Defense! Defense! Defense!

[ghz in pittsburgh]

So far the 1st weekend of playoffs proves the old saying of defense wins championships. All 8 teams, won or lost, played some good defense. The winning teams played a little better.

And looking ahead to the bye teams, they have even better defenses waiting on the sideline!

I heard those analysis praising winning teams keep running the football even when the result wasn't that great. True. But my point is that those teams can AFFORD running the ball because they have defenses buying them time. Imagine if you are down a couple of touchdowns while gaining a yard and a half on every carry, no one will keep running the football in that circumstance.

I think the Bills need to focus on defense this off season. They have improved in 2007, but they are not going anywhere without getting into the top 1/3 of the league.

[jamze132]

If our D-line has an over-haul of talent, we can be a top 10 next year.

[ddaryl]

get us the best FA DE and the #1 DE in the draft and toss 2 of our under achievers aside and our DL is revamped... Get us a top FA OLB to replace Ellison and our D overhaul is complete.

Get us a top C for the OL... Get us a top TE FA, and a top WR FA and we are team worthy of mention next year.

that is a lot of top stuff needed though and I did not even mention retaining our own FA's and malcontents

[don137]

A good pass rush can really make the whole defense better. Kelsay and Denney are not effective starters in this league.

Plus I do not think Kyle Williams should be a starter. He is better coming off the bench. DTs need to contain their position and let the LBs run wild. I saw too many times OL rip through our DL and push away the linebackers. Throw in the fact that the LBs are not shedding their blockers and it just compounded the problem.

[Pride]

Suggs, 1st Round DE, 3rd Round DE and we are set!

Throw in 2 more OLmen (Center in FA would be nice), a backup DT, and another LB and we're good to go for next year!

[Jan Reimers]

get us the best FA DE and the #1 DE in the draft and toss 2 of our under achievers aside and our DL is revamped... Get us a top FA OLB to replace Ellison and our D overhaul is complete.

Get us a top C for the OL... Get us a top TE FA, and a top WR FA and we are team worthy of mention next year.

that is a lot of top stuff needed though and I did not even mention retaining our own FA's and malcontents
I totally agree, dd, but I would add a DT to your list. Stroud was very good last year, but K. Williams and S. Johnson are more rotational guys and the D-line could use another big, starting quality tackle.

[Typ0]

the old saying defense wins championships is very inaccurate IMO. Whole teams win championships. It's a lack of defense that looses championships not the other way around.

[ddaryl]

I totally agree, dd, but I would add a DT to your list. Stroud was very good last year, but K. Williams and S. Johnson are more rotational guys and the D-line could use another big, starting quality tackle.

DT needs to wait one more season IMO just because of the sheer amount of needs in other places. I thinnk our DT can make it for naother year, but the plan to add REAL youth DT talent in 2010 is a must if we are going to maintain any improvements to our D from 2009

We're not going to hit every need, and I think after DE and OLB on the D we need to get the OL tightened up as well as another recieving option fromthe TE or WR group

[Typ0]

You have to seize good opportunities when they arise. In the long run that's how you build a strong roster. When you go looking to fill positions and not getting the best players you end up with what we have.


DT needs to wait one more season IMO just because of the sheer amount of needs in other places. I thinnk our DT can make it for naother year, but the plan to add REAL youth DT talent in 2010 is a must if we are going to maintain any improvements to our D from 2009

We're not going to hit every need, and I think after DE and OLB on the D we need to get the OL tightened up as well as another recieving option fromthe TE or WR group

[HHURRICANE]

The problem with this team is we play not to lose. Teams that don't have talent play this way so they don't get exposed and let games get out of hand.

Time of possession was a huge emphasis this year. It was the first time in 4 years that our O was on the field more than our D.

I think the Bills play conservatively on offense so we don't expose our non-play making D.

[lukabrossi]

The defense showed some bright spots this year, from time to time.......but have never been consistant and never really seemed to play as a unit.....some proper coaching would change this.......but seeing as how that won't change anytime soon, we are destined for the cellar of thye AFCEAST for a few more years.

[ddaryl]

the old saying defense wins championships is very inaccurate IMO. Whole teams win championships. It's a lack of defense that looses championships not the other way around.

this debateable... Chicago Bears in 85 and the Ravens in ???? both won primarily on amazing D's

but I kinda agree with what your saying, but I would rephrase it to say great D's can overcome the problems with the rest of the team to win championships.

In more times then not great D's and so-so O's have won arguably more championships then great O's and so so D's.

[ddaryl]

You have to seize good opportunities when they arise. In the long run that's how you build a strong roster. When you go looking to fill positions and not getting the best players you end up with what we have.


I do agree with you to a point. But when you are much more desperate for DE's, and we are past desperate, we have pingeon holed ourselves to not being able to take the DT over the much needed DE when our DT's are much more stable in ability comparisons....

[Typ0]

this debateable... Chicago Bears in 85 and the Ravens in ???? both won primarily on amazing D's

but I kinda agree with what your saying, but I would rephrase it to say great D's can overcome the problems with the rest of the team to win championships.

In more times then not great D's and so-so O's have won arguably more championships then great O's and so so D's.

those cases are really exceptions...and if their offense played bad the probably would have lost as well...but in both cases the offenses were not stellar performers but did enough positive things and not enough negative things to win. It just so happens these examples are also the best defenses the league has ever seen so it looks like they won but they did not overcome poorly performing offensive units either.