Bills mixing it up on defense

[Don't Panic]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/192600.html


In one alignment, linebackers Angelo Crowell and John DiGiorgio were on the line of scrimmage standing over the center and left guard. Defensive tackle Larry Tripplett played as a stand-up defensive end outside the right tackle. Defensive end Anthony Hargrove stood between the right tackle and guard from the defensive tackle spot. Aaron Schobel was in a three-point stance at his usual right end position. Left end Chris Kelsay? He was walking around behind the line of scrimmage, almost like a linebacker. This gave the impression that Crowell and DiGiorgio were blitzing, but when the ball was snapped they dropped into coverage. Meanwhile, Hargrove, Tripplett and Kelsay rushed from the left side of the defensive formation and Schobel attacked from the right. The result was a hurried throw by Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller.
These creative schemes fouled up Baltimore’s blocking assignments and allowed pass rushers to slip through cracks in protection and put a lot of pressure on Boller. And that was the whole idea.

This is one area of this team that I think deserves a lot of credit. The fact that we've played as well as we have defensively with the personnel losses that we've taken (both offseason and from injury) is a testament to Fewell's ability to change things up and keep the offense guessing. I've noticed it play after play... we are no where near as predictable as we've been in recent years. You may not be a fan of the Tampa 2 (I still am), but you have to give the guy credit for doing what he has done so far this year.

[mysticsoto]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/192600.html

This is one area of this team that I think deserves a lot of credit. The fact that we've played as well as we have defensively with the personnel losses that we've taken (both offseason and from injury) is a testament to Fewell's ability to change things up and keep the offense guessing. I've noticed it play after play... we are no where near as predictable as we've been in recent years. You may not be a fan of the Tampa 2 (I still am), but you have to give the guy credit for doing what he has done so far this year.

I think they have done great in the respect described above. My only objection is that for the past 2 weeks, our opponents have seemed to make adjustments after half time to counter what we are doing, yet we seem to do very little adjustments ourselves. I'd like to see us adapt better to other teams, add a new twist to whatever scheme we may be implementing (to try and throw their adjustments off) and overall dominate a game more rather than always seemingly being on the brink of losing in the 2nd half (which so far has been more the case than not).

[Pride]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/billsnfl/story/192600.html



This is one area of this team that I think deserves a lot of credit. The fact that we've played as well as we have defensively with the personnel losses that we've taken (both offseason and from injury) is a testament to Fewell's ability to change things up and keep the offense guessing. I've noticed it play after play... we are no where near as predictable as we've been in recent years. You may not be a fan of the Tampa 2 (I still am), but you have to give the guy credit for doing what he has done so far this year.

I fully agree. To get a team like this, playing such close games, to play so well defensively... is an amazing feat.

[OpIv37]

I just wonder why we had to lose 3 games before we started trying this stuff.

[Mahdi]

I just wonder why we had to lose 3 games before we started trying this stuff.
We used it against Dallas and it worked for 59 minutes brilliantly.

[Pride]

Because its unconventional. I'm sure throughout the offseason the gameplan was to line up and play a conventional cover 2 D. Preseason you practice it... game 1 you almost won... so no need to change. Games 2 and 3 got away from them... so I believe this defense is a direct response to that.

I'll take a change after 2 games, rather than no change after 10.

[BuffaloBlakely14]

I just wonder why we had to lose 3 games before we started trying this stuff.


Sometimes it takes time to make adjustments, to know what personnel you have and what you can do with them. Not to mention in the first 3 games half the defense was just trying to stay healthy for the entire game. There was no way Fewell could try anything with different players in each quarter much less game to game. These past 3 games have been the first games where for the most part the defensive unit has stayed the same. Not to mention the spark and fire that getting Hargrove back has had, and the emergence of McCargo as a legit force on the line.

Look at the Giants D. They were considered among the worst D in the league after the first two games, now they are being talked about as a legitimate Top 5 D. Sometimes it just takes time, and continuity for things to come together.

Out of all the coaches Fewell has done the best job this season, of course aside from Bobby April.

[Don't Panic]

We used it against Dallas and it worked for 59 minutes brilliantly.

That was the one thing I forgot to mention... the end of the Dallas game. But Fewell manned up and admited his fault after the game, so that deserves credit in my book. As for games 2 and 3 (Pit. and NE)... we are in no shape to be competitive with those teams (or any of the elite). Maybe they did serve as the wake-up to FEwell to make the changes that we see now. BTWQ... I'm sure Jauron has a lot to do with this as well. I'll bash the guy when needed, but he is a defensive coach and I'm sure is scheming with Fewell a lot throughout the week on what we're doing on D.