The Buffalo Bills will look to get back in the win column on Sunday when they travel to face the Detroit Lions.
The Bills suffered their first loss since Week 4 on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. One of the biggest reasons for the loss was their poor play on special teams.
One of the most pivotal plays of the game came in the second quarter, when Buffalo had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown. Another crucial special teams play came on the final snap, when the Rams were punting as time expired and the Bills chose to let the kick go out of bounds rather than attempting to block it.
Buffalo's special teams unit has struggled all year, especially with kick coverage. The Bills rank 30th in kickoff return average allowed (32). Naturally, that has led some to question whether special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley could be on his way out.
When coach Sean McDermott was asked is he still had confidence in Smiley, he didn't hesitate with his answer.
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"Yes," said McDermott. "It's important to him. It's something that he takes very seriously. He works extremely hard at it. There's a lot of things that he's built up, a good rapport with the players, and we've got some young players on those, on some of those units as well. I'm confident in coach Smiley."
Although Buffalo's special teams have struggled, they're still in great position in the AFC with just four games remaining and more crucial moments coming in the postseason.
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This story was originally published December 11, 2024, 7:22 PM.