The Bills' strong defense reveals a simple mantra heading into their Week 4 clash with the Ravens

It's the next man's turn.

It's a phrase that coaches at all levels of football recite until they're blue in the face, but it's particularly true for the Buffalo Bills this season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The team suffered a major blow in late August when former All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano suffered a torn biceps, an ailment that will sideline him until December at the earliest. There were setbacks to start the 2024 season: Elite cornerback Taron Johnson suffered a forearm injury in Week 1 before starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard suffered a pectoral strain in Week 2.

Related: Josh Allen suggests it was time for Bills to divorce Stefon Diggs

Buffalo was forced to push depth defenders – individuals who had played no more than a handful of regular-season snaps entering the new season – into prominent roles, with Dorian Williams, Baylon Spector, Cam Lewis and Ja'Marcus Ingram taking significant snaps in three Playing this year in place of the injured starters. Not to mention the turnover caused by offseason departures, as Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin now man the back end of the Bills' defense after seven-year starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer left Orchard Park in the spring.

Buffalo's defense has every reason to struggle at this point in the season, but it has been anything but, currently ranking 11th in total defense. The unit currently ranks in the top 10 in both sacks and interceptions and is allowing just 16 points per game (good for seventh in the league); The Bills currently have the NFL's second-best turnover differential (plus five), a testament to their defensive tenacity and offensive prowess.

The team has allowed just 23 points in the last 10 quarters after allowing 17 in the first two quarters. There are several people and general areas that deserve their due when it comes to Buffalo's defensive excellence – its starters, its depth players who have been elevated to more prominent roles, its coaching staff, etc. – but no factor is perhaps more important in the unit's success than its success Mindset. The Bills revealed their defensive mantra – the mindset with which they play – ahead of their Week 4 clash against the Baltimore Ravens: “Smart, physical and fast,” a fairly simple phrase that the team's defensive players and coaching staff have embraced have made wardrobes in the shape of hats that bear the acronym of the mantra.

Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich spoke about the hats and general mindset during his media availability Tuesday, explaining their meaning before explaining their origins to reporters.

“Smart, fast and physical,” Babich said, according to Maddy Glab of BuffaloBills.com. “…We had these made for the boys. Said: If you believe in it, wear it. If not, give it back… There was a moment years ago where (head coach Sean McDermott) was like, “We're just going to do it.”

It's a mantra that cornerback Rasul Douglas says emphasizes the importance of playing freely, relying on what you know and trusting your instincts, as this keeps the defense from overthinking and themselves to get in the way.

“We don’t really want to really think,” Douglas said, according to Glab. “We just want to get everything moving. To put it simply, we can all play faster because we don’t have to think as much.”

When Babich and players use the word “simple,” it doesn't necessarily refer to the intricacies of the scheme, as defensive end Von Miller, according to Glab, described Buffalo's defense as “very, very complex” before noting that Babich and Co. ” do excellent teaching work.” The word refers more to routine; If you take care of your business off the field – or at least 1/11 of it – you'll be on your way to success.

“I think if you keep things simple in general, like in life, you can really do your best,” Miller said, according to Glab. “When I think of all the great days I had outside of football, it was easy. You get up, brush your teeth, have some breakfast. Then you watch cartoons, go outside, ride your bike, play video games, and it was good. We're trying to keep that attitude here.

Buffalo's defense is off to a great start and will look to demonstrate its defensive mantra again this Sunday in the main game against the Baltimore Ravens. Despite their double start, they are not a team to discredit; Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are two of the most dynamic players in the league at their respective positions, and Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely are pass catchers that can't be overlooked. The Bills will look to weaken their offensive prowess by playing smart, fast and physical football in prime time.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Buffalo Bills Bills on SI —