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We must figure out how to stop the run or this WILL be a long season. I'm interested to see how we adjust, with another top RB in Ronnie Brown going against us next week.
Everything else we wish to do on Offense or Defense is moot if we cannot stop the run and keep the opposition from controlling the clock. That's job one and Marv/Jauron know this.
Let's see how we respond this coming Sunday.
Anonymity is an abused privilege, abused most by people who mistake vitriol for wisdom and cynicism for wit
that is one the concerns with a speed/finesse D-line. If that D-line does not have strong play making ability the running yards pile up fast.
Even during our SB years our D-Line was finesse/speed line that depended on game breaking plays. When we got to the SB and played the Hogs, and then Dallas twice we played against mammoth lines that held there groud extremly well and our DL's were prety much neutralzed resulting in the 3 straight blow-outs.
that is one the concerns with a speed/finesse D-line. If that D-line does not have strong play making ability the running yards pile up fast.
Even during our SB years our D-Line was finesse/speed line that depended on game breaking plays. When we got to the SB and played the Hogs, and then Dallas twice we played against mammoth lines that held there groud extremly well and our DL's were prety much neutralzed resulting in the 3 straight blow-outs.
Good point.
One additional thing about this particular type of defense is that the philosophy behind it is that, while the opposing running game will be able to beat the penetration and speed of the front seven to get some big gainers, the defensive line's penetration and speed will be able to get enough stops in the backfield and for short gains against the opposition's running game that they will be forced to have to convert some 3rd and longs in the passing game in order to maintain possession--which is where the pass-rushing ability of the defensive line, with its speed and penetration comes into play. When the opposing running backs do break a big gainer, the speed and pursuit of the defensive line and LBs is supposed to help limit the length of those big gainers (ie, Maroney goes for 25 instead of for 40 or a TD), giving the defense more opportunities to make the stops that will end up putting the offense in 3rd and long situations that favor the defense and present opportunities to create turnovers.
It's a bend, but don't break until you come up with a turnover or big play kind of defense. High risk-high reward. In the first half against the Pats, you saw the high reward side: only seven points surrendered even though the Pats had close to 100 yards rushing. The high-risk side is what you saw in the second half when the Bills weren't able get as much pressure on Brady and he made some big plays in the passing game and the Pats were able to grind out the clock, even though the Bills held them to short or no gain on several runs. Even so, in the second half, the Bills were able to get the Whitner INT--part of the high reward aspect of this defense--which could have been decisive.
Playmakers and making plays are what make this defense work. Unless you have a lot of playmakers everywhere in the front seven, it is a defense that is going to give up yardage. But, the idea is to limit the number of points given up moreso than the number of yards.
Still, Leo Roth is right: the Bills are going to have to do a lot better job of stopping the run. The number of big and even medium length gainers that they gave up was too high in comparision to the number of stops for a loss and very short gains that they were able to get. One thing that they could do right away to improve on that IMHO is to do a better job of tackling--they had a lot of missed tackles, especially in the first half, but throughout the game.
Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. And, thus it was that they surrendered their freedom; not with a bang, but without even a whimper.
The holes that Maroney and Dillon were running through weren't holes they were just big wide open areas with no Bills in the area. I really hope this is the Bills learning the new scheme and not an indictment of the talent of our DT's.
Our failure to stop the run was by far our biggest problem. Some of it might have been due to Spikes' leaving in the first half with a hammy, and our inexperience at safety.
Should have known, way back in 1960 when we drafted Richie Lucas Number 1, that this would be a long, hard ride. But who could have known it would be THIS bad?
The holes that Maroney and Dillon weren't holes they were just big wide open areas with no Bills in the area. I really hope this is the Bills learning the new scheme and not an indictment of the talent of our DT's.
That's the problem in getting used to the "Tampa 2". Everybody his responsible for a gap, and they need to learn to stay at home.
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