Subpar DTs likely to hinder Buffalo's LB corps

[Carlton Bailey]

http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/07/bills-defensivetackles-linebackers130707.html

Good read...


After losing big-name defenders Nate Clements, London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/07/bills-defensivetackles-linebackers130707.html#) during the early months of the offseason, Buffalo's fans were given new hope when the Bills chose linebacker Paul Posluszny during the second round of April's draft. Posluszny, thought of as a world-class college player while at Penn State, is expected to be the team's starting middle linebacker when the Bills' regular season begins on Sept. 9.

Given the 22-year-old's success with the Nittany Lions, Bills fans naturally have high hopes that he'll excel from Day 1 in the NFL. However, those grand expectations may be a little premature, and that's actually not the Butler, Pa., native's fault.

After all, it's the Bills who haven't assembled a good enough front four to free up Posluszny and his fellow starting LBs -- likely to be Angelo Crowell (http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/07/bills-defensivetackles-linebackers130707.html#) and Keith Ellison.

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[OpIv37]

Some of us here have been saying the same thing for a while now- it's good to read concurring opinions.

The D is going to hold this team back.

[HHURRICANE]

I really hate to simplify things this much but without strong play from our DL which needs Hargrove, McCargo and Walker(highly unlikely) to all play well we are going to struggle mightily on D.

[TigerJ]

I think this is the conventional wisdom regarding the Bills defense. I really don't think the defensive line play will be worse than last season though. I think it might actually be a little better, simply due to the maturation of Williams and McCargo, and the better health of McCargo (I hope). I think the real question is if it will be enough better to help out our young linebackers.

[Bling]

There's nothing worse than having a team being able to run all day on you. With Clements, Fletcher and Spikes gone, this is going to be a bad season on Defense. Hopefully JP steps up, or there might be problems...

[Carlton Bailey]

There's nothing worse than having a team being able to run all day on you. With Clements, Fletcher and Spikes gone, this is going to be a bad season on Defense. Hopefully JP steps up, or there might be problems...

Right on, unfortunately. We'll have to outscore teams to win. It should be an exciting year at least.

[CJW]

Wait untill we see it on the field (THIS SEASON) b4 we *****!

[justasportsfan]

I think it might actually be a little better, simply due to the maturation of Williams and McCargo, and the better health of McCargo (I hope). I think the real question is if it will be enough better to help out our young linebackers. Homer!













but I agree.

[HHURRICANE]

I'm a fan and I actually like Williams. I think McCargo could be good but have been very disappointed that we are where we are at this point.

The Bills knew we had problems on D last year and addressed it by drafting Poz.

So at this point if Poz is the greatest linebacker to ever play the game, as a rookie, we might be slightly better than last year.

Go Poz!!!

[Yasgur's Farm]

I've said it before...

Our DT's did what they were told to do... They shot the gaps as the D is designed. It was the LB's (Fletcher and Spikes along with Crowell's injury) that couldn't fill their assigned gaps.

Toward the end of last season, the LB's, as a unit, were doing better... Ellison was coming on, Wire filled a nice role, DiGiorgio proved to have some stuff. I think the following changes from last years unit will make them better...

1) Replacing Fletcher with a more physical presence will go a long way toward plugging up the interior.
2) Crowell's return from injury is an upgrade over the play we got from Spikes last season. The edge will be better controlled by Crowell.
3) Having a years experience under their belts, Ellison and Wire will prove to be a solid tandem on the other side.

All this along with the return of McCargo should make the D more solid vs the run.