Kyle Moore Providing Spark for Buffalo Bills Defense

In what may ultimately prove to be a blessing in disguise, the Buffalo Bills' revamped defensive line has had some bumps and bruises throughout the 2012 season.

Injuries are never, ever a good thing for a team, but in this case, the Bills may have just unearthed a valuable gem in pass-rusher Kyle Moore.

Moore, who stands 6’6” and weighs 263 pounds, was forced into playing time due to injuries to defensive ends Mario Williams (now healthy), Mark Anderson and Chris Kelsay. He’s been impressive in his opportunities by showing some legitimate ability in rushing the passer.

Prior to the team’s Week 11 matchup with Miami, Moore had totaled four tackles and a sack in five games. On Thursday night in prime time, he had two tackles and another sack while also recording two quarterback hits on a rattled Ryan Tannehill.

While the stats may not sing heroics, Moore has consistently generated pressure on opposing passers—something this Bills squad has sorely needed the past few seasons. Having someone like him to step up and fill the void left by other injured players is certainly valuable, but if Moore can continue to play well, the Bills may have just found themselves another weapon on defense.

Moore is playing better than the casual observer may think. To help shed light on his strong performances thus far, Bills beat writer Joe Buscaglia shared this interesting Tweet citing Pro Football Focus:     

"

#Bills DE Kyle Moore ranks 9th in NFL among 4-3 DEs and 3-4 OLBs in @pff's "pass-rush productivity" rating profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/11/1…

— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) November 15, 2012"

With great size and athleticism for an edge-rusher and at just 26 years old, there’s some upside here in the former USC Trojan. Moore still needs to develop his skills against the run, but there’s no doubt that his pass-rushing talents are garnering some attention.

Buffalo earned a huge win against division rival Miami on a short week, in large part due to its defense (along with the magical C.J. Spiller). They played with some noticeable energy, performed well against the run and created some pressure on the quarterback.

Moore was a big part of that.

The team certainly hopes Mark Anderson and Chris Kelsay can get back soon, but regardless of their injury situations, Moore plans to continue carving out a role for himself with this steadily improving defensive unit.

The Bills travel to Indianapolis for another big matchup in Week 12 against Andrew Luck and the Colts.

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