ORCHARD PARK — Sometimes perception doesn’t match reality.
That’s the stance the Buffalo Bills have taken on middle linebacker and defensive captain Terrel Bernard this week. The public perception is that Bernard is struggling and that a slew of injuries over the last three seasons have caused his play to decline beyond repair.
Bills coach Joe Brady went the opposite direction, saying Bernard’s been playing “great” this season. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard also publicly backed Bernard, who has been shouldered with much of the blame for Buffalo’s sluggish defensive start.
“I feel like I’ve played some good ball,” Bernard said after practice Friday. “I feel like there’s plays that you want back. You play 70 snaps per game, there’s some plays out there that I can make. But overall, I feel like I played decent ball.”
The chatter was fueled when Bernard was replaced for a series by rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr against the New England Patriots. If it wasn’t for play, some assumed it was due to injury, as Bernard missed parts of the offseason due to ankle surgery and has been on the injury report with a knee ailment since Week 1.
Bernard was adamant that he’s healthy and the Bills insisted it was a rotation, but Bernard had played all but five defensive snaps during the season previously.
“The rotation is not an indication of (Bernard), more so just wanting to have these guys fresh for as many games as we possibly can,” Brady said.
Some of the perception that Bernard hasn’t played well is that he’s constantly on screen. The nature of playing middle linebacker means Bernard is going to be around the ball more than any other player on the defense.
But it’s also hard to criticize a player’s performance without knowing what his job is on a play to play basis. Bernard has also shown his instincts carry him to the ball frequently, with six interceptions and seven fumble recoveries since becoming a starter in 2023.
“I’m pleased with what he’s doing for us,” Leonhard said. “Are there things he can do better? Absolutely. But I think, at the same time, he calls the ship out there a lot more than people understand. And he helps guys to maximize what is happening around him.”
Bernard noted that he needed to produce more takeaways, which he has yet to do this season. But Leonhard called him “an elite communicator,” and that is his biggest asset to the defense.
But the Bills have struggled with communication at times this season. Either the call hasn’t come in on time or the back seven is still making adjustments when the ball is snapped. That has led to some explosive passing plays, with the team ranking 27th in pass defense.
Brady and Leonhard have also talked about how the Bills can overcommunicate before the snap sometimes and that certain players have to worry more about their job than someone else’s.
“It’s give and take,” Bernard said. “As a signal caller, you have to set the table, make a lot of the adjustments, make a lot of calls. But at the end of the day, you got to do your job. If I try to overextend myself and not do my job, then I’m not helping the team or helping the defense. The main part is once I get the communication set, I lock in on what I got to do and we got to figure it out from there.”
During training camp, Leonhard talked about Bernard thinking less and reacting more. In Sean McDermott’s defense, Bernard was tasked with a lot of pre-snap communication and they were among the best teams in disguising coverages.
Some communication issues were also evident last season. And in McDermott’s defense, Bernard’s role was more rigid. Leonhard’s defense doesn’t give players freedom to freelance, but offers more opportunity to play off instinct and judgement.
“It’s not just focusing on what I’m doing every play, I got to make sure that the guy next to me, the guys in front of me, the guys behind me, are doing the same thing,” Bernard said. “… As you get into a system longer, you’re going to feel more comfortable and things get a little simpler and more black and white. I feel like that’s what we’re working towards right now.”
Bernard also understands that some of the criticism comes with the defense not finding consistent success. The Bills rank 25th in points allowed, 27th in total defense, 27th in pass defense, 20th in third down percentage and 19th in run defense.
“Anybody can have their own perspective,” Bernard said. “But from my opinion, I feel like I’m doing what they’re asking me to do. If the fans don’t feel like that, if the media don’t feel like that, I understand you’re entitled to your own opinion.”