ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — After back-to-back losses, the Bills' defense is still searching for their identity.
Between the run game and pass game, this defense has multiple struggles. There is a positive, though: the Bills will go up against one of the worst offenses in the league in the New York Jets for a chance to redeem themselves.
“You’re always trying to find your identity of the defense to continue to get better,” safety Micah Hyde said. “Obviously, that wasn’t the case the last couple of weeks. We feel like we left some plays out there. (For) the defense, finding our identity is huge, and we’re still trying to do that.
"If guys are in and out of the lineup and all that (not creating excuses), we must try and find that rhythm. We have to get off the field on third down, tighten up in the red zone, just stuff we be doing in the past for so long.”
Six games in and it’s already been a turnaround from last season. So far, this Bills defense ranks 24th in yards allowed compared to last year, when it finished third in yards allowed.
The Bills continued to try and shake things up and promoted defensive tackle Justin Zimmer to the active roster on Wednesday.
Veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes is highly impressed with the undrafted free agent and called him a “quiet assassin.”
“He flies around and always tries to make plays,” Hughes said. “That is the make up of this team, guys who want to make plays. He takes advantage of every opportunity he’s given. He fits in with the unit like a glove, eager to lean and brings that dog mentality on the defensive line.”
Zimmer is joining the active roster after the recent release of Quinton Spain.
