Bills D playing it close to the vest?

[Mahdi]

I have been re-watching the Bills preseason games and what I am noticing is that the Bills are not giving anything away about how they plan to pressure QBs. Almost every single pass rush situation they are coming out with 4 down linemen in a basic 4-3 look with our LBs being used as DEs. No one is ever standing up coming off the edge.

It seems to me they are hiding what exactly they plan to do with Ellis and Maybin. There is no way that their pass rush consists of 4 DL, all in 3 and 4 point stances. I think in the 2 games they have played they have sent more than 4 only once or twice.

That is encouraging because our pass rush hasn't looked that sharp and I'm hoping this is why.

Also gives me more hope that we haven't seen the best of Maybin.

[justasportsfan]

we shall see soon enough vs. the fins.

[psubills62]

I agree Mahdi. There have been very, very few blitzes. I have a hard time believing our pass defense will be as simple as rush 4 down linemen and let everyone else cover.

I believe Whitner recently said that they had installed 60-70 different blitz and coverage packages in TC to attack the QB. I don't think we've seen anything close to what the Bills plan to do on defense.

[EDS]

I am convinced that Gailey and his staff are keeping Maybin under wraps this preseason and that they expect him to generate significant pressure during the season . . .

[trapezeus]

if jauron was coach, i wouldn't bank on it.

but it makes sense, the defense isn't athletically superior, so the element of surprise should help here and there.

[psubills62]

I am convinced that Gailey and his staff are keeping Maybin under wraps this preseason and that they expect him to generate significant pressure during the season . . .

I sure hope you're right, though I wouldn't count on it.

I think Ellis will have something of a breakout season, and Kelsay will probably play better than people expect.

[better days]

if jauron was coach, i wouldn't bank on it.

but it makes sense, the defense isn't athletically superior, so the element of surprise should help here and there.

I'm sure Dick will do a bang up job coaching the DB's in Philly this year. Thank God he is gone.

[madness]

Absolutely. They've used 4-3 nickel almost exclusively with a little 3-4 base mixed in here and there and rarely did anything outside of the basic four-man rush.

[EDS]

I sure hope you're right, though I wouldn't count on it.

I think Ellis will have something of a breakout season, and Kelsay will probably play better than people expect.

You are underestimating Gailey's genius.

Chan and company have slowly been setting up this scenario. Expectations will be that Ellis will be the primary rusher, so opposing teams will focus their blocking on him. This will free Maybin to utilize his speed. Expect considerable pressure and numerous sacks early in the season before teams figure out how to stop Maybin. Once that happens then the blitz packages will be rolled out.




. . .

[psubills62]

You are underestimating Gailey's genius.

Chan and company have slowly been setting up this scenario. Expectations will be that Ellis will be the primary rusher, so opposing teams will focus their blocking on him. This will free Maybin to utilize his speed. Expect considerable pressure and numerous sacks early in the season before teams figure out how to stop Maybin. Once that happens then the blitz packages will be rolled out.




. . .

Ah, sorry, I didn't sense the sarcasm before :up:

[Night Train]

Whether or not it works come the regular season, the pressure will come from stunts involving the LB's and the Secondary.

They're just not going to try any of it during the pre-season and we'll know nothing until the opener against Miami.

[stuckincincy]

I have been re-watching the Bills preseason games and what I am noticing is that the Bills are not giving anything away about how they plan to pressure QBs. Almost every single pass rush situation they are coming out with 4 down linemen in a basic 4-3 look with our LBs being used as DEs. No one is ever standing up coming off the edge.

It seems to me they are hiding what exactly they plan to do with Ellis and Maybin. There is no way that their pass rush consists of 4 DL, all in 3 and 4 point stances. I think in the 2 games they have played they have sent more than 4 only once or twice.

That is encouraging because our pass rush hasn't looked that sharp and I'm hoping this is why.

Also gives me more hope that we haven't seen the best of Maybin.

Well, this has been said for several years - BUF keeping things close to the vest so as to not tip the competition off. It hasn't worked. The competition was neither scared nor fooled come regular season.

They should be working the preseason on the wrinkles they plan to use, practicing them on both sides of the ball and try to get their players acclimated.

There is nothing that any NFL team hasn't seen before - use the preseason to sharpen skills and execution.

[EDS]

Ah, sorry, I didn't sense the sarcasm before :up:

Just having fun with the situation. With a new coaching staff, new defensive scheme, no proven passrushers and no proven 3-4 NT all we can do is hope for the best.

[X-Era]

Absolutely. They've used 4-3 nickel almost exclusively with a little 3-4 base mixed in here and there and rarely did anything outside of the basic four-man rush.

I thought they used the 4-3 nickel against Indy because they run a 3 wide set. I thought they ran a 3-4 against Wash.

[stuckincincy]

Just having fun with the situation. With a new coaching staff, new defensive scheme, no proven passrushers and no proven 3-4 NT all we can do is hope for the best.

One thing I'd do is have one of those LBs drop a knuckle down on the LOS before the snap and let whoever is at NT do a dance. You want that interior OL to suffer some uncertainty, moments before the snap.

[madness]

I thought they used the 4-3 nickel against Indy because they run a 3 wide set. I thought they ran a 3-4 against Wash.
Correct, although it was close to being split down the middle against Washington. The Bills also didn't use the 3-4 at all on 3rd down with the 1st unit.

[psubills62]

Correct, although it was close to being split down the middle against Washington. The Bills also didn't use the 3-4 at all on 3rd down with the 1st unit.

In the end, this is something I'm very confused about.

From what the coaches and everyone has been saying, the 3-4 is our base D, and our nickel and dime defenses will be with 4 down linemen. So for the most part, our run D will be out of a 3-4, and our pass D will be out of a 4-3.

That doesn't seem to make much sense to me. The 3-4 is most adept at defending the pass, while the 4-3 is better at defending the run. But they're playing these alignments to their weaknesses? I'm not sure I buy that. Something's fishy.

I can't believe they won't be rushing the passer out of a 3-4. No mixing it up before the snap? No trying to confuse the QB? That just seems to spell disaster, in my opinion.

[stuckincincy]

I agree Mahdi. There have been very, very few blitzes. I have a hard time believing our pass defense will be as simple as rush 4 down linemen and let everyone else cover.

I believe Whitner recently said that they had installed 60-70 different blitz and coverage packages in TC to attack the QB. I don't think we've seen anything close to what the Bills plan to do on defense.

60 -70 different packages? If that's so, it is an insanity. You would have have to have a superhuman intellect to process all that over a matter of a few seconds.

[Jeff1220]

Well, for those who have gone, what have they been doing in practice? That would probably be a little less "close to the vest" than the preseason games.

[madness]

In the end, this is something I'm very confused about.

From what the coaches and everyone has been saying, the 3-4 is our base D, and our nickel and dime defenses will be with 4 down linemen. So for the most part, our run D will be out of a 3-4, and our pass D will be out of a 4-3.

That doesn't seem to make much sense to me. The 3-4 is most adept at defending the pass, while the 4-3 is better at defending the run. But they're playing these alignments to their weaknesses? I'm not sure I buy that. Something's fishy.

I can't believe they won't be rushing the passer out of a 3-4. No mixing it up before the snap? No trying to confuse the QB? That just seems to spell disaster, in my opinion.

I'm sure they'll mix it up more but if that's the route they went the last two games, they sure did predict pretty well. I think Washington only passed against the 3-4 like three or four times. They also didn't make a play over six yards in about 13 plays against our 3-4 w/ the starters.

Gailey has stated they are bringing both O and D along slowly as well and does not expect to showcase his plans for Spiller in the preseason. That last tidbit makes me think he takes game-planning very seriously and doesn't want to reveal anything until the games count.

[psubills62]

60 -70 different packages? If that's so, it is an insanity. You would have have to have a superhuman intellect to process all that over a matter of a few seconds.

What?

Whitner said they installed that many during the course of training camp, IIRC. It's not like they're going through all of them in a few seconds. They'll probably include a certain number in each game plan depending on where a team's perceived weaknesses are.

[John Doe]

In the end, this is something I'm very confused about.

From what the coaches and everyone has been saying, the 3-4 is our base D, and our nickel and dime defenses will be with 4 down linemen. So for the most part, our run D will be out of a 3-4, and our pass D will be out of a 4-3.

That doesn't seem to make much sense to me. The 3-4 is most adept at defending the pass, while the 4-3 is better at defending the run. But they're playing these alignments to their weaknesses? I'm not sure I buy that. Something's fishy.

I can't believe they won't be rushing the passer out of a 3-4. No mixing it up before the snap? No trying to confuse the QB? That just seems to spell disaster, in my opinion.

We have several key linebackers that have been converted from defensive ends (Kelsay, Ellis, Maybin). It makes sense to use preseason games to give them some experience in pass coverage. Presumably they already have experience in rushing the passer.