Problems

[Mike]

It took us 9 turnovers & 2 defensive TD to beat the Eagles & Pats by a combined 6points!

I'm glad we won both of those games, however we can not count on 5 turnovers per game to beat the good teams. Bills need to improve on both sides of the ball to become legit contenders. We also need to play better with a lead.

Glad to be 4-1, hope we extend to 5-1 next week. see you in the payoffs, if we can shore up some of our weaknesses & improve hopefully we can become that Cinderella team!

[Philagape]

Turnovers are as part of the game as anything else and often the most important factor. Why think of them as some sort of bonus? They earn them.

[Romes]

Combined 10 points... but anyway, those are both extremely high powered offences...no one can beat them unless they force turnovers.

[Mike]

If anything this D is good at generating turnovers. In another thread someone stated that they aren't talented enough so that is how they have to play, and he was right. The Bills D is doing a phenomenal job for what they are. I just wish our potent O would put teams away so second half comebacks are a non issue. If anything, I'm greedy, wishing we won by more than 3pts vs eagles. Bills were far superior for 3quarters.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

In honor of Al Davis: JUST WIN BABY!!!!

[ghz in pittsburgh]

I maintain that this team has more talent on defense than offense. But it will take time to get them to gell, especially with so many rookies and 2nd year players mixed in. The fact that they look so bad in spots and look so good in others - hot and cold within a game - speaks for the talent and yet inexperience factor.

On offense, I'm afraid this is the best we can do. If you are an opposing defense, who are you really afraid of Bills offense? Jackson may ring a bell a little but too much. We just don't have elite guys in any position to make them cringe. I know they have scored a lot of points, but coming crunch time, when they have a good defense, they really don't have an answer.

It'll take more than 2 drafts to get this fixed. They really need one or two stars to take this team a notch over on top of the solid guys they have now.

[Don't Panic]

I totally agree. To expect the +/- ratio to stay this way is unreasonable. We need to do a better job of stoping drives if you want to become a first tier team.

[Ingtar33]

Turnovers are as part of the game as anything else and often the most important factor. Why think of them as some sort of bonus? They earn them.

No. turnovers are
1/3 luck
1/3 offensive player screw-up
1/3 defensive player skill/scheme

which means 2/3 of all turnovers were pure chance or screw-up by the offense. You can't count on them to win you games. That's how the chiefs won their division last year. they lead the league in turnover margin. That's pure chance. Look at them this year, now the ball isn't bouncing their way.

We might get lucky the whole year, and continue to get these turnovers, but to be perfectly realistic... we can't count on it. Right now the turnovers are covering for some of the worst defensive play i've ever seen. When they stop coming we'll start losing, unless our defense can get better.

[JohnnyGold]

I maintain that this team has more talent on defense than offense. But it will take time to get them to gell, especially with so many rookies and 2nd year players mixed in. The fact that they look so bad in spots and look so good in others - hot and cold within a game - speaks for the talent and yet inexperience factor.

On offense, I'm afraid this is the best we can do. If you are an opposing defense, who are you really afraid of Bills offense? Jackson may ring a bell a little but too much. We just don't have elite guys in any position to make them cringe. I know they have scored a lot of points, but coming crunch time, when they have a good defense, they really don't have an answer.

It'll take more than 2 drafts to get this fixed. They really need one or two stars to take this team a notch over on top of the solid guys they have now.


after reading this post, i had to check the time stamp to make sure this wasn't a thread that was upped from last season.

so, just to be clear, having the third ranked offense in the league is something to be negative about this morning?

we haven't even used spiller or smith to any great extent this season - it's like gaily is holding his hand until the weather gets colder and it's time to put it on the ground more. or even for, dare i say, the playoffs.

and we're the number 1 team in the conference in what matters most. the standings.

just enjoy the season man. just enjoy it. every team in the league has weaknesses. this team will never be perfect. we'll never go 19-0. we'll never not have any weaknesses. we'll never not have any injuries. but the fact of the matter is, that applies to every team, in every sport, for all of time. someones gotta win a championship every year. and it's usually the teams that win games that compete for that title. currently, we're winning games. sit back and enjoy the ride.

[EricStratton]

The 2009 Saints were ranked 25th in yards allowed and 20th in points but were 2nd in turnovers forced.

Getting TO's are by design, not always by luck/

[Buckets]

I thought about this too but then remembered this is a TEAM sport. We're winning (and loosing) as a team.

[Philagape]

No. turnovers are
1/3 luck
1/3 offensive player screw-up
1/3 defensive player skill/scheme

which means 2/3 of all turnovers were pure chance or screw-up by the offense. You can't count on them to win you games. That's how the chiefs won their division last year. they lead the league in turnover margin. That's pure chance. Look at them this year, now the ball isn't bouncing their way.

We might get lucky the whole year, and continue to get these turnovers, but to be perfectly realistic... we can't count on it. Right now the turnovers are covering for some of the worst defensive play i've ever seen. When they stop coming we'll start losing, unless our defense can get better.

That ratio is not how the Bills are doing it this year.
They're doing it with savvy coverage (like Florence yesterday, and Wilson on Gronk against the Pats), tipped passes (Carrington yesterday) and timely pressure (Moats and Sheppard). Plus, putting points on the board forces the other team to take more chances and screw up more.

Last year's Chiefs finished tied for 23rd in turnovers for. Their ratio was good because they were second in fewest TOs committed.
The Bills already have just four fewer INTs than the Chiefs had all last year.
They are in no way comparable.

[Philagape]

And btw, the 2010 Chiefs were sixth in TO margin (+9). They won their division because they didn't turn it over, they led the league in rushing, and it was a mediocre division.

[psubills62]

Ripping the ball out of the hands of players is not luck. I remember a Cleveland game...last year maybe? We face Peyton Hillis who had been having a fumbling problem and the Bills D specifically targeted him because of that. I think they forced one or two fumbles.

I think some of the INT's we're forcing are pretty lucky, but some of them are cause thanks to pressure and purposeful deflections.

[justasportsfan]

our offense needs to learn how to step on peoples throats even when they're already down.

[Zero]

In honor of Al Davis: JUST WIN BABY!!!!


Seriously, I'm done trying to analyze the Bills by trying to look at the numbers behind each game. As of now I care about only one number:the number of wins, baby.

[Mike]

our offense needs to learn how to step on peoples throats even when they're already down.


Exactly! If you have a good offense & you get 5 turnovers you should win by more than a FG. Offense has to blow the other team out. That's how those Saints did it a few years back! Our offense has to do better otherwise were a few bounces from a loss that should never happen.

[Mike]

Turnovers are as part of the game as anything else and often the most important factor. Why think of them as some sort of bonus? They earn them.

Do you see now?