Gray still is a question mark

[Romes]

OK, so he is now are foremost defensive leader on a team that used to boast 3 of them (Williams, Lebeau, Gray). Yes, our defense was ranked #2 in the league and Gray did call the plays during the game but i am still worried because before he had Williams and Lebeau to help him with the game plan. Also, add the fact that the Bills tried to get Lebeau doesn't add to my confidence towards Gray. IMO, he is still and unproven commodity.

Is anyone else worried about this?

[The Spaz]

I am a little bit but the think I'm most worried about is the 8-10 yard cushion that the DB's give the WR's, any QB can see that an audible to a shorter pass pattern. That **** really pisses me off.

[Pride]

I agree with your assessment.

Gray is now the main coaching concern. Can he do it on his own? Was it his schemes or GW's that made the D good. Can he keep improving it with the addition of a pass rush DE? Can he get more turnovers? and put the CBs in a better position to make them?

Good question, good thread! Thanks!

[DraftBoy]

I think he can handle it to be honest. He always did a good job with avg talent in the TEN defensive backfield.

[EDS]

Well he has three years of on the job training/experience so that helps. Particularly the one year with DL for getting another perspective. Only thing is if the defense does well this year then Gray becomes a legit head coaching candidate.

[Buckets]

First of all was GW really that good of a DC or was it Fisher calling the plays. Tenn. didn't seem to skip a beat when GW left. Second I think the Lebau thing was a knee jerk reaction because MM (or M2) was familiar with him and not Gray. I think Gray will be OK.

[Voltron]

If you watch the pats I NEVER see their DBs start as far off as ours do. That is one of the disrupting things of that Bilicheck D. Every play the WRs get jammed at the LOS. In our D we always have our DBs anywhere from 5 to 10 feet off the LOS. I too never understood that.

[LtBillsFan66]

I don't like Gray. The defense is not creative. When I watched NE and Carolina, I saw how pathetic our schemes are. It's not lack of aggression. I like the players we have out there. They do well in spite of the playcalling. The players are aggressive yet the playcalling is too conservative.

[The Natrix]

Originally posted by Voltron
If you watch the pats I NEVER see their DBs start as far off as ours do. That is one of the disrupting things of that Bilicheck D. Every play the WRs get jammed at the LOS. In our D we always have our DBs anywhere from 5 to 10 feet off the LOS. I too never understood that.

I agree. And look at the Carolina - Philly game. Granted, the Philly recievers are garbage, but Carolina was all over them right from the snap, and it worked.

A lot of the Pats takeaways are a direct result of the coaches putting the players in position to make plays.

The Bills D does not have a shortage of playmakers, in my opinion. I would like to see some tweaks in the D scheme.

So yes, Jerry Gray without Williams and DL has me a little bit concerned. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt though, because the D looked good at the end of the 02 - 03 season without DL, and there is really no way to determine which coach added the most to the D. At least I can't tell. If someone knows for a fact that DL was more responsible than Gray for the D's success, please enlighten me. It does have me concerned though that apparently Buffalo wanted DL over Gray for next season.

Anyway, the QB and O-line play has me 20 times more worried.

[lordofgun]

Originally posted by billsfanone
I don't like Gray. The defense is not creative. When I watched NE and Carolina, I saw how pathetic our schemes are. It's not lack of aggression. I like the players we have out there. They do well in spite of the playcalling. The players are aggressive yet the playcalling is too conservative.

Completely agree. Maybe things will change with Gray calling the shots by himself.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Originally posted by lordofgun


Completely agree. Maybe things will change with Gray calling the shots by himself.

Wasn't he doing that last season?

[TigerJ]

I'm not concerned about Gray's ability. I think the Bills tried for LeBeau because he is by far the more experienced. However, the fact that Gray interviewed for the HC spot indicates to me the Bills have a pretty high regard for him. As far as philosophical issues, yes, I like to see an aggressive defence with tight coverage from the DBs, but to me there is no question about the man's competence.

It is interesting that we are criticizing Gray for a perceived lack of aggressiveness, but there has always been a significant level of support for Ted Cottrell in Buffalo. Ted Cottrell does not use a very aggressive scheme.

[Throne Logic]

On his own, Gray might tweek some things in a positive manner. We can only hope that he improves things now that he isn't under the umbrella of Williams & Lebeau.

TigerJ: As much as I hate to say this, I think that he was interviewed for the HC job primarily because it helped Buffalo satisfy the issue revolving around minority hirings. Not that he didn't deserve the interview, but you could say that LeBeau was in a position to get interviewed, also - and he wasn't.

[The Spaz]

We also interviewed 2 other minority candidates besides Gray in Lovie Smith and Romeo Crennel.

[lordofgun]

Originally posted by THATHURMANATOR
Wasn't he doing that last season?

Who knows? He had Lebeau and GW looking over his shoulder.