Defense Is Disappointing

[Night Train]

Kid Hackett is struggling on O... but Pettine needs to find more players that can stop the run and get off the field on 3rd down. Still think Kiko would be better at OLB in the long run, with a bigger MLB inside and another Monster DT next to Dareus.

I'll give Marrone the off-season to correct the many warts left to him... but if you cannot stop the run and get your D off the field on 3rd and long, you'll never win.

Roster changes coming by the boatload.

[YardRat]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

They just need to stop the big plays from happening.

Take away the 80-yarder, and the rushing stats become a very respectable 35 carries for 85 yards, less than 2.5 yards per attempt. In the last two games, on all of the long TD runs, Alonso didn't get to the right gap or missed the tackle, and Byrd was caught on the wrong side of the field and couldn't close quick enough to attempt a tackle.

That being said, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a high pick on a DT, and a mid-rounder on another LB. Or pick them up in FA.

I think most of the roster changes are going to come on the offensive side of the ball.

[Historian]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

Take away the 80-yarder, .

Ok Wys.

As soon as the first play went for 80 yards, I turned to my wife and said, "Game over."

She rolled her eyes at me.

I told her this is not the kind of team that bounces back from a play like that. All their wins were games they pretty much held the lead in.

Turned out to be pretty much true.

[colin]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

our d needs some help in the LB and back end. even with that, they are pretty decent. our O and special teams handed tampa the ball 5 times, and we had some 3 and outs and short drives as well, and tampa had a way better average start. our o and ST are easily our big problem.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

The Bucs had -9 yards in the 3rd quarter.

And 20 yards in the 4th quarter.

And scored 3 points in the second half.

Almost half of their offense came on the second play of the game.

[kingJofNYC]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

We're in the 5-7 range in DVOA Defense.

I agree with you about needing more players, need a couple of DL to spell the interior if you ask me. Kyle isn't what he was because of ankle but he guts it out week in week out, good to have a solid rotation up front. Another LB as well, though Moats has done a good job against the run, has a better run D grade than Kiko based on PFF stats. Too bad he cant cover.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

The defense isn't the problem, the problem is there's an offense that can't make first downs and sustain drives or score points.

We're awesome at going 1-2-3 punt within 40 seconds, that's the best thing the offense does.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

The defense isn't the problem, the problem is there's an offense that can't make first downs and sustain drives or score points.

We're awesome at going 1-2-3 punt within 40 seconds, that's the best thing the offense does.

Here's a classic...two 1-2-3 punts in the same drive yesterday.

1st and 10 at BUF 19 E.Manuel pass incomplete short left to R.Woods (G.McCoy).
2nd and 10 at BUF 19 C.Spiller right guard to BUF 19 for no gain (M.Foster, A.Spence).
3rd and 10 at BUF 19 (Shotgun) E.Manuel scrambles up the middle to BUF 27 for 8 yards (L.Johnson).
4th and 2 at BUF 27 (Punt formation) B.Moorman punts 57 yards to TB 16, Center-G.Sanborn, downed by BUF-A.Moats. PENALTY on TB-D.Watson, Roughing the Kicker, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 27 - No Play.
1st and 10 at BUF 42 (Shotgun) E.Manuel pass short right to R.Woods to BUF 46 for 4 yards (J.Banks).
2nd and 6 at BUF 46 F.Jackson right guard to BUF 47 for 1 yard (G.McCoy).
3rd and 5 at BUF 47 (Shotgun) E.Manuel pass incomplete short left to T.Graham.
4th and 5 at BUF 47 (Punt formation) B.Moorman punts 38 yards to TB 15, Center-G.Sanborn, fair catch by E.Page.
DRIVE TOTALS: BUF 0, TB 7, 6 plays, 13 yards, 2:58 elapsed

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

Here's a classic...two 1-2-3 punts in the same drive yesterday.

1st and 10 at BUF 19 E.Manuel pass incomplete short left to R.Woods (G.McCoy).
2nd and 10 at BUF 19 C.Spiller right guard to BUF 19 for no gain (M.Foster, A.Spence).
3rd and 10 at BUF 19 (Shotgun) E.Manuel scrambles up the middle to BUF 27 for 8 yards (L.Johnson).
4th and 2 at BUF 27 (Punt formation) B.Moorman punts 57 yards to TB 16, Center-G.Sanborn, downed by BUF-A.Moats. PENALTY on TB-D.Watson, Roughing the Kicker, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 27 - No Play.
1st and 10 at BUF 42 (Shotgun) E.Manuel pass short right to R.Woods to BUF 46 for 4 yards (J.Banks).
2nd and 6 at BUF 46 F.Jackson right guard to BUF 47 for 1 yard (G.McCoy).
3rd and 5 at BUF 47 (Shotgun) E.Manuel pass incomplete short left to T.Graham.
4th and 5 at BUF 47 (Punt formation) B.Moorman punts 38 yards to TB 15, Center-G.Sanborn, fair catch by E.Page.
DRIVE TOTALS: BUF 0, TB 7, 6 plays, 13 yards, 2:58 elapsed

That's a perfect example of how poor this teams offense is and how it does the defense no favors.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

I honestly think the biggest detriment to us yesterday were the penalties - it seems like each and every one of them was at the most inopportune time possible - CJ's huge catch and run immediately comes to mind, as do a couple other plays. I think the game would have been much different if we were just more disciplined, and that is on Marrone and Pettine, as well as our boneheaded players.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

The defense isn't the problem, the problem is there's an offense that can't make first downs and sustain drives or score points.

We're awesome at going 1-2-3 punt within 40 seconds, that's the best thing the offense does.

exactly. Except for the early TD run, which was on them, the D was on the field a lot.

Thats been the problem with Pettines D. Aggressive but sucsesptible to big plays

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

exactly. Except for the early TD run, which was on them, the D was on the field a lot.

Thats been the problem with Pettines D. Aggressive but sucsesptible to big plays

That run was almost half of the total yards the Bucs put up in the game.

The Bucs only scoring "drive" in the second half was a FG after they gained 2 yards.

[Historian]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

And everybody has games like this one yesterday, or at Pittsburgh.

What bothers me about the Bills is that they tend to play down to the level of the competition, like the Bucs Jags and Falcs.

Then they play the NEs and Denvers hard, yet still find a way to lose.

It's maddening.

[Cleve]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

That run was almost half of the total yards the Bucs put up in the game.

The Bucs only scoring "drive" in the second half was a FG after they gained 2 yards.

And yet somehow a 3-9 team wins by more than a 3 to 1 margin, putting up the terrible stats they did.

I daresay the Bills were by far the worst performing team in football this week - Oakland was bad, but not THAT bad.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Defense Is Disappointing

And everybody has games like this one yesterday, or at Pittsburgh.

What bothers me about the Bills is that they tend to play down to the level of the competition, like the Bucs Jags and Falcs.

Then they play the NEs and Denvers hard, yet still find a way to lose.

It's maddening.

The common denominator in this loss and the Pittsburgh loss is that they had tough emotional games the week prior where miscues directly contributed to both losses, Atlanta and KC. After those losses they come out flat and look like crap. This team isn't mentally tough at all and the coaching apparently isn't reaching them for whatever reason...maybe that reason is some egos in the locker room that won't allow it to happen or maybe the coaching just flat out sucks.

But you have a mental breakdown once going into the Pittsburgh game there should be a lesson learned and some teachable moments to stop it from occurring again. However, there was no lesson learned obviously and we all saw what happened yesterday.