The Buffalo Bills would love nothing more than to get back on track defensively as they return from their bye week. They would look to stave off a three-game losing streak, which they haven’t had since 2018. New head coach Sean McDermott is chomping at the bit to return to action. He confessed he was on edge and irritable all weekend long. The Tribe as a team prepare for an interim evaluation period. They are scheduled to get back Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi, too, both of whom had just returned from six-game PED suspensions out of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Ogunjobi, a 31-year-old defensive lineman, spent his time away from the team training in Boulder, Colorado, with strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey. His return will greatly enhance the Bills’ defensive line. It should particularly address the problems that have plagued them enough to keep the team dead last on 1st down as they currently rank 30th with a 51.2% conversion rate in the first halves of games.
McDermott cautioned against expecting too much from Hoecht and Ogunjobi right away. When pressed whether they’d be ready for the next game, he would only respond by saying “we’ll see.” He reiterated the need to balance the integration of these players into the overall team structure.
“Let’s get them integrated and get them rolling here,” – Sean McDermott
Even with the Bills’ recent slump, nothing will ever be too important to override Buffalo’s resiliency after a bye week. They do have an impressive 8-0 record under McDermott in this situation. Furthermore, the franchise is riding a ten game winning streak, the longest active streak in the NFL. Quarterback Josh Allen. There’s no doubting the quarterback’s record. He’s never lost three straight games as a starter, providing a sense of confidence for the team as they prepare for their next opponent.
Challenges remain for the Bills’ defense. Cornerback Dorian Strong is on injured reserve with a neck injury. On the negative side, starting safety Taylor Rapp has been sidelined and not practicing due to a knee injury. With starting linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard both limited at practice, the first real worry about depth at important positions starts to creep in.
Ogunjobi understood that an NFL season comes with ebbs and flows. He said all sides need to remain focused on each other and the common goal of restoring order, so that everyone can be on the same page moving forward. His experience in both successful and challenging seasons gives him unique insight into the importance of team cohesion during tough times.
After some time away, Ogunjobi is coming back with a vengeance. McDermott stressed that conditioning and schematic adjustments will be paramount for players coming back from suspension. He remarked on the complex nature of rejoining a team mid-season:
“There’s certainly a conditioning piece. There is a physical piece to it as well, and then there’s a schematic piece to it also. So just trying to manage expectations and just take it one day at a time.” – Sean McDermott
Just as important is the excitement among players themselves as they finally get a chance to reintegrate their teammates. Left tackle Dion Dawkins commented on the team’s camaraderie, saying, “We had a couple guys that couldn’t get in cause they left their I.D. home, and now they’re at the club and they let them in… I’m thankful to have them in the club cause it’s time to party.”
Yet, as the Bills prepare for their next matchup, they face some stiff competition from their adversaries. They need to address their own issues around player safety and performance quality and uniformity. The anticipated returns of Hoecht and Ogunjobi should bolster this unit’s causes, particularly against teams that have the offensive firepower to take advantage of defensive weaknesses.
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