The Buffalo Bills' defensive front has been stellar at getting after opposing quarterbacks.
Opposing running backs? Not so much.
The same aggressiveness that has the Bills' defense leading the NFL in sacks with 43 has resulted in the unit allowing the second-most runs of 20 yards or more (13) through 12 games.
"It’s the consistency, it really is," Bills coach Doug Marrone said Monday, via BuffaloBills.com. "I hate to be going back, I wish I could give you another answer for it, but when everything is done right and we’re downhill and we’re getting after it and knocking people back, obviously we’re very successful.
"When it comes to a point where we’re getting caught or catching at the line or whatever it may be. We’re not going downhill or overrunning, when we’re not tackling, those are the things that happen."
In Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills gave up a pair of long touchdown runs -- a 27-yarder by Steven Jackson in the first quarter and a 38-yarder by Antone Smith in the second.
The Bills' defense throughout the season hasn't given up a ton of rushing yards or touchdowns, as it's just been the chunk runs that have periodically hurt the squad.
"When you look, not just us, but when you look at anyone, when they have a problem defending the run it’s usually not schematic," Marrone said. "Meaning that there are people where those balls are being run, but it’s a matter of people running over the op, someone missing a tackle, someone not knocking someone back.
"Consistently we just have to do a better job of that."
Follow Nick @NickStDenis
Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily
