Von Miller and the Buffalo Bills‘ Super Bowl chances took a major hit with the most recent news. Buffalo’s star pass-rusher, Von Miller, will miss the rest of the NFL season due to a torn ACL. Miller suffered a knee injury during the Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Detroit Lions where he was eventually carted off the field. Per BetOnline, the Bills still have +375 odds to win this season’s Super Bowl. However, things are going to be harder considering Buffalo’s defense is already banged up with key players such as Tre’Davious White and Micah Hyde injured. The Bills are still Super Bowl favorites, but things have not been as smoothly for them in recent weeks.
Von Miller Out For The Year With Torn ACL
Von Miller’s Season With Buffalo
While Von Miller may not be the Von Miller of old that won a Super Bowl MVP with the Denver Broncos, he was still a valuable pickup for the Bills for a reason. Coming off a second Super Bowl victory, Miller signed with the Buffalo Bills hoping for a legitimate chance at a third Super Bowl ring. Up until the injury, Miller had recorded eight sacks to go along with a forced fumble and two pass deflections. If this shows anything, it shows that Von still plenty left in the tank.
He was even effective for the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams last season once he was traded to them. In his short Rams tenure, the two-time Super Bowl champion recorded 12 tackles for a loss to go along with eight quarterback hits. On top of this, he also had five sacks. In the playoffs is where he really showcased his value.
During the playoff run last season, Von Miller tallied four sacks, a pass deflection, and six tackles for a loss. Not to mention, he also recorded six quarterback hits during Los Angeles’ playoff run. The Buffalo Bills already had a top-ranked defense. However, it is clear why the Buffalo Bills were willing to give Von Miller a hefty $45 million contract.
Buffalo’s Defense This Season and How It Could Fare Going Forward
Coming into this week, the Buffalo Bills currently possess the fourth ranked team defense. Only the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49ers currently have better defensive units. So far, the Bills defense has recorded 13 interceptions while only giving up 15 passing touchdowns. This shows the Bills not only possess great pass-rushers (such as Von Miller), but also a solid secondary.
With Von Miller out now, this ratio could change drastically going forward. Some other team defensive numbers include 20 total forced takeaways and only 2,620 passing yards allowed (18th in the league). Buffalo’s defense will still be good. However, without Von Miller and other key players like the aforementioned Tre’Davious White and Micah Hyde, their defensive ranking should stumble a little bit. As a result, the high-powered offense is going to be tasked with shouldering a heavier load as we get closer and closer to the playoffs.
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