The Broncos had a league-high 63 sacks in the regular season – 9 more than any other team. But I don’t see how they could be used this week with much hope of anything good happening. Buffalo’s offense just doesn’t make many mistakes.
Josh Allen used to have a tendency to hold the ball, trying to create big plays – with some of those turning into sacks. And he also used to have a tendency to pull the trigger on risky throws. He threw 18 interceptions as recently as a year ago. But more recently, the Bills haven’t tended to give up much.
The allowed a league-low 14 sacks in the regular season, and they turned the ball over a league-low 8 times.
It’s been 15 years since a team allowed fewer sacks. (That would be the 2009 Colts, with Peyton Manning.) Only five teams in the 32-team era have allowed fewer sacks.
FEWEST SACKS (since 2002) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | G | Sack | Sk/G |
2003 | Detroit | 16 | 11 | .69 |
2008 | Tennessee | 16 | 12 | .75 |
2008 | Denver | 16 | 12 | .75 |
2009 | Indianapolis | 16 | 13 | .81 |
2008 | New Orleans | 16 | 13 | .81 |
2024 | Buffalo | 17 | 14 | .82 |
2020 | Pittsburgh | 16 | 14 | .88 |
2008 | Indianapolis | 16 | 14 | .88 |
2004 | Indianapolis | 16 | 14 | .88 |
2004 | Green Bay | 16 | 14 | .88 |
2009 | Tennessee | 16 | 15 | .94 |
2006 | Indianapolis | 16 | 15 | .94 |
2004 | Denver | 16 | 15 | .94 |
More troubling (for Denver’s defense), Buffalo finished the season with only 6 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles. That’s less than half of a turnover per game, the lowest mark in league history.
Two other teams playing this weekend are also on this list – Chargers, Ravens – underscoring the changing nature of the sport. But Buffalo has an offense right now that’s tough to fluster, even for a defense like Denver’s.
FEWEST TURNOVERS PER GAME | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Int | Fum | Tot | TO/G |
2024 | Buffalo | 6 | 2 | 8 | .47 |
2019 | New Orleans | 6 | 2 | 8 | .50 |
2024 | • LA Chargers | 3 | 6 | 9 | .53 |
2011 | San Francisco | 5 | 5 | 10 | .63 |
2010 | New England | 5 | 5 | 10 | .63 |
2024 | • Baltimore | 4 | 7 | 11 | .65 |
2020 | Green Bay | 5 | 6 | 11 | .69 |
2018 | Seattle | 7 | 4 | 11 | .69 |
2017 | Kansas City | 8 | 3 | 11 | .69 |
2016 | Atlanta | 7 | 4 | 11 | .69 |
2016 | New England | 2 | 9 | 11 | .69 |
2020 | Tennessee | 7 | 5 | 12 | .75 |
2017 | New England | 8 | 4 | 12 | .75 |
2016 | Buffalo | 7 | 5 | 12 | .75 |
2021 | Minnesota | 7 | 6 | 13 | .76 |
2021 | Green Bay | 7 | 6 | 13 | .76 |
2021 | Seattle | 7 | 6 | 13 | .76 |
2019 | Green Bay | 4 | 9 | 13 | .81 |
2014 | Green Bay | 6 | 7 | 13 | .81 |
2014 | New England | 9 | 4 | 13 | .81 |
2008 | Miami | 7 | 6 | 13 | .81 |
2008 | NY Giants | 10 | 3 | 13 | .81 |
2024 | • Kansas City | 11 | 3 | 14 | .82 |
2024 | • LA Rams | 9 | 5 | 14 | .82 |
2023 | Houston | 8 | 6 | 14 | .82 |
—Ian Allan