Jim Schwartz feeling confident in Buffalo

[Fletch]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/16/jim-schwartz-feeling-confident-in-buffalo/

Six months after he was fired as head coach of the Lions, Jim Schwartz is settling in as defensive coordinator of the Bills.

[more at link]

[OpIv37]

Meh. Even if he thinks this is the worst D in the history of ever, he's not going to say that to the media.

[swiper]

I liked this hire very much. But I'd like to wait to form an opinion until a few games into the season.

Yeah. Pettine was good. But his rush defense wasn't. He glowed compared to Wannstedt and the prior DCs. But, hopefully, Jim Schwartz will maintain the passing defense quality and strengthen the run D.

[better days]

Meh. Even if he thinks this is the worst D in the history of ever, he's not going to say that to the media.

If he thought that he would not have taken the job.

The Lions are paying him for this year anyway.

He took this job because it was a GOOD opportunity to rehab his image.

[stuckincincy]

Every time I took a job at high six figures and above, I exuded confidence. :drive:

[Mahdi]

I actually think this defense could struggle....

Who do we have at DE? Mario is solid of course but outside of that we have Hughes who is really a converted LB. Is he in on 1st and second down? Then you have Manny Lawson who will be another converted LB.

Basically if Mario missed any time at all we are screwed at that position. And even with him there, the AFCE will be running left all day on Hughes and Lawson.

Our DTs are good penetrators but they are not run stuffers by any means so banking on them to shut things down won't work. And still, if teams decide to run off tackle all day it won't matter.

In the LB corps we have a rookie slated to start in Preston Brown, or journeyman Keith Rivers. Spikes is solid but new so who knows if he will pan out.

Our secondary is solid but I have a feeling we will be allowing a record number of rushing yards this year which will make them inconsequential.

[better days]

I actually think this defense could struggle....

Who do we have at DE? Mario is solid of course but outside of that we have Hughes who is really a converted LB. Is he in on 1st and second down? Then you have Manny Lawson who will be another converted LB.

Basically if Mario missed any time at all we are screwed at that position. And even with him there, the AFCE will be running left all day on Hughes and Lawson.

Our DTs are good penetrators but they are not run stuffers by any means so banking on them to shut things down won't work. And still, if teams decide to run off tackle all day it won't matter.

In the LB corps we have a rookie slated to start in Preston Brown, or journeyman Keith Rivers. Spikes is solid but new so who knows if he will pan out.

Our secondary is solid but I have a feeling we will be allowing a record number of rushing yards this year which will make them inconsequential.

So after signing Schwartz as DC who is known to have good run defenses & Spikes the best run stuffing LB in the NFL, you think the Bills will give up record rushing yards?

Care to make a wager?

[OpIv37]

If he thought that he would not have taken the job.

The Lions are paying him for this year anyway.

He took this job because it was a GOOD opportunity to rehab his image.
Don't know why he took the job or if he had any other offers.

Point is, every DC in the league is saying something very similar to the media right now. They're ALWAYS going to say that they think their D is good, regardless of their actual opinion. Coaches don't have the luxury of being honest with the media. They have to keep team morale high and keep fans interested.

[Homegrown]

He should have mixed it up a bit... "I'm confident in the defense, but then again we're scrimmaging against the Bills offense "

[swiper]

Every time I took a job at high six figures and above, I exuded confidence. :drive:

I only ever get low six figures. Damn it.

[better days]

Don't know why he took the job or if he had any other offers.

Point is, every DC in the league is saying something very similar to the media right now. They're ALWAYS going to say that they think their D is good, regardless of their actual opinion. Coaches don't have the luxury of being honest with the media. They have to keep team morale high and keep fans interested.

The point is Schwartz did not need to take the Bills job or any other job unless he WANTED the job.

The Lions owe Schwartz his entire salary for 2014 & 2015.

That money will be offset by the money the Bills pay him. In other words, he is working for free.

It would be incredibly STUPID to take a job that was the worst ever.

The only benefit of the Bills job for Schwartz is to show he is a GOOD COACH.

- - - Updated - - -


Every time I took a job at high six figures and above, I exuded confidence. :drive:

So you have no idea what confidence feels like.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

The point is Schwartz did not need to take the Bills job or any other job unless he WANTED the job.

The Lions owe Schwartz his entire salary for 2014 & 2015.

That money will be offset by the money the Bills pay him. In other words, he is working for free.

It would be incredibly STUPID to take a job that was the worst ever.

The only benefit of the Bills job for Schwartz is to show he is a GOOD COACH.

- - - Updated - - -



So you have no idea what confidence feels like.

it's probably true that the only reason he took this job was to have a chance to be a head coach again somewhere. that being said, of course he walked into a pretty decent situation for a defensive coordinator.

but it's true, you cannot publicly bash the people you are coaching up even if you wanted to. that would be just wrong

[better days]

it's probably true that the only reason he took this job was to have a chance to be a head coach again somewhere. that being said, of course he walked into a pretty decent situation for a defensive coordinator.

but it's true, you cannot publicly bash the people you are coaching up even if you wanted to. that would be just wrong

Of course that is true. But only the most jaded pessimists think this Bills team lacks defensive talent.

The Bills DC job is a dream job any Defensive Coach would have been happy to take.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

Of course that is true. But only the most jaded pessimists think this Bills team lacks defensive talent.

The Bills DC job is a dream job any Defensive Coach would have been happy to take.

a very good job? absolutely! a dream job? Eh. i would reserve that title for DC of Seattle or SF

[SpikedLemonade]

I actually think this defense could struggle....

Who do we have at DE? Mario is solid of course but outside of that we have Hughes who is really a converted LB. Is he in on 1st and second down? Then you have Manny Lawson who will be another converted LB.

Basically if Mario missed any time at all we are screwed at that position. And even with him there, the AFCE will be running left all day on Hughes and Lawson.

Our DTs are good penetrators but they are not run stuffers by any means so banking on them to shut things down won't work. And still, if teams decide to run off tackle all day it won't matter.

In the LB corps we have a rookie slated to start in Preston Brown, or journeyman Keith Rivers. Spikes is solid but new so who knows if he will pan out.

Our secondary is solid but I have a feeling we will be allowing a record number of rushing yards this year which will make them inconsequential.

There is no reason to believe this D will be as good as last year.

[better days]

a very good job? absolutely! a dream job? Eh. i would reserve that title for DC of Seattle or SF

Well, the Seattle job & SF job were not available.

Doubtful either will be available anytime soon.

The Bills job was available. Absolutely the best DC job available in the NFL.

A DREAM JOB for any defensive Coach.

[stuckincincy]

I only ever get low six figures. Damn it.

See you in St. Moritz or Zermatt. :kid:

[OpIv37]

The point is Schwartz did not need to take the Bills job or any other job unless he WANTED the job.

The Lions owe Schwartz his entire salary for 2014 & 2015.

That money will be offset by the money the Bills pay him. In other words, he is working for free.

It would be incredibly STUPID to take a job that was the worst ever.

The only benefit of the Bills job for Schwartz is to show he is a GOOD COACH.

- - - Updated - - -



So you have no idea what confidence feels like.
He doesn't have to think it's the worst ever to think it's bad.

And maybe he doesn't need the money but he probably wants another HC gig and probably has an ego.

For all we know, he could have taken the job specifically because they're bad and he wanted to turn it around

But anyway we are digressing from the real point, which is that coaches are going to say this stuff to the media no matter what they truly believe, so the comments are completely irrelevant.

This should be common sense. I don't know why people insist on turning it into an argument every time.

[stuckincincy]

So you have no idea what confidence feels like.

No. I hunker up and nibble on my knees every evening.

[better days]

There is no reason to believe this D will be as good as last year.

No, there is every reason to believe the Bills defense will be the Bills defense will be BETTER than last year.

I will bet anyone, loser donates $50 to the BillsZone.

I bet the Bills give up less rushing yards than last year.

[stuckincincy]

No, there is every reason to believe the Bills defense will be the Bills defense will be BETTER than last year.

I will bet anyone, loser donates $50 to the BillsZone.

I bet the Bills give up less rushing yards than last year.

I wouldn't give Lordofgun $50 bucks unless there was a 36 inch snowfall and he shoveled my property.

[better days]

He doesn't have to think it's the worst ever to think it's bad.

And maybe he doesn't need the money but he probably wants another HC gig and probably has an ego.

For all we know, he could have taken the job specifically because they're bad and he wanted to turn it around

But anyway we are digressing from the real point, which is that coaches are going to say this stuff to the media no matter what they truly believe, so the comments are completely irrelevant.

This should be common sense. I don't know why people insist on turning it into an argument every time.

No the real point is not that Schwartz said what anyone that takes a job would say.

The real point is that he thought the job was good enough to take because of all the talent on the defense of the Bills.

I do believe Schwartz expects to have a better defense than Pettine did last year.

[better days]

I wouldn't give Lordofgun $50 bucks unless there was a 36 inch snowfall and he shoveled my property.

Lack of confidence eh?

[stuckincincy]

Lack of confidence eh?

In what?

[OpIv37]

No the real point is not that Schwartz said what anyone that takes a job would say.

The real point is that he thought the job was good enough to take because of all the talent on the defense of the Bills.

I do believe Schwartz expects to have a better defense than Pettine did last year.
But the article- and the initial post, and my initial response, are about his comments, not about conjecture as to why he took the job. You made it about why he took the job because I pointed out that the comments are meaningless and you couldn't refute it. So you changed the subject.

[better days]

In what?

That the Bills defense is the worst in the History of forever I guess.

Some people on this board think the Bills D will take a step back with the loss of Byrd & Pettine & now the loss of Kiko for the season.

Well, I am saying the Bills defense will be GOOD & give up less rushing yards than last year.

Anyone care to bet?

[better days]

But the article- and the initial post, and my initial response, are about his comments, not about conjecture as to why he took the job. You made it about why he took the job because I pointed out that the comments are meaningless and you couldn't refute it. So you changed the subject.

I didn't change the subject, I commented on you saying the job could be the worst in the History of ever.

[OpIv37]

I didn't change the subject, I commented on you saying the job could be the worst in the History of ever.

It could be. It could also be the best defense ever- his comments would be exactly the same. That was my only point, as it is every time a news article like this comes up. It's just coachspeak and it's completely irrelevant to the coach's actual assessment of how good the team is. He's playing the media game- nothing more

[better days]

It could be. It could also be the best defense ever- his comments would be exactly the same. That was my only point, as it is every time a news article like this comes up. It's just coachspeak and it's completely irrelevant to the coach's actual assessment of how good the team is. He's playing the media game- nothing more

I agree with you about that.

[trapezeus]

better days, what was the bills run defense rank last year? maybe based on that figure, i'll take the zonebucks bet with you. i just don't know that off the top of my head.

i think there are a lot of question marks with pettine's departure.
schwarz may address all of them. but he could also really not have the right personell for what he's good at doing.

[stuckincincy]

That the Bills defense is the worst in the History of forever I guess.

Some people on this board think the Bills D will take a step back with the loss of Byrd & Pettine & now the loss of Kiko for the season.

Well, I am saying the Bills defense will be GOOD & give up less rushing yards than last year.

Anyone care to bet?

"Anyone care to bet" is teenager schoolyard stuff.

I don't think anybody said that the BUF defense is a wreck, only that they did sell out for the rush, did have a rookie LB who flew here and there, but now the plan was have him to move outside, where there are specific run and coverage responsibilities. It was a fair question if he could do that.

But now he's out, and if there is a club that has ignored the LB position - for years, save for the drafting of Poz, I'd like to hear it.

The pundits did mention that the BUF D was decent last season, and mentioned the heavy rush, and Alonso. Teams learn.

[better days]

"Anyone care to bet" is teenager schoolyard stuff.

I don't think anybody said that the BUF defense is a wreck, only that they did sell out for the rush, did have a rookie LB who flew here and there, but now the plan was have him to move outside, where there are specific run and coverage responsibilities. It was a fair question if he could do that.

But now he's out, and if there is a club that has ignored the LB position - for years, save for the drafting of Poz, I'd like to hear it.

The pundits did mention that the BUF D was decent last season, and mentioned the heavy rush, and Alonso. Teams learn.

Even before Kiko was injured, a number of people, Bills fans & National media alike said the Bills defense would take a step back this year with the loss of Pettine & Byrd.

I think they may not make as many splash plays as they did under Pettine, less sacks & ints.

But I think they will give up less rushing yards & probably less points allowed.

[better days]

better days, what was the bills run defense rank last year? maybe based on that figure, i'll take the zonebucks bet with you. i just don't know that off the top of my head.

i think there are a lot of question marks with pettine's departure.
schwarz may address all of them. but he could also really not have the right personell for what he's good at doing.

According to ESPN, the Bills ranked #28 in rushing defense last year.

They gave up 2063 yards, 128.9 yds per game 4.4 yds per attempt.

[trapezeus]

According to ESPN, the Bills ranked #28 in rushing defense last year.

They gave up 2063 yards, 128.9 yds per game 4.4 yds per attempt.

so you think they'll be better. i say the bills will:

1.still end up 20 or worse in run defense
2. and still give up 4.2Y per attempt
3. over 1800 yards in rushing for the season.

any of those metrics worth zonebucks to you?

although, part of me is concerned that without kiko and byrd, and spike's well documented pass coverage issues, we are going to get screened to death. and that might reverse run numbers but spike pass defense.

[better days]

so you think they'll be better. i say the bills will:

1.still end up 20 or worse in run defense
2. and still give up 4.2Y per attempt
3. over 1800 yards in rushing for the season.

any of those metrics worth zonebucks to you?

although, part of me is concerned that without kiko and byrd, and spike's well documented pass coverage issues, we are going to get screened to death. and that might reverse run numbers but spike pass defense.

If I had more money I would agree, maybe after I cash in my IRA.

But I am living on SS alone at this point so, no.

For $50. I am saying the Bills will finish better than they did last year, that is all.

[trapezeus]

but do you define that as better run defense ranking, better total defense ranking? how do you want to define it?

i don't think you get credit if the bills run defense ends up 27th. that's not a real improvement. but i'm also not asking you to jump into the top5.

i think it should be total defense ranking. and it has to increase 3 steps or more from last year.

[Fletch]

I actually think this defense could struggle....

Who do we have at DE? Mario is solid of course but outside of that we have Hughes who is really a converted LB. Is he in on 1st and second down? Then you have Manny Lawson who will be another converted LB.

Basically if Mario missed any time at all we are screwed at that position. And even with him there, the AFCE will be running left all day on Hughes and Lawson.

Since you missed it, I posted an earlier post a couple of weeks ago to one of the statistically oriented sites, I think PFF or FO, that had Mario rated as the worst of our front 7 defenders against the run on the edge, or "setting the edge" as many like to call it. He's overrated against the run.

I still don't know why everyone puts so much credence into sacks and INTs. They're good to get obviously, but in terms of analyzing the situation, if the team ranks 20th in points against, allows a third worst franchise record passing TDs, can't beat one single team that ranks among the top half of the league in passing, then why was the D good? Just because we had a lot of sacks and INTs? If games were determined by sacks and INTs then they'd have more meaning in isolation, but I don't see how that helped us win games.

It seems to me that sacks and INTs are meaningful if they help you stop teams with good passing games. Not if you merely beat Miami, the Jets, and Jax type of teams.

[Fletch]

There is no reason to believe this D will be as good as last year.

Here's the elephant sitting in the kitchen sink though, how good was this defense last season really?

OK, so we set a franchise record for sacks and generated our third most INTs since 1980, but besides that, how good was the defense really?

Is that all anyone sees here? The D was putrid and allowed the 3rd most passing TDs in franchise history. What matters more, scoring against us or sacks and INTs? By the discussions you would think that sacks and INTs matter more.

The D was not good last season. It ranked 20th in points allowed, that's below average.

I guess that we're so starved to be good in one aspect of the game that ranking below average on the whole is considered really great.

[better days]

but do you define that as better run defense ranking, better total defense ranking? how do you want to define it?

i don't think you get credit if the bills run defense ends up 27th. that's not a real improvement. but i'm also not asking you to jump into the top5.

i think it should be total defense ranking. and it has to increase 3 steps or more from last year.

OK, I will go with total defense ranking if you want, but the Bills only have to improve by one position.

My point was people think this defense will be worse than last year.

I am not claiming they will be a lot better, especially with the loss of Kiko.

I am just saying they won't be any worse than last year.

[Fletch]

so you think they'll be better. i say the bills will:

1.still end up 20 or worse in run defense
2. and still give up 4.2Y per attempt
3. over 1800 yards in rushing for the season.

any of those metrics worth zonebucks to you?

although, part of me is concerned that without kiko and byrd, and spike's well documented pass coverage issues, we are going to get screened to death. and that might reverse run numbers but spike pass defense.

How generous of you. When was the last time that we exceeded those marks?

[Mace]

I don't like the Schwartz hire and think he will be a degree of Wannstedt but crankier.

Last time he coordinated a defense, Rivers, Schaub, Warner, Pennington, Cassel, and Garcia were in the top 10 in passer rating. Garrard, JT O'Sullivan, Bulger, Favre, and JaMarcus Russell were often sacked, Jake Delhomme, Gus Frerotte, and JaMarcus Russell were top 10 in yards per completion. The game has changed.

He did not coordinate the Lions, who were nonetheless not known for their poise and discipline though he was often furious and cranky.

He was recently quoted as saying great defenses are judged more on how many points they gave up not by how many yards, when any cretin knows the two are intimately related, which makes me think back to those crap bendy "I surrender but you can only have 3 points 10 times a game and only 3 times in the last 2 minutes, sorry" Fewell defenses where they didn't take 7 every drive and yay, we so straightened them out !

I'd have felt better about him if he said "they aren't getting points, they aren't getting yards, and they'll be lucky to go home with all their teeth, because we are going to make them suffer every inch of turf", which was sort of a brief taste of Pettine's style.

It's just my personal opinion, but I have a feeling they are going to look stupid bendy again and the offense is going to need 34 a game to keep it close.

On the plus side, he is not Dick Jauron or Dave Wannstedt and will be entertaining when he loses his temper.

[Fletch]

I can't comment on his temperament, but I share your skepticism as to his hire. I see it as one overrated DC for another. Pettine left this team ranked 20th, the same as he left the Jets after inheriting a top defense there. The Jets' D improved last season over the year prior in ranking.

Here's what I don't like though, we hire one overrated coach who then hires two coordinators, one is usually fired or replaced because of being a bad choice. All the while we go from a 3-4 to a 4-3 to a hybrid, back to a 3-4 but never anything the same for more than a year or two. Not that we have a crack front office and scouting dept. or anything, but how are these guys supposed to deal with this when they're trying to deal with themselves and their own poor judgement to begin with.

I'm tired of having these coaches come in and tell us that we're not rebuilding and try to sell us on the notion that we're competing to make the playoffs when we have a team in rebuilding status. On paper anyone can say anything, but these guys get paid good money, big money, to make it work not just on paper but on the field, but they can't even recognize that a roster full of young WRs, I'm guessing the youngest WRs in the entire league, isn't going to achieve their stated goals.

It's always taking a mule and dressing it up to resemble a quarter horse. Then when the mule runs like a mule they change their tune and try to tell us that we're rebuilding. In the meantime the moves they made, like trading away the future to get Watkins, was designed not to rebuild, but as a final piece to a scenario that didn't exist. Meanwhile everyone cheers and applauds and talks about how Whaley for instance, is the next up-and-coming NFL wonderboy and enough Bills fans buy into that nonsense to give the team the support it needs for this negligence and cycle of mismanagement.

I don't care who the new owner is, as long as he truly wants to keep the team here, something I'm not hopeful of over the mid-term, but whoever it is had better hire a good GM and head coach. If the new owner leaves the current front office in place I'm going to lose it.

[Fletch]

By the way, I think that they're going to look stupid bendy again too. Schwartz won't overemphasize the pass rush, which is good, but at the same time, take that away from last season and our D sucked. So I don't know what he's going to do and now he's without Kiko.

So we have no all-purpose well-rounded LB with any experience on the roster that's capable of playing average or better football on a consistent basis, our secondary is dicey if taken out of that pass-rush mode from last season, Dareus has issues, and all in all this is anything but a top-10 defense from a talent perspective.

Offensively the OL seems to be there, at least above average, but the WRs are all young and inexperienced with a highly dicey QB throwing to them. I discount Williams because he has his own set of issues and is overrated to begin with. They're heavily relying on a 33-year old RB, another that can't seem to stay healthy and is a 2-down role-player otherwise, and then only unproven RBs on the roster. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but Cleveland and Carolina fans should look at our WRs when they get upset at their WR situations. They'll feel a little better anyway.

[trapezeus]

OK, I will go with total defense ranking if you want, but the Bills only have to improve by one position.

My point was people think this defense will be worse than last year.

I am not claiming they will be a lot better, especially with the loss of Kiko.

I am just saying they won't be any worse than last year.

point me in the direction of what you want to use as the ranking of defense. i think 1 notch is ridiculous. it should at least be 3. 1 notch could be the difference of like 10-15 yards. 3 notches signifies some level of improvement. and with the run defense in the basement last year, 1 notch could still provide pathetic results, possibly even worse in absolute terms, but better in the ranking.

nfl.com has team stats for 2013. total defense by total yards per game, the bills were #10. I'll give you if they finish 9 or better you win. if they finish 10-15, draw, and 15 or worse, i win.

[better days]

No, there is every reason to believe the Bills defense will be the Bills defense will be BETTER than last year.

I will bet anyone, loser donates $50 to the BillsZone.

I bet the Bills give up less rushing yards than last year.

This is my original post about the bet.

[better days]

point me in the direction of what you want to use as the ranking of defense. i think 1 notch is ridiculous. it should at least be 3. 1 notch could be the difference of like 10-15 yards. 3 notches signifies some level of improvement. and with the run defense in the basement last year, 1 notch could still provide pathetic results, possibly even worse in absolute terms, but better in the ranking.

nfl.com has team stats for 2013. total defense by total yards per game, the bills were #10. I'll give you if they finish 9 or better you win. if they finish 10-15, draw, and 15 or worse, i win.

I bet the Bills will give up less than the 2063 rushing yards they gave up last year. SIMPLE

[Mahdi]

I bet the Bills will give up less than the 2063 rushing yards they gave up last year. SIMPLE


I woudlnt take that bet. Simply, I'm saying the Bills will struggle on defense to stop the run once again and will as a result give up lots of points.

We just don't have the personnel or depth on defense to stop anyone.

We have only 1 true DE and if the analysis on Mario is true with regards to run D we have ZERO run stopping DEs of note. Our LBs are either inexperienced in our system or new to the team or rookies.

Our secondary all have injuries also. Gilmore, Mckelvin, Brooks, Williams all coming off injury.

This season could be a disaster and could sting even more if we end up picking in the top 3, without a pick.

What is your justification/confidence towards the success of this D?

[trapezeus]

I bet the Bills will give up less than the 2063 rushing yards they gave up last year. SIMPLE

problem is that if the bills rush doesn't get to the qb, a pass happy league is going to t off on adequate passing time, a slow LB core (due to spikes and no proven LBS to shoulder the load that kiko's vacancy creates"

and as a result rushing yards could plummet but passing yards open up and the defense as a whole gets weaker.

and i'm not exactly excited to lose to you and have the bills give up 2062 yards.i want to lose to you and have the bills be significantly better so it's fun. i don't want to lose a bet and still be rooting for a crappy team.

[stuckincincy]

problem is that if the bills rush doesn't get to the qb, a pass happy league is going to t off on adequate passing time, a slow LB core (due to spikes and no proven LBS to shoulder the load that kiko's vacancy creates"

and as a result rushing yards could plummet but passing yards open up and the defense as a whole gets weaker.

and i'm not exactly excited to lose to you and have the bills give up 2062 yards.i want to lose to you and have the bills be significantly better so it's fun. i don't want to lose a bet and still be rooting for a crappy team.

I wonder if there has ever been a NFL team that has so doggedly ignored building a decent, all-around LB corps in the past decade and a half. The serviceable Poz and Fletcher were run out of town by fans screaming that they made stops 5 yds past the LOS. Unless I'm misinformed, one of the functions of a LB is to back up the defensive line.

I recall folks crowing about Keith Ellison, who benefited from a stat that showed him "best" at pass defending.

I hope Rivers does well, but he was a head-scratching #1 pick.

Lawson was a good player for CIN, but coverage isn't his forte, and he couldn't hang on as a LB for them.

CIN made 2 dumb, arrogant moves a few months ago - not upping the tag on WR Hawkins who bolted to CLE, and LB Vinny Rey, who they were very lucky to re-sign. He is a fine ST player, and due to injuries, got field time and responded with 57 total tackles, 4 sacks, 2 ints, and 5 PDs. I recommended him here to BUF. Woulda been a heck of a "look-see" at the least.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1114353/vincent-rey

[better days]

problem is that if the bills rush doesn't get to the qb, a pass happy league is going to t off on adequate passing time, a slow LB core (due to spikes and no proven LBS to shoulder the load that kiko's vacancy creates"

and as a result rushing yards could plummet but passing yards open up and the defense as a whole gets weaker.

and i'm not exactly excited to lose to you and have the bills give up 2062 yards.i want to lose to you and have the bills be significantly better so it's fun. i don't want to lose a bet and still be rooting for a crappy team.

Well, then I guess you don't want to make the bet.

I have no idea how well the Bills will play against the pass especially due to Kiko's injury.

They may not play as well against the pass as last year.

People are saying the defense will suffer because Schwartz is the DC this year.

I said before the Bills may not have as many splash plays as last year, but I think the defense will be better against the run.

[better days]

I wonder if there has ever been a NFL team that has so doggedly ignored building a decent, all-around LB corps in the past decade and a half. The serviceable Poz and Fletcher were run out of town by fans screaming that they made stops 5 yds past the LOS. Unless I'm misinformed, one of the functions of a LB is to back up the defensive line.

I recall folks crowing about Keith Ellison, who benefited from a stat that showed him "best" at pass defending.

I hope Rivers does well, but he was a head-scratching #1 pick.

Lawson was a good player for CIN, but coverage isn't his forte, and he couldn't hang on as a LB for them.

CIN made 2 dumb, arrogant moves a few months ago - not upping the tag on WR Hawkins who bolted to CLE, and LB Vinny Rey, who they were very lucky to re-sign. He is a fine ST player, and due to injuries, got field time and responded with 57 total tackles, 4 sacks, 2 ints, and 5 PDs. I recommended him here to BUF. Woulda been a heck of a "look-see" at the least.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1114353/vincent-rey

Lawson is good in coverage & I don't know what you are talking about saying Lawson couldn't hang on as a LB for the Bengals.

Lawson signed a one year contract with the Bengals in 2011. He signed another one year contract with them in 2012.

The Bengals never cut Lawson. He became a FA after 2012 & signed a 4 year contract with the Bills as a FA & he had a very good year last year for the Bills.

[stuckincincy]

Lawson is good in coverage & I don't know what you are talking about saying Lawson couldn't hang on as a LB for the Bengals.

Lawson signed a one year contract with the Bengals in 2011. He signed another one year contract with them in 2012.

The Bengals never cut Lawson. He became a FA after 2012 & signed a 4 year contract with the Bills as a FA & he had a very good year last year for the Bills.

CIN didn't cut Lawson, but they did not go out of their way to sign him when he became a FA. You get to watch TB football, I get to watch CIN football. Manny is a decent pro, has a fine attitude, a former 1st rounder, but is a classic tweener - doesn't have the skills to cover, and doesn't shine in run and pass rush. He's a good player within his skills, and I said so here when BUF signed him that he was an asset.

BUF would be wrong to cut him, but with whatever club he's been in, he has never been exceptional.

[better days]

CIN didn't cut Lawson, but they did not go out of their way to sign him when he became a FA. You get to watch TB football, I get to watch CIN football. Manny is a decent pro, has a fine attitude, a former 1st rounder, but is a classic tweener - doesn't have the skills to cover, and doesn't shine in run and pass rush. He's a good player within his skills, and I said so here when BUF signed him that he was an asset.

BUF would be wrong to cut him, but with whatever club he's been in, he has never been exceptional.

OK. I will buy he is not exceptional. But he is not a scrub that couldn't hang on with the Bengals either.

The Bengals liked him enough to sign him a second year & if the Bills did not offer him a 4 year contract, the Bengals would have probably been happy to sign him for a third year.

[stuckincincy]

OK. I will buy he is not exceptional. But he is not a scrub that couldn't hang on with the Bengals either.

The Bengals liked him enough to sign him a second year & if the Bills did not offer him a 4 year contract, the Bengals would have probably been happy to sign him for a third year.

I didn't say he was a scrub. I went out of my way to say he wasn't. The B'gals didn't re-sign him because they were burnt - repeatedly - by his coverage and had better players coming up to work into their line-up.

No way CIN would have offered him another contract after those 1 year deals, let alone a 4 year deal.

[better days]

I didn't say he was a scrub. I went out of my way to say he wasn't. The B'gals didn't re-sign him because they were burnt - repeatedly - by his coverage and had better players coming up to work into their line-up.

No way CIN would have offered him another contract after those 1 year deals, let alone a 4 year deal.

Why did the Bengals offer him a second contract?

Why did the Bills offer him a 4 year contract?

[stuckincincy]

Why did the Bengals offer him a second contract?

Why did the Bills offer him a 4 year contract?

Because at the time, he was the best option. When they got better, out he went. He had no place in the rush attack and edge coverage, what with Michael Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Wallace Gilberry. He had no place at LB with Burfict.

The Bills signed him to a 4 year contract because they needed an experienced body, and for some reason thought - I assume - he had coverage skills. 1000 feet of game film would have put the lie to that.

Once again - he's a decent pro, but he has not - or ever has - justified his being a #1 pick. I don't know the details of that 4 year contract, but I suspect it was not a blockbuster.

[better days]

Because at the time, he was the best option. When they got better, out he went. He had no place in the rush attack and edge coverage, what with Michael Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Wallace Gilberry. He had no place at LB with Burfict.

The Bills signed him to a 4 year contract because they needed an experienced body, and for some reason thought - I assume - he had coverage skills. 1000 feet of game film would have put the lie to that.

Once again - he's a decent pro, but he has not - or ever has - justified his being a #1 pick. I don't know the details of that 4 year contract, but I suspect it was not a blockbuster.

The point is Lawson is a good player. Not a Pro Bowl player, but a good player.

He makes the Bills better being on the team, he is not the Eric Pears of the defense, more like the Craig Urbick.

[better days]

I woudlnt take that bet. Simply, I'm saying the Bills will struggle on defense to stop the run once again and will as a result give up lots of points.

We just don't have the personnel or depth on defense to stop anyone.

We have only 1 true DE and if the analysis on Mario is true with regards to run D we have ZERO run stopping DEs of note. Our LBs are either inexperienced in our system or new to the team or rookies.

Our secondary all have injuries also. Gilmore, Mckelvin, Brooks, Williams all coming off injury.

This season could be a disaster and could sting even more if we end up picking in the top 3, without a pick.

What is your justification/confidence towards the success of this D?

I have confidence the Bills will stop the run because they signed Spikes the best run stuffing LB in the NFL & every team Schwartz has coached has been good at stopping the run.

Schwartz has said the most important thing to him is to not give up points. I can't wait to see how this defense plays for him.

Every player I have heard that talked about him was really happy to have him as the DC.

[Mahdi]

I have confidence the Bills will stop the run because they signed Spikes the best run stuffing LB in the NFL & every team Schwartz has coached has been good at stopping the run.

Schwartz has said the most important thing to him is to not give up points. I can't wait to see how this defense plays for him.

Every player I have heard that talked about him was really happy to have him as the DC.

Any LB no matter how good they are at stopping the run needs his DL to do the right things and hold their man down. I just don't see the RDE combination of Hughes and Lawson holding their ground. They will get run over.

And its not surprising that the players are saying they are happy with Schwartz, what else would they say?

[better days]

Any LB no matter how good they are at stopping the run needs his DL to do the right things and hold their man down. I just don't see the RDE combination of Hughes and Lawson holding their ground. They will get run over.

And its not surprising that the players are saying they are happy with Schwartz, what else would they say?

The players could say nothing about Schwartz.

Or give him lukewarm approval.

But that is not the case, Everyone I have heard has been enthusiastic in their praise of Schwartz.

Schwartz has said he can afford to put a safety in the box OFTEN because the CB's can hold their own.

We will have to wait & see, but I think I will be proven right about this.

[GingerP]

I have confidence the Bills will stop the run because they signed Spikes the best run stuffing LB in the NFL & every team Schwartz has coached has been good at stopping the run.

He made such a difference in NE that they finished 11th, 17th, 9th & 30th in rushing yards allowed during his time there. They finished 13th, 24th, 6th & 24th in average yards-per carry over those 4 years as well. If he were that much of a difference-maker, NE would have been better against the run.

[better days]

He made such a difference in NE that they finished 11th, 17th, 9th & 30th in rushing yards allowed during his time there. They finished 13th, 24th, 6th & 24th in average yards-per carry over those 4 years as well. If he were that much of a difference-maker, NE would have been better against the run.

They would have been even worse without him.