Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

[BillsImpossible]

I would love to ask Marcell Dareus this question, because I think he is going to have his best year yet in 2014.

Dareus is good in a 3-4 system, but he has always played better in a 4-3.

Kyle Williams, Mario Williams, and Alan Branch will reap the rewards.

It's always better to have more beef up front if you don't have a guy like Ted Washington or Vince Wilfork to anchor a 3-4 system.

For the first time in a long time, the Bills linebackers were actually good last year.

They are one stud linebacker away from having a complete defense, which is starting to make me think the Bills are going to draft a linebacker with the 9th pick.

I'm quite comfortable with the Bills secondary talent in Donnie Henderson's hands.

Aaron Williams made big plays last year. Da'Norris Searcy made big plays last year too.

I think it's fair to say that Williams and Searcy made just as many big plays as Byrd did, maybe more.

Searcy had a pick 6, Byrd didn't. Williams had 2 picks in the endzone, Byrd didn't.

Gilmore, McKelvin, Graham, and Robey. That should be interesting.

I think the Bills defense will be better in 2014.

[YardRat]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

I hope they are. I think they'll have more talent and depth, but a lot depends on what Schwartz brings to the table, and how the players develop. If they don't get stouter up the middle, they'll still struggle against the run, so it would be nice to pick up an MLB and DT.

[GvilleBills]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Its possible. Add Spikes and go BPA the whole draft.

[BillsImpossible]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Is this Bills defense seriously 1 giant middle linebacker away from being the best defense they've had since....I can't say it.

The front 4 are good. Their secondary is good.

Is this 2014 Buffalo Bills defense 1 linebacker away from being great?

[Mace]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

I hope they are. I think they'll have more talent and depth, but a lot depends on what Schwartz brings to the table, and how the players develop. If they don't get stouter up the middle, they'll still struggle against the run, so it would be nice to pick up an MLB and DT.

Yeah, I worry Schwartz will be a latter day Wannstedt. Hasn't actually coordinated a defense since 2008.

It really really bothers me that the constants between coordinators, and over years now, in being unable to stop the run, are Williams, Williams and Dareus, to different extents in how long they've been here. Schemes and coordinators don't matter, linebackers are always overtasked, and talented db's struggle not to get gashed because that line has no interest in playing the run. There's just no saying those guys aren't talented enough to be able to.

It still happened under Pettine, sure....but it felt better that they had people coming from everywhere, anytime, with opposing offenses struggling to see what was happening next. It was at least entertaining.

I hope I'm wrong, I really want to be, last year gave me a taste of loving to watch the D come on the field again for the first time in a decade.

BillsImpossible has a lot of reasons too they should be better.

But I think they're going to regress no matter who they get, because there is something fundamentally wrong with Williams, Williams and Dareus in how they apply whatever they are being taught about letting running backs run past them.

[better days]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Yeah, I worry Schwartz will be a latter day Wannstedt. Hasn't actually coordinated a defense since 2008.

It really really bothers me that the constants between coordinators, and over years now, in being unable to stop the run, are Williams, Williams and Dareus, to different extents in how long they've been here. Schemes and coordinators don't matter, linebackers are always overtasked, and talented db's struggle not to get gashed because that line has no interest in playing the run. There's just no saying those guys aren't talented enough to be able to.

It still happened under Pettine, sure....but it felt better that they had people coming from everywhere, anytime, with opposing offenses struggling to see what was happening next. It was at least entertaining.

I hope I'm wrong, I really want to be, last year gave me a taste of loving to watch the D come on the field again for the first time in a decade.

BillsImpossible has a lot of reasons too they should be better.

But I think they're going to regress no matter who they get, because there is something fundamentally wrong with Williams, Williams and Dareus in how they apply whatever they are being taught about letting running backs run past them.

Schwartz got more involved with the Lions defense last year & he said the Bills will play an attacking defense last year similar to what Pettine did, not a read & react like Wannstedt.

Also, McKelvin said he learned a lot from his Coach Donnie Henderson last year. McKelvin also said Henderson pushed him last year & told McKelvin he saw something in him that he saw in Ed Reed who he had Coached before.

McKelvin said Henderson told him he wanted him to be GREAT & not settle for being average.

[ServoBillieves]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

No. Pettine was something special. Im not saying without him we are screwed but that was upper echelon coordination.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

I worry about continuity. If the team has to change a lot under Schwartz, the players lose momentum. Under Wanny, playmakers were held back to role playing. Under Pettine, they had the freedom . I don't know what Schwartz brings.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Probably a little worse.

Loss of the top player on the defense and a coordinator change will have some bumps on the road.

They should be playing better near the end of the season however.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

The off season isn't over, but so far we've changed dcs and lost a pro bowler in the secondary. Its hard not to see a step back in that.

[JoeMama]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Too early.

We still need a legit MLB.

Rivers starting on the outside isn't comforting.

Gilmore has to get better. Even when he wasn't injured, he flat out sucked last year. He looked like a 7th round pick, not a 1st rounder.

Aaron Williams has to stay healthy and prove last season wasn't a mirage.

Da'Norris Searcy will determine whether or not losing Byrd was a crushing loss or something we can live with.

Kiko is Kiko.

I'm not worried about M. Williams, K. Williams, or Dareus.

Branch is okay. Wouldn't mind an upgrade though.

Jim Schwartz is a huge question mark. It's been a long time since he was a DC and he was such a miserable failure as a HC, it's difficult to remember that he's competent at anything.

[OpIv37]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

As of right now, 3/14, I'm saying worse.

If we land Spikes or another quality FA, maybe I will rethink that, but at the moment, we lost Byrd and are on our 3rd DC in three years. I simply don't see how a D changing (or at least modifying) schemes while losing a Pro Bowl S could possibly be better.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

As of right now, 3/14, I'm saying worse.

If we land Spikes or another quality FA, maybe I will rethink that, but at the moment, we lost Byrd and are on our 3rd DC in three years. I simply don't see how a D changing (or at least modifying) schemes while losing a Pro Bowl S could possibly be better.

How did the D do after changing from Wanny to Pettine?

[OpIv37]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

How did the D do after changing from Wanny to Pettine?

Better, once Mario wasn't injured and started playing well, A Williams was at his natural position, we added Kiko and we traded Kelvin Sheppard for Jerry Hughes.

Apples and oranges. Pettine got a talent upgrade. Schwartz is being handed a talent downgrade.

[Luisito23]

Re: Will The Bills Defense Be Better, or Worse Than Last Year?

Worse...Isn't it the way it always goes for this team?