How would you fix the defense?

[psubills62]

Just wondering what your solution to fixing the defense is.

Is George Edwards the main problem? Would this defense be that much better with a new coordinator? Are the CB's the main problem? Lack of pass rush? Inconsistent run defense? Do we need to guard the edge better against runs?

I'll be honest, I like a lot of our defensive players (especially front 7). But in the end someone has to be responsible for our poor defensive showings. As much as people have castigated our poor pass defense (justifiably), we're last in the league in allowing 5.5 YPC. In this case I don't see it being as poor as last year because we're not consistently allowing 6 YPC...they can bottle up the run, but still give up too many big plays (like Vick).

So what's the problem and how would you fix it? What positions need to be replaced in the offseason?

[better days]

I would fix the defense by drafting more defensive players next year. This defense is better than last year, & next year with new additions it will be better still IMO.

[DraftBoy]

Id hire a DC who knows how to actually run a 34 to start.

Id immediately dump half our CB's as well.

[psubills62]

Id hire a DC who knows how to actually run a 34 to start.

Id immediately dump half our CB's as well.
Think we need to improve our LB play also? I'd like our OLB's to do a better job on the edge, personally. However, that could be partially youth and partially...Kelsay.

Agree with you on those two points also, by the way.

[DraftBoy]

Think we need to improve our LB play also? I'd like our OLB's to do a better job on the edge, personally. However, that could be partially youth and partially...Kelsay.

Agree with you on those two points also, by the way.

I think you need to bring some more youth in at OLB and just hope that with new coaching development occurs faster. Id also immediately move Batten to ILB.

[EDS]

I think the Bills need to get better at LB, pretty much across the board. Need a ILB who can really step-up against the run. Maybe Sheppard will be that guy but he has a long way to go.

Realistically, if the Bills offense was not scoring points there is a strong likelihood that teams would run more often against the Bills and further expose the soft run D. So scoring early and often can have a positive effect on the run D!

[Extremebillsfan247]

Our defense is ok, they just need to find ways to put it all together for 4 quarters. The majority of the yards gained against them come on big plays, mostly from screens that catch them on blitzes to the QB. This still can be a really good defense.

If there were one thing I would add to the defense, it would probably be an attempt to solidify the depth. It's a long year, and starters need a breather once in awhile. Sometimes they can be out for a game or 2 due to minor injury. Depth is vital to the success of a defense in today's NFL. JMO

[Night Train]

I'd start 17 guys but the NFL has some rule BS... :down:

[justasportsfan]

Id hire a DC who knows how to actually run a 34 to start.
.


we should have blitzed Dalton like we did Vick. He would have been a sitting duck back there. Instead we gave him time to burn our cb's.

[psubills62]

Our defense is ok, they just need to find ways to put it all together for 4 quarters. The majority of the yards gained against them come on big plays, mostly from screens that catch them on blitzes to the QB. This still can be a really good defense.

If there were one thing I would add to the defense, it would probably be an attempt to solidify the depth. It's a long year, and starters need a breather once in awhile. Sometimes they can be out for a game or 2 due to minor injury. Depth is vital to the success of a defense in today's NFL. JMO
We do need a full 60 minute gameplan. We've been able to do well for 30 minutes or so, but then we just break down.

Kind of reminds me of Penn State's most recent game against Iowa. Tom Bradley, the defensive coordinator, mentioned that they only started blitzing Iowa's offense in the second half so they wouldn't be able to adjust to it during halftime. It would be nice for the Bills to draw things up like that and change things slightly at halftime in anticipation of the other team's adjustments.

[psubills62]

I think you need to bring some more youth in at OLB and just hope that with new coaching development occurs faster. Id also immediately move Batten to ILB.
Honestly, I was a big fan of the Bob Sanders hiring when it happened, but from what I know, he's only ever worked with 4-3 defensive linemen. I haven't been impressed with his coaching of our OLB's yet, to be honest. Might need to look at a guy with more 3-4 experience there too.

[DraftBoy]

we should have blitzed Dalton like we did Vick. He would have been a sitting duck back there. Instead we gave him time to burn our cb's.

We should blitz every QB that way, our DB's are not good enough to cover a guy for 4+ seconds.

[psubills62]

I think the Bills need to get better at LB, pretty much across the board. Need a ILB who can really step-up against the run. Maybe Sheppard will be that guy but he has a long way to go.

Realistically, if the Bills offense was not scoring points there is a strong likelihood that teams would run more often against the Bills and further expose the soft run D. So scoring early and often can have a positive effect on the run D!
The bolded is true...but at the same time, it's true for other teams, like the Patriots. If the offense can cover the defense consistently (hasn't proved it can yet, IMO), then that can still make for a good team.

[bf1]

Replace Merriman with someone good.

[mysticsoto]

we should have blitzed Dalton like we did Vick. He would have been a sitting duck back there. Instead we gave him time to burn our cb's.

We shouldn't have to blitz. And b'cse of this, I have to blame Edwards. I can't believe that between Dareus, Kyle and Merriman, we can't get more pressure on the QB. I think Edwards has modified their plan to "contain 1st" and then charge in if there's no run. That allows a few extra seconds to the QB. And if we were #1 in run def, then I would say it's a good plan. But we aren't and our CBs aren't good enough to cover for long periods of time.

[EDS]

The bolded is true...but at the same time, it's true for other teams, like the Patriots. If the offense can cover the defense consistently (hasn't proved it can yet, IMO), then that can still make for a good team.

Absolutely true, but teams like the Pats and Colts have defenses that are generally designed to play with a lead (i.e., opposition has to pass their way back into the game). That type of set-up doesn't work for everyone, and indeed it does not always work for those teams either.

All that being said, Bills have a long way to go to fix the run D. Guys like Kelsay, Davis, etc. are VERY easily replaced/upgraded.

[psubills62]

Absolutely true, but teams like the Pats and Colts have defenses that are generally designed to play with a lead (i.e., opposition has to pass their way back into the game). That type of set-up doesn't work for everyone, and indeed it does not always work for those teams either.

All that being said, Bills have a long way to go to fix the run D. Guys like Kelsay, Davis, etc. are VERY easily replaced/upgraded.
True. Davis appears on his way out already, and I've heard mention that Kelsay's contract is set up so it's easy to cut him after this year or next.

[BertSquirtgum]

I would start by firing George Edwards.

[EDS]

I still think the Bills current personnel would be a better fit for the 4-3. Biggest upside of moving to a 4-3 is getting one of the LBs off the field. Dareus and Williams could start inside. Merriman can move the a John Abraham rush end role. If the coaching staff thinks Carrington is mobile enough to play LB then he should be able to play a passable 4-3 end as well. Kelsay is better suited to that role as well. Scott and Barnett could start at OLB for this season with Davis or Sheppard in the middle.

[stuckincincy]

we should have blitzed Dalton like we did Vick. He would have been a sitting duck back there. Instead we gave him time to burn our cb's.

Hmm...Dalton has young legs and seems to show a quick release. CIN shows a proclivity to keep a FB in - Pressley is his name, 5'11"256 lb., and he picks up blitzers, and show good blocking skills. The more I watch him, the more I think he has the potential to approach someone like
Lorenzo Neal or Sam Gash. Long road to go there, there, though. Very long.

Heavy blitzing could have resulted in more passes to TE Gresham. He hurt them, as is.

And BUF (as well as CIN) are notorious for not doing well against TEs.

Bill's' D: A couple 'o ideas, as I know the B'gals personnel:

Raid CIN's PS for CB Brandon Ghee, their 2nd #3 pick in 2010, after a complete physical. If he's healthy, etc. Which I don't think he is. Otherwise, he would have made the roster. Still...

CIN made a move with the return of G Bobbie Williams. One result was cutting DT/OL Jason Shirley from their PS. BUF should check 'em out. And consider him seriously. Through some astrological meeting of the stars and planets, CIN has a a very unusual depth on the DL - 8 that all are credible starters. And Shirley was the odd man out.

BUF should offer him a PS contract.

[SquishDaFish]

Do people realize just about every defense is giving up more than 300 yards a game.
There is like 5-6 teams not giving that up. Then we lead in takeaways and top with +\-. give it a break. League I'd on record pace of qbs passing 300+ yatds

[justasportsfan]

We shouldn't have to blitz. And b'cse of this, I have to blame Edwards. I can't believe that between Dareus, Kyle and Merriman, we can't get more pressure on the QB. I think Edwards has modified their plan to "contain 1st" and then charge in if there's no run. That allows a few extra seconds to the QB. And if we were #1 in run def, then I would say it's a good plan. But we aren't and our CBs aren't good enough to cover for long periods of time.


I agree our cb's are not going to get you a whole lot of coverage sacks. HOwever, we blitzed a mobile qb who burned us from time to time but we let an unexperienced Dalton have all day to throw which allowed them to come back and beat us.

We had the wrong defensive gameplan vs. the bengals.

[mysticsoto]

I agree our cb's are not going to get you a whole lot of coverage sacks. HOwever, we blitzed a mobile qb who burned us from time to time but we let an unexperienced Dalton have all day to throw which allowed them to come back and beat us.

We had the wrong defensive gameplan vs. the bengals.

Well, I'm going to assume that they thought they wouldn't HAVE to blitz an inexperienced QB...and in the 1st half, he looked lost. But they made adjustments the 2nd half and he came thru for them. Our offense did not. Of course the refs helped them alot, but still. The game was close enough that one extra score by us would have changed the outcome.