Spikes: Bills' defense will turn heads

[Don't Panic]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/10315/spikes-bills-defense-will-turn-heads?ex_cid=espnapi_public

This part in particular caught my eye:

"Over the past five seasons, no team that has finished in the NFL's top five in yards allowed per game has finished with a losing record:

2013: 13-3, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 12-4
2012: 8-8, 13-3, 11-4-1, 11-5, 10-6
2011: 12-4, 10-6, 12-4, 13-3, 8-8
2010: 9-7, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 10-6
2009: 9-7, 11-5, 9-7, 10-6, 9-7

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed per game last season. How realistic would it be for them to jump up five spots in that ranking?"

Wow. First, I didn't realize we were that good in yards allowed last year (must include yards lost to sack). Second, this is a pretty correlated statistic. Could 5 more spots lead to the 10 wins we need to play in a playoff game? It'll be interesting to see.

[Skooby]

Yeah 10-6 might but 8-8 just gets us close.

[OpIv37]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/10315/spikes-bills-defense-will-turn-heads?ex_cid=espnapi_public

This part in particular caught my eye:

"Over the past five seasons, no team that has finished in the NFL's top five in yards allowed per game has finished with a losing record:

2013: 13-3, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 12-4
2012: 8-8, 13-3, 11-4-1, 11-5, 10-6
2011: 12-4, 10-6, 12-4, 13-3, 8-8
2010: 9-7, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 10-6
2009: 9-7, 11-5, 9-7, 10-6, 9-7

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed per game last season. How realistic would it be for them to jump up five spots in that ranking?"

Wow. First, I didn't realize we were that good in yards allowed last year (must include yards lost to sack). Second, this is a pretty correlated statistic. Could 5 more spots lead to the 10 wins we need to play in a playoff game? It'll be interesting to see.




New D coordinator/yet ANOTHER new system- 3rd in 3 years. Loss of Byrd. Dareus likely to be suspended.

Adding Spikes helps but I don't see this team getting better on D.

[BidsJr]

New D coordinator/yet ANOTHER new system- 3rd in 3 years. Loss of Byrd. Dareus likely to be suspended.

Adding Spikes helps but I don't see this team getting better on D.

Did you see them being better on D last year?

[OpIv37]

Did you see them being better on D last year?

Yeah well, they added Kiko, they added Jerry Hughes, Mario Williams came through unlike the previous year, and they didn't lose anyone significant.

This year, we added Spikes but lost Byrd. We didn't add anyone else of note. Maybe Corey Graham, but do you honestly think he's going to have the same impact that Hughes' 10 sacks had?

Last year, we had a bigger influx of talent, no decrease in talent and improvement from our own guys. This year, the gains and losses are neutral, so the only way the D improves like last year is if we get enough player improvement to equal the additions of Kiko and Hughes. Not gonna happen.

[BertSquirtgum]

New D coordinator/yet ANOTHER new system- 3rd in 3 years. Loss of Byrd. Dareus likely to be suspended.

Adding Spikes helps but I don't see this team getting better on D.

Of course you don't.....

[OpIv37]

Of course you don't.....

I stated my reasons.

[Homegrown]

Better than turning stomachs....

[elltrain22]

New D coordinator/yet ANOTHER new system- 3rd in 3 years. Loss of Byrd. Dareus likely to be suspended.

Adding Spikes helps but I don't see this team getting better on D.

I have to disagree. I see your points, they are valid, and I may be wrong.
1. I think Schwartz is one of those guys who is a fair HC, but actually a real good DC. Pettine was a little overrated in my opinion. I think he looked good last year, b/c Wannestat was so bad the year before.
2. We still have an elite front 4 (although I must agree, if Dareus is suspended, that will suck).
3. Along with our front 4 being very good, our LB core is better, deeper, and should be significantly better versus the run. 4. The loss of Byrd is big, but IMO, I think Aaron Williams has the potential to be a very good replacement. Not only that, our secondary, as a whole, is deeper, and the overall talent base is a lot better than last year.
5. With another year to develop who's to say that Duke Williams and/or Jonathan Meeks could pan out to be decent players.

[YardRat]

Yeah well, they added Kiko, they added Jerry Hughes, Mario Williams came through unlike the previous year, and they didn't lose anyone significant.

This year, we added Spikes but lost Byrd. We didn't add anyone else of note. Maybe Corey Graham, but do you honestly think he's going to have the same impact that Hughes' 10 sacks had?

Last year, we had a bigger influx of talent, no decrease in talent and improvement from our own guys. This year, the gains and losses are neutral, so the only way the D improves like last year is if we get enough player improvement to equal the additions of Kiko and Hughes. Not gonna happen.

You really don't know that until the games are played.

[OpIv37]

I have to disagree. I see your points, they are valid, and I may be wrong.
1. I think Schwartz is one of those guys who is a fair HC, but actually a real good DC. Pettine was a little overrated in my opinion. I think he looked good last year, b/c Wannestat was so bad the year before.
2. We still have an elite front 4 (although I must agree, if Dareus is suspended, that will suck).
3. Along with our front 4 being very good, our LB core is better, deeper, and should be significantly better versus the run. 4. The loss of Byrd is big, but IMO, I think Aaron Williams has the potential to be a very good replacement. Not only that, our secondary, as a whole, is deeper, and the overall talent base is a lot better than last year.
5. With another year to develop who's to say that Duke Williams and/or Jonathan Meeks could pan out to be decent players.

Other people have already posted it, but Schwartz's D's have never been ranked particularly high. Pettine's overall record with D's is much better.

[OpIv37]

You really don't know that until the games are played.

No, I don't know it, but odds are greatly against it happening.

Every year, people on this website try to sell this bill of goods about the team getting better by "player improvement" and it has yet to happen. That's not to say that no player has ever improved, but player improvement alone has never been enough to make the team as a whole better. No, it's not technically impossible. I'm just still waiting for it to happen in Buffalo..... 14 years and counting....

[YardRat]

No, I don't know it, but odds are greatly against it happening.

Every year, people on this website try to sell this bill of goods about the team getting better by "player improvement" and it has yet to happen. That's not to say that no player has ever improved, but player improvement alone has never been enough to make the team as a whole better. No, it's not technically impossible. I'm just still waiting for it to happen in Buffalo..... 14 years and counting....

And yet, to quote you...


Last year, we had a bigger influx of talent, no decrease in talent and improvement from our own guys.


The defense got better last season, and part of that, by your own admission, was improved play from some already on the team. No?

[OpIv37]

And yet, to quote you...



The defense got better last season, and part of that, by your own admission, was improved play from some already on the team. No?
and how much better do you think the same guys are going to get this year? They can only improve so much and most of them are already there.

Also, I noted that we added talent in Kiko and Hughes, and some of the improvemet was Mario rebounding from a bad first year in Buffalo. It wasn't player improvement alone- that was just a piece of it.

[YardRat]

and how much better do you think the same guys are going to get this year? They can only improve so much and most of them are already there.

Once again, you don't know that until the games are played. Which players hit their ceiling last year, and have no chance of getting better?

[BidsJr]

Yeah well, they added Kiko, they added Jerry Hughes, Mario Williams came through unlike the previous year, and they didn't lose anyone significant.

This year, we added Spikes but lost Byrd. We didn't add anyone else of note. Maybe Corey Graham, but do you honestly think he's going to have the same impact that Hughes' 10 sacks had?
Last year, we had a bigger influx of talent, no decrease in talent and improvement from our own guys. This year, the gains and losses are neutral, so the only way the D improves like last year is if we get enough player improvement to equal the additions of Kiko and Hughes. Not gonna happen.

Answer the question. Last year did you predict we would be massively better on D like we were? Truth is you have no earthly idea.

[OpIv37]

Answer the question. Last year did you predict we would be massively better on D like we were? Truth is you have no earthly idea.

No, I didn't, but I stated my reasons why I don't think the D would be better and I'm not seeing anything to refute those. I'm just seeing a lot of "well you have no way of knowing that!"

Maybe so, but Spikes has no way of knowing that our D is gonna turn heads either.

- - - Updated - - -


Once again, you don't know that until the games are played. Which players hit their ceiling last year, and have no chance of getting better?

How much better do you think Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes can possibly get? Kyle Williams has been in his prime for years- he's not getting any better.

[better days]

New D coordinator/yet ANOTHER new system- 3rd in 3 years. Loss of Byrd. Dareus likely to be suspended.

Adding Spikes helps but I don't see this team getting better on D.

The 4-3 defense has been in use for YEARS & YEARS!

It is NOT a NEW defense at all.

Marshawn Lynch was arrested for a felony DUI last July.

He still has not been punished.

It is not very likely Dareus gets any punishment this year.

If you can't see this team getting better on D, you can't see the forest for the trees.

[OpIv37]

If you think the D is going to get better by losing Byrd for Spikes and changing D's, you're wrong.

And we used a hybrid 4-3 last year so it is a new D.

[better days]

If you think the D is going to get better by losing Byrd for Spikes and changing D's, you're wrong.

And we used a hybrid 4-3 last year so it is a new D.

These players have been playing football all their lives.

Probably mostly in a 4-3 defense.

It is NOT a new defense at all.

I think you over value Byrd & under value Spikes.

Jim Leonhard had as many INT's last year as Byrd did.

[MikeInRoch]

As long as the defense isn't turning their own heads to watch opponents streaking down the field for a TD, I'm ok.

[Turf]

Byrd missed almost half a season last year and we won more without him. We started losing when he came back.
I like the attitude this year. We need to get ugly, so lets get ugly.
The non team players like Byrd and Johnson are being weeded out. Could Dareus be next? We hope not, but if he can't get his head on straight you move on.
Being that I don't attend closed practices, like 99.9% of you, I have no idea how good they will be.

[jimmifli]

I think we upgraded safety vs who actually played last season.

Graham/Williams is better than 2013 rotation/Williams. Our secondary has 5 guys that can play man coverage - it's a strength of this defense. And we've added 2 legit NFL LB's.

This defense will be very good. Elite depends on the offense not being near the league lead in 3&outs.

[YardRat]

How much better do you think Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes can possibly get? Kyle Williams has been in his prime for years- he's not getting any better.

That's only three...does that mean that you believe the other nine starters (including nickel corner, which is basically a starter nowadays), and back-ups, can still progress and get better?

[OpIv37]

These players have been playing football all their lives.

Probably mostly in a 4-3 defense.

It is NOT a new defense at all.

I think you over value Byrd & under value Spikes.

Jim Leonhard had as many INT's last year as Byrd did.


That's only three...does that mean that you believe the other nine starters (including nickel corner, which is basically a starter nowadays), and back-ups, can still progress and get better?

Enough to make the team as a whole better despite the loss of. Byrd and a new system? No, I don't believe they can improve that much. Every year I get told it's going to happen and every year it fails to materialize.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Byrd missed almost half a season last year and we won more without him. We started losing when he came back.

He missed 5 games, in which we went 2-3. When he came back, we went 4-7. That's about the same win rate, especially when you consider that we were losing games later in the year due to the offense (Kansas City, Atlanta, Tampa)

This idea that Byrd somehow made our defense worse is completely ridiculous.

[k-oneputt]

Agreed Byrd is a very good safety but no safety is worth that kind of money.

[The King]

In the (summarized) words of Schwartz, I am not too concerned with yards allowed. It's the points that we focus on. If we allow 500 yards a game and only 10 points, I am happy with that.

[better days]

He missed 5 games, in which we went 2-3. When he came back, we went 4-7. That's about the same win rate, especially when you consider that we were losing games later in the year due to the offense (Kansas City, Atlanta, Tampa)

This idea that Byrd somehow made our defense worse is completely ridiculous.

Well, the idea that Byrd made the defense much better is also ridiculous.

As I said before, Jim Leonhard has as many INTs as Byrd did.

Byrd is a good safety & I wish the Bills could have kept him, But I don't think he will be missed anymore than he was the first 6 games last year.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Well, the idea that Byrd made the defense much better is also ridiculous.

As I said before, Jim Leonhard has as many INTs as Byrd did.

Good for Leonhard. He had a good year last year. But he's a career journeyman who doesn't have a team right now for a reason, while Byrd is a three time pro bowler for a reason too.


But I don't think he will be missed anymore than he was the first 6 games last year.

You don't think he was missed while we were losing to Geno Smith and Brandon Weeden?

[better days]

You don't think he was missed while we were losing to Geno Smith and Brandon Weeden?

No I don't. Byrd is a Safety, not a CB. The Bills lost to the Jets because they had nobody to play CB.

The Bills lost to the Browns because EJ was injured in that game.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

No I don't. Byrd is a Safety, not a CB. The Bills lost to the Jets because they had nobody to play CB.

Go back and watch the highlights again (http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2013092205/2013/REG3/bills@jets#menu=gameinfo&tab=analyze). We were getting scorched over the top again and again because of bad safety play. Geno got 220 of his yards on only 5 of his completions. Sure, Rogers was in over his head, but that's what a safety is supposed to cover for.


The Bills lost to the Browns because EJ was injured in that game.

The Bills lost to the Browns because they gave up 5 scoring drives and a 95 rating to Brandon Weeden. And not just normal Weeden, but "off the Bench, didn't take first team reps all week" Brandon Weeden. It was, by rating, his best game that entire year.

[Fletch]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/10315/spikes-bills-defense-will-turn-heads?ex_cid=espnapi_public

This part in particular caught my eye:

"Over the past five seasons, no team that has finished in the NFL's top five in yards allowed per game has finished with a losing record:

2013: 13-3, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 12-4
2012: 8-8, 13-3, 11-4-1, 11-5, 10-6
2011: 12-4, 10-6, 12-4, 13-3, 8-8
2010: 9-7, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 10-6
2009: 9-7, 11-5, 9-7, 10-6, 9-7

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed per game last season. How realistic would it be for them to jump up five spots in that ranking?"

Wow. First, I didn't realize we were that good in yards allowed last year (must include yards lost to sack). Second, this is a pretty correlated statistic. Could 5 more spots lead to the 10 wins we need to play in a playoff game? It'll be interesting to see.

Also, we were 28th in rushing yards allowed, and 23rd in yards-per-rush allowed. Spikes will help, but he's not going to propel this team into the top-5.

The Patriots were 26th in yards allowed last season, and that was with Spikes off the field on passing plays. Are we going to take him off the field on 3rd downs? Are we a better D than the Pats? Do we have better coaching? Even if one were to argue 'yes,' by that much?

Granted, many of the yards yielded by the Pats were probably garbage time yards, although I'm sure not nearly as many as in prior seasons, but still.



Here's the issue with much of the reasoning in this forum and elsewhere, people seem to be assuming that our pass-D, which was blatantly pass-rush heavy last season despite not having been able to beat a single team with an above-average passing offense, won't slide significantly statistically.

We had more running plays than any other team last season. Our team saw more plays on both sides of the ball than every other team except Denver and New England, both of which threw far more than we did, both percentage wise as well as raw numbers wise.

It was blatant before the season even began that Marrone's heralded offense was going to result in a frenetic pace. We can't run more than we did last season, which means we can only throw more. Now either nothing's going to change in that regard, or if we do pass more and Marrone doesn't make fundamental changes to the offense, which I've not read about, only tweaks, than I'm not sure I see how relying more on Manuel is going to help us here.

It seems to me that we'll allow more yards because we'll probably be yielding more plays on defense. Also, if we tighten up the run we'll force teams to throw more, and the average pass play obviously averages a lot more than the average rushing play.

[better days]

Go back and watch the highlights again (http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2013092205/2013/REG3/bills@jets#menu=gameinfo&tab=analyze). We were getting scorched over the top again and again because of bad safety play. Geno got 220 of his yards on only 5 of his completions. Sure, Rogers was in over his head, but that's what a safety is supposed to cover for.



The Bills lost to the Browns because they gave up 5 scoring drives and a 95 rating to Brandon Weeden. And not just normal Weeden, but "off the Bench, didn't take first team reps all week" Brandon Weeden. It was, by rating, his best game that entire year.

You are joking right? You are blaming the Jets loss on Safety play & not CB play by Rogers? CRAZY.

Weeden did have a good game, but if EJ were not injured, the Bills would have held the ball for a longer period of time & scored more as well.

[Fletch]

Dareus likely to be suspended.

Good point on Dareus.

[Fletch]

This idea that Byrd somehow made our defense worse is completely ridiculous.

Great point. So you think that Searcy in there rather than Byrd won't make a difference.

Well, OK.

[Fletch]

Agreed Byrd is a very good safety but no safety is worth that kind of money.

The money has nothing to do with whether or not the team will be worse without him.

In most peoples' minds two first rounders for Watkins was too much too. So was reaching for Manuel in the 1st round.

[jills]

Byrd missed almost half a season last year and we won more without him. We started losing when he came back.
I like the attitude this year. We need to get ugly, so lets get ugly.
The non team players like Byrd and Johnson are being weeded out. Could Dareus be next? We hope not, but if he can't get his head on straight you move on.
Being that I don't attend closed practices, like 99.9% of you, I have no idea how good they will be.

We won 2 games and lost 3 when he was out . How is that winning more without him?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

You are joking right? You are blaming the Jets loss on Safety play & not CB play by Rogers? CRAZY.

Yes, I am. Rogers sucked out loud, but when wideouts are open behind the defense not once, not twice, but five+ times then I'm blaming the safeties for the loss. The ultimate responsibility for the deep ball falls on the safeties.


Weeden did have a good game, but if EJ were not injured, the Bills would have held the ball for a longer period of time & scored more as well.

We took the lead on the same drive where EJ left, and then gave up three more scores to Weeden.

[Fletch]

No, I don't know it, but odds are greatly against it happening.

Every year, people on this website try to sell this bill of goods about the team getting better by "player improvement" and it has yet to happen. That's not to say that no player has ever improved, but player improvement alone has never been enough to make the team as a whole better. No, it's not technically impossible. I'm just still waiting for it to happen in Buffalo..... 14 years and counting....

Exactly. What's more is that if circumstances were reversed, and the things being talked about here were about the Pats, Fins, or Jets, the same people would be ridiculing them. For some reason we're always on the cusp of making history here, yet when it happens that history is usually on the wrong side of the spectrum.

This is what happens when analysis is based on opinions and not on facts.

[Fletch]

and how much better do you think the same guys are going to get this year? They can only improve so much and most of them are already there.

Gilmore and Glenn both saw a regression in their second seasons. It's not uncommon, especially here in Buffalo.

[better days]

Yes, I am. Rogers sucked out loud, but when wideouts are open behind the defense not once, not twice, but five+ times then I'm blaming the safeties for the loss. The ultimate responsibility for the deep ball falls on the safeties.



We took the lead on the same drive where EJ left, and then gave up three more scores to Weeden.

Rodgers was the #1 reason for the Jets loss.

And if EJ had not been injured, the Bills would have continued to score on the Browns.

[gr8slayer]

I'm really not a fan of guys coming out and saying stuff like this. Just go get it done, then talk.

[Ginger Vitis]

Gilmore and Glenn both saw a regression in their second seasons. It's not uncommon, especially here in Buffalo.

Glenn was better his 2nd season compared his rookie year

[OpIv37]

In the (summarized) words of Schwartz, I am not too concerned with yards allowed. It's the points that we focus on. If we allow 500 yards a game and only 10 points, I am happy with that.

That's a bit short-sighted. If we allow 500 yards but 10 points, we lose 10-6 cuz we are only going to have 17 min of possession time.

- - - Updated - - -


In the (summarized) words of Schwartz, I am not too concerned with yards allowed. It's the points that we focus on. If we allow 500 yards a game and only 10 points, I am happy with that.

That's a bit short-sighted. If we allow 500 yards but 10 points, we lose 10-6 cuz we are only going to have 17 min of possession time.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Rodgers was the #1 reason for the Jets loss.

Rogers should not have been expected to take on the Jets' #1 wideout over and over alone. The safeties have to back him up and they repeatedly did not. Maybe if they gave up a few long passes early, I could see it, but wideouts were running open deep all through the game.


And if EJ had not been injured, the Bills would have continued to score on the Browns.

Or he could have started turning the ball over like he did in several other games. You are confident endlessly predicting that EJ, a rookie who was inconsistent on his best days, would have been playing well in games that he missed. But refuse to believe that adding a pro bowler to the secondary could have affected the outcome of games where we were dominated through the air by scrubs?

[better days]

Rogers should not have been expected to take on the Jets' #1 wideout over and over alone. The safeties have to back him up and they repeatedly did not. Maybe if they gave up a few long passes early, I could see it, but wideouts were running open deep all through the game.



Or he could have started turning the ball over like he did in several other games. You are confident endlessly predicting that EJ, a rookie who was inconsistent on his best days, would have been playing well in games that he missed. But refuse to believe that adding a pro bowler to the secondary could have affected the outcome of games where we were dominated through the air by scrubs?

Well, EVERYONE was out of position in that game because of injuries.

Byrd may have helped, but he chose not to play.

EJ was playing well before getting injured in the Browns game.

I don't think it is unreasonable to think he would have continued to play well in that game.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Well, EVERYONE was out of position in that game because of injuries.

...which is my point. We missed Byrd.


Byrd may have helped, but he chose not to play.

Oh, this is gonna be one of THOSE threads, I guess.

[trapezeus]

the bills defense hsa been turning heads for years. it just happens that we have to turn away.

[justasportsfan]

Other people have already posted it, but Schwartz's D's have never been ranked particularly high. Pettine's overall record with D's is much better.

As a HC OR A DC? Scwartz had a no.1 D as a DC of Titans

[justasportsfan]

Scwartz had a no.1 D as a DC of Titans

2002 10
2004 6
2006 NO 1


wiki says Pettine was the DC of the jets from 08-12. We've all argued before how much of that was he sharing calls with Sexy Rexy in the past and it's all unclear. But check out the jets' D ranking anyways in those years.

[OpIv37]

As a HC OR A DC? Scwartz had a no.1 D as a DC of Titans

Could have sworn it was DC but I could be mistaken. I'll have to see if I can find it later.

[Night Train]

Whoops. Another post of faith.

It flys against message board protocol. :rolleyes:

[better days]

Glenn was better his 2nd season compared his rookie year

And Gilmore was injured last year.

He played very well after he got healthy.

[stuckincincy]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/10315/spikes-bills-defense-will-turn-heads?ex_cid=espnapi_public

This part in particular caught my eye:

"Over the past five seasons, no team that has finished in the NFL's top five in yards allowed per game has finished with a losing record:

Their STs blow, they often lose the field position battle on both sides of the ball, they lose the TOP battle. They have formalized the quick snap and toss offense from the Fitz days and now suffer it on an iffy 1st round QB.

That some of their stats present as an anomaly is no surprise.



2013: 13-3, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 12-4
2012: 8-8, 13-3, 11-4-1, 11-5, 10-6
2011: 12-4, 10-6, 12-4, 13-3, 8-8
2010: 9-7, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 10-6
2009: 9-7, 11-5, 9-7, 10-6, 9-7

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed per game last season. How realistic would it be for them to jump up five spots in that ranking?"

Wow. First, I didn't realize we were that good in yards allowed last year (must include yards lost to sack). Second, this is a pretty correlated statistic. Could 5 more spots lead to the 10 wins we need to play in a playoff game? It'll be interesting to see.

[stuckincincy]

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/10315/spikes-bills-defense-will-turn-heads?ex_cid=espnapi_public

This part in particular caught my eye:

"Over the past five seasons, no team that has finished in the NFL's top five in yards allowed per game has finished with a losing record:

2013: 13-3, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 12-4
2012: 8-8, 13-3, 11-4-1, 11-5, 10-6
2011: 12-4, 10-6, 12-4, 13-3, 8-8
2010: 9-7, 12-4, 11-5, 11-5, 10-6
2009: 9-7, 11-5, 9-7, 10-6, 9-7

The Bills finished 10th in yards allowed per game last season. How realistic would it be for them to jump up five spots in that ranking?"

Wow. First, I didn't realize we were that good in yards allowed last year (must include yards lost to sack). Second, this is a pretty correlated statistic. Could 5 more spots lead to the 10 wins we need to play in a playoff game? It'll be interesting to see.



Their STs blow. They have field position and TOP problems. They are trying to mask a rookie (!) the same way they masked Fitz with a quick offense.

That BUF stats present as an anomaly is no surprise.

The management can couch themselves anyway they like - they simply are not competitive in their field of endeavor - for many years.

I hope Spikes does well - but as it stands, he was given the boot by a successful franchise, and that does beg the question.