One thing that I noticed about the Pats game...

[WG]

...is that they were swarming to the ball on passing plays!

If they end up playing like that on opening day, Drew's gonna need to put up a flawless performance for us to win. We won't necessarily need passing TDs from him to win, as we should challenge their dubious rush D, but we absolutely have to avoid key TOs, from any player!

While watching that D however, the first thing that I thought is "dang, that D is Drew's worst nightmare!"

Not tryin' to start a thread about my dissatisfaction w/ Drew here, but if we're gonna be honest, the only reason why we lost game two of the Pats game last year was due to 3 TOs, two of which were his.

We'll move the ball, particularly if we stay w/ our "run first" approach. But we may not score too many offensive points as that game figures to be a defensive matchup. My original thought was that we're gonna move the ball w/ ease, but after watching that game, they're only gonna improve, and man, they're D was good. Much better than I had anticipated and much better than they had played for most of last season even.

It's certainly gonna be interesting!

[WG]

BTW, having said that, barring someone stepping up into their starting RB role, I just don't see their O doing what they did v. the Giants every week. I see struggles bigtime for their O since it's likely to be incredibly one-dimensional.

[Schobel94]

The Giants O-line isnt as good as our o-line, but I think it will be a very tough D to beat. Im lookin at verrrry low scores,but I think ur right, if we can just avoid turnovers, we should win.

[WG]

Indeed! Certainly that was the case in the second game last year.

It's also a stigma, both for Drew and for the team, that we have to snap! The last thing we wanna do is face N.E. in the playoffs in Foxboro after having dropped 4 straight to them. Not to say that if we drop two to them again, we'll even be in the POs.

[Throne Logic]

Short out throw's to the TE or HB, whomever isn't kept in to block. That will make the Pats keep someone out in at least a delayed blitz.

[LtBillsFan66]

I think the games will be won or lost by the playcalling. That makes me a little nervous.

[TypicalBill]

Originally posted by billsfanone
I think the games will be won or lost by the playcalling. That makes me a little nervous.

I agree, KG is the key here..




i really like the Pats' rookie CB Eugene Wilson... he's gonna be a good one for a long time.

[TedMock]

I hope KG can accept an "ugly" win. It could very well end up a 10-7 game. NE's offense isn't as good as it looked last night. The WR's are no better than "ok", no solid RB and Brady's not that talented a QB. The one thing, offensively, they do very well is screen passes. Their OL runs the screen better than any team. That killed us last year but we have much more speed in OLB this season so hopefully we disrupt that a little. NE's D is good and Belichik's an excellent defensive coach. We have to be patient in those matchups.

[BillsMan80]

The key will be making New England establish that they can stop the run. If they can't, then pound it all day long, and use play-action. We need to make them stop the run, because they haven't proven it can be done yet.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Their D did look good. But look at how we stack up:

Bills passing vs Pats passing - EVEN
Bills running vs Pats running - Bills
Bills pass D vs Pats pass D - EVEN
Bills run D vs Pats run D - Bills

Like you guys said, we grind the ball on the ground and just play D, we'll win.

[WG]

Originally posted by billsfanone
I think the games will be won or lost by the playcalling. That makes me a little nervous.

Indeed!

Especially w/ "general" Gilbride leading the charge!

I suppose we all are right to be worried w/ him callin' the shots!

I'm not even remotely worried about Gray and the D however. Nor Smith and STs. Our STs have been so mediocre to crappy, that if Lindell can kick, and if we can simply get a couple guys down field on punts, and have even average KO coverage, we'll be fine. I'd say that the biggest improvements this offseason will have produced will have been on the STs! D will improve immensely, but IMO the STs will end up having improved even more.

Keep in mind tho that there really aren't too many directions for the STs to go.

[WG]

That's the way to do it 80!!!


I definitely don't agree w/ you TM on "Brady not being that talented." I think he's quite talented. One area where he has Drew beat is reads on the short-medium stuff. That's pretty big. He'll do the same v. us, make no mistake. He'll pick us apart if he can.

Where I think the difference is gonna be is in the execution! I don't think that N.E.'s O is gonna beat our players man-for-man. I think we're better plain and simple. Our LBs and DBs will be all over the WRs, TEs, and RBs in passing, that Brady's simply not gonna have a lot of open options. If we can generate any pass rush at all, expect us to shut them down!

Originally posted by Mr. Miyagi
Their D did look good. But look at how we stack up:

Bills passing vs Pats passing - EVEN
Bills running vs Pats running - Bills
Bills pass D vs Pats pass D - EVEN
Bills run D vs Pats run D - Bills

Like you guys said, we grind the ball on the ground and just play D, we'll win.

Too bad our O doesn't match up against theirs Miyagi!

Our Passing O v. their Passing D - Advantage N.E.
Our Rushing O v. their Rushing D - Advantage Bills
Our Rushing D v. their Rushing O - Advantage Bills
Our Passing D v. their Passing O - Advantage Bills

IMO of course.

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by Mr. Miyagi
Their D did look good. But look at how we stack up:

Bills passing vs Pats passing - EVEN
Bills running vs Pats running - Bills
Bills pass D vs Pats pass D - EVEN
Bills run D vs Pats run D - Bills

Like you guys said, we grind the ball on the ground and just play D, we'll win.

Bellichik vs. Gilbride - Pats

[WG]

Anybody v. Gilbride - Anybody

Heck,

Gilbride loses v. himself...!

[Earthquake Enyart]

Originally posted by Wys Guy

Our Passing O v. their Passing D - Advantage N.E.
Our Rushing O v. their Rushing D - Advantage Bills
Our Rushing D v. their Rushing O - Advantage Bills
Our Passing D v. their Passing O - Advantage Bills

IMO of course.