Buffalo Bills

Rex Ryan takes blame for Bills' defensive issues

Published Dec. 16, 2015 1:24 p.m. ET

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Through 13 games, the Buffalo Bills have the 20th best defense in the league with regards to yards allowed per game. They're 30th in sacks and have undoubtedly underperformed in Rex Ryan's first season as the head coach. After finishing 2014 as the fourth-best defense, Ryan is understandably frustrated and disappointed by the drop off despite having nearly the same personnel.

While it's also up to the players to perform and play well, Ryan took the blame for the defense's struggles this season.

Via Mike Rodak of ESPN:

Ryan set the bar high for his team, saying he'd be disappointed if they didn't have the top defense at the end of the year. It's safe to say that won't be the case, so he's taking a step back and admitting he jumped the gun, as Marcell Dareus said Tuesday.

"I believe we'll get better. I don't think there's any doubt about it," Ryan said. "Maybe I set the expectations so high, but I always set them so high."

Ryan has created questions regarding the complexity of his scheme with players like Mario Williams and Dareus dropping back in coverage on several occasions. Ryan provided some information on the idea that his scheme is too complicated with a bit of sarcasm.

"My thing is clearly too complicated to play," Ryan said sarcastically Wednesday. "I think that's the main issue here."

"As I say, that falls directly on me. So I get that. No question. It doesn't need to be pointed anywhere else. It needs to be pointed at me. Like I said, I'm a big guy, I got broad shoulders, I can take it. Literally, I can count on -- well, this would be my first finger -- that I've ever been considered maybe a weakness of a team the way I coach defense. But clearly we haven't been up to what we anticipated. Any of us. The fan base, myself, players, everybody. And I get that. Now that's my responsibility. The season is not over. I expect to play better, but that's just the way it is."

If there were a second paragraph, it would go here.