Our run defense is as bad as last year!

[Novacane]

All this talk about our great defense but we have not stopped the run in any game yet this year.

For all the money spent on Defense we are 26th in the league giving up 135.8 per game.


the offense has sucked the last 2 games but they are getting to much of the blame. This Defense is not as good as I thought.

[LtBillsFan66]

Let it play out a bit. Ricky and his 44 rushes tilts the average just a hair.

[mchurchfie]

One of the reason he had 44 carries is because the D couldn't stop the Fins on third down.

[LtBillsFan66]

Originally posted by mchurchfie
One of the reason he had 44 carries is because the D couldn't stop the Fins on third down.

And another reason is that we went 3 and out too many times.

[rsmithgi]

Originally posted by billsfanone


And another reason is that we went 3 and out too many times.

Haven't we all seen the Bucs and Ravens defenses shutdown opposing offenses while their offense did nothing?

Didn't the Ravens offense go 5 weeks without scoring an offensive TD during their SB year?

The point is that the Bills defense is good but not great. They need to play well on offense as well. In addition, they need to stop allowing so many long drives.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by rsmithgi


Haven't we all seen the Bucs and Ravens defenses shutdown opposing offenses while their offense did nothing?

Didn't the Ravens offense go 5 weeks without scoring an offensive TD during their SB year?

The point is that the Bills defense is good but not great. They need to play well on offense as well. In addition, they need to stop allowing so many long drives.



I can't stand it when a finfan makes a good point!


This D is not great. Great D's cover up for the offense when it is struggling. Great D's do not let a Philly team come out the first drive and walk through them like swiss cheese. I suppose that was the offense's fault too!!!


Those laying the Philly loss totally on the offense are wrong. The D played well enough to win in Miami.


They did not play well enough to beat Philly.
They are not a great defense.

[rsmithgi]

Originally posted by Fairway To Green


I can't stand it when a finfan makes a good point!



Thanks. I'll try not to do it too often.

Seriously, there is a big difference between this years defense and last years. This year you can point to a few plays each game that would turn the game in the Bills favor. The defense is just a player or two away from being very good. You could not say that last year.

Once the offense picks up, the defense's numbers will improve. They still need a pass rush and more tackles for a lose than they are getting.

[EM Bills Fan 80]

Well, If you wanna look on the bright side, we rank first against the Pass, only allowing an average of 157 yards a game

[Tatonka]

once again, because teams can run on us. that is why the pass is so low.

[LtBillsFan66]

Good point rsmithgi.

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by Tatonka
once again, because teams can run on us. that is why the pass is so low.

I disagree with you ... our pass defense (aside from 3rd downs last game) has been pretty good.

Brady - we dominated
Brunell - we kept him quite under raps.
Fiedler - he did nothing at all.
McNabb - did better on the ground than he did in the air. He only put up average numbers

I think out of the 4, only McNabb didn't throw an interception and I'm positive no one threw more TD's than INT's.

And it's not like teams haven't thrown the ball on us ... we've had about an average number of passing attempts a game against us - it's just that our oponents have had so many more plays than we have.


As to the topic at hand ... our run D does stink.

[jdbillsfan]

I actually don't think our run D or defense in general stinks at all. I think we are pretty good actually.

IMO our run d is much better than last year. We are not good enough to be on the field 40 minutes with constant 3 and outs from the offense, but it is definitely better. Ricky only started breaking significant runs after his 35th or so carry. McNabb hurt us a little and that 67 yard run definitely did, but I think being on the field so long is not helping.

3rd down D and lack of intensity seems to be hurting us along with no offense what so ever.

They are not as great at the Ravens/Bucs superbowl year, but not many teams are.

It is early in the season and I think they will improve. I just would like to see the same intensity as they had in the Pats game.

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by rsmithgi


Haven't we all seen the Bucs and Ravens defenses shutdown opposing offenses while their offense did nothing?

Didn't the Ravens offense go 5 weeks without scoring an offensive TD during their SB year?

The point is that the Bills defense is good but not great. They need to play well on offense as well. In addition, they need to stop allowing so many long drives.

Marv Levy still owns Shula :snicker: Justaplayin'....good point.

We still can be great though. I'd revisit Sam Adams and make him read his quotes he made during offseason and ask him if he's even close.

[rsmithgi]

Originally posted by jdbillsfan

IMO our run d is much better than last year. We are not good enough to be on the field 40 minutes with constant 3 and outs from the offense, but it is definitely better. Ricky only started breaking significant runs after his 35th or so carry.

The time of possession argument is overblown. The problems against the Fins started with the last drive of the second quarter. In addition, the Fins time of possession advantage was based alot on the fact that they were running the ball and the clock continued to run between plays. Each Buffalo incomplete pass play lasted 7 - 8 seconds. Each Dolphin running play lasted approx. 30 seconds.

Even though Ricky didn't break any long runs until late, there were few (if any) tackles for losses after the first quarter. This is the reason they couldn't get the Fins off of the field. Its also the reason they were just a play or two away from stopping drives.

[Miami_Vice]

Fielder did nothing?! He threw a TD pass and coverted a bunch of pivotal 3rd downs. He did alright in my opinion. A lot better than Drew Bleedsoe

oh and Fielder 5-0 vs. the Bills Nuff said

[Miami_Vice]

By the way, Travis Henry doesnt "rule" LOL he sucks

[HenryRules]

Fiedler did better than Bledsoe that game ... yes, he most certainly did. However, if you think Fiedler did anything other than have a horrible game though, you weren't watching the same game I was.

[Miami_Vice]

He wasnt spectacular but he got the job done...unlike Bleedsoe

[don137]

Originally posted by Miami_Vice
oh and Fielder 5-0 vs. the Bills Nuff said

Fielder stats at Buffalo last December
5-9 for 15 yards, 1 INT, 0 TD.
What is his record in the playoffs?

[helmetguy]

In spite of the additions of Spikes, Malloy, Adams and Posey, the Defense is again struggling. I would think that, with the addition of higher calibre personnel, there should be an accompanying improvement in the functioning of the Defensive unit as a whole. What hasn't changed over last year is that Gregg Williams and Jerry Gray are still with the Bills. Isn't it THEIR responsibility to deploy the personnel in a way that allows the unit as a whole to correct the deficiencies that existed last year? In many ways, those deficiencies still exist.