of 2) Here, again, the Saints have two rushers on a side of the formation where there's only one Bills blocker. This happens in the NFL, and Cordy Glenn plays it right: he takes the inside guy, Galette, giving his quarterback as much time as possible. Note that Chandler has recognized the rush and already has his head turned as a hot read - and that Lewis isn't looking in his direction.
  • (Play 6, 2 of 2) As Lewis is hit by edge rusher Corey White, he's throwing hot on a slow-developing underneath route to Woods, who doesn't even have his head turned as the ball is released. Chandler, meanwhile, is standing by himself at midfield, open from the start.
  • (Play 7, 1 of 2) Even in the red zone, the Saints were willing to send seven pass rushers. Chandler is running a route, so Jackson is the only additional blocker the Bills have. He makes the correct read, picking up Curtis Lofton inside and leaving the edge rushers unblocked.
  • (Play 7, 2 of 2) Lewis' hot read this time is to Johnson, who is breaking inside directly into the Saints' coverage leverage. Just a few yards to his left underneath, T.J. Graham is wide open on a hitch, has his head turned (where Johnson doesn't), and has a fighting chance to pick up a first down via YAC if Lewis can get him the ball. Instead, it's an overthrow to Johnson.

In his three starts at quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, Thad Lewis has been sacked 13 times, fumbled six times (losing three of those) and been knocked on his rear end (and in the head, earning a few penalties in the process) more times than we can count. After each game, win or lose, the refrain from the fan base has been the same: the Bills need to do a better job protecting Lewis.

Which is true. Buffalo has to figure out a way to keep Lewis from taking the number of hits he's taken, or the stability he's brought to the position with EJ Manuel sidelined will evaporate into thin air as the team turns to either Jeff Tuel or Matt Flynn. Here's the thing, though: fans are also laying most of the blame for the protection issues at the feet of the Bills' offensive line. The film from Sunday's loss to the Saints shows that line of thinking as faulty logic.

Yes, Erik Pears was beaten soundly by Cameron Jordan for a sack, and Cordy Glenn was walked backwards into Lewis by Junior Galette to force a hit and an overthrow. Other than that, the Bills' offensive line was fairly competent in pass protection against the Saints. Buffalo's problems keeping Lewis clean largely stemmed from their inability to handle the blitz.

Flip through the gallery above to see what we're driving at: the Saints routinely sent five, six and even seven pass rushers at Lewis. Buffalo's backs and tight ends missed blocks. Ill-timed (and poorly executed) play fakes slowed down Lewis' ability to recognize the pressures. When Lewis did diagnose the blitzes pre-snap, he struggled to correctly identify and hit his hot reads.

This week, the Kansas City Chiefs come to town. They're 8-0 based largely on the merits of their No. 5-ranked defense, which features the league's best pass rush by a considerable margin. Paced by Justin Houston (11 sacks) and Tamba Hali (nine), the Chiefs have sacked quarterbacks 36 times in eight games, well ahead of the Bills, who have the NFL's second-highest sack total with 27. If the Bills can't shore up their ability to handle the blitz - schematically, in the game-plan (seriously, the play fakes to no one need to go), and in basic assignment football - they're going to have an immensely difficult time moving the ball against the Chiefs.

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