Buffalo Bills Reinventing Ways to Win With Pass Rush

Despite missing an elite edge rusher, the Buffalo Bills had the NFL's No. 1 defense last season in both yards and points allowed.

In today's NFL, an elite pass rushing talent is considered a staple of every dominant defense. Bleacher Report, among others, tabbed edge rusher is the most important position in football outside of quarterback.

In the last 10 NFL drafts, quarterbacks have reigned supreme, with six No. 1 overall picks. Three times, defensive ends and edge rushers have gone first overall. It's no secret that the NFL values elite edge rushers.

List of No. 1 overall picks in the last 10 years:

• 2022: Travon Walker, defensive end
• 2021: Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
• 2020: Joe Burrow, quarterback
• 2019: Kyler Murray, quarterback
• 2018: Baker Mayfield, quarterback
• 2017: Myles Garrett, defensive end
• 2016: Jared Goff, quarterback
• 2015: Jameis Winston, quarterback
• 2014: Jadeveon Clowney, defensive end
• 2013: Eric Fisher, offensive tackle

The Bills, though, have different ideas.

Last season, Buffalo had the NFL's No. 1 defense in both points and yards allowed per game. However, they didn't have a single edge rusher with eight or more sacks.

Instead, Buffalo approached the pass rush with a committee attack, reinventing what it means to have a successful pass rush. Buffalo was eleventh in the NFL in sacks, despite the lack of star talent on the edge. Eight different players posted three or more sacks, as Buffalo made sure everybody got to the quarterback. 

It wasn't just sack numbers where this showed up either, as no edge rusher even played more than 52% of snaps. With future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller added, Buffalo wouldn't surprise anybody by ditching this trend. Miller is aware of and content with the rotation philosophy in Buffalo, but still hopes to be the impact player on the edge.

"I'm all for rotation and all that stuff, but when it's crunch time, I have to be in the game," Miller said. "I'm sure that coaches and everybody wouldn't fight me on that. When it's crunch time, I'm gonna be out there in the game."