What Wys doesn't or refuses to understand

[Judge]

As I think everyone on here except for Wys understands, competent defense is more than just yardage per game or points per game.

While those things are huge, the D can also create scoring opportunities for the offense by creating turnover opportunities: a good pressure on the QB will create sack opportunities, possible fumbles, and possible interceptions. Turnovers lead to the "short field" situation for an offense to be able to capitalize and score points.

Our defense has clearly been woeful in pressuring the QB and in creating turnover opportunities. This has led to the offense having little chance to capitalize on an extra possession or a short field, and has forced the offense to go 70+ yards to produce its points far too often.

Our offense has been amazingly efficient considering how little benefit it has received from the defense, in terms of spotting opposition leads and not creating turnover opportunities. On the rare occasions that the D has done something, the offense has generally produced.

Who knows where we'd be with just a handful more turnovers? A turnover here or there in our losses very well could have turned the game around, and at least would have given the offense more of a chance. Our offense would probably be even lower on the yardage per game list, but so what? It would have had short fields to produce TD's or FG's.

The yardage statistics and points statistics cited by Wys fall far short of telling the whole story. When these factors are considered, the offense's production despite the failure of the D is even more impressive, quite frankly.

[kgun12]

I would add to what judge said by asking: over the last 2 years how many times during a game have you said OK D it's time for a turnover or something to that effect? How many times have they done it. Except for Miami VERY FEW. Look what New England did to us Sunday. We had them on the ropes at the end of the 3rd quarter, got the ball around the 25. First thing you know N.E. strips the ball momentum gone, GAME OVER!

[mybills]

I'm guessing wys does understand that, as he keeps mentioning the fact that it's all being left up to the offense (especially Drews throwing arm). That's how I understand it anyway. It pretty much means the same thing to me.

[mchurchfie]

Originally posted by mybills
I'm guessing wys does understand that, as he keeps mentioning the fact that it's all being left up to the offense (especially Drews throwing arm). That's how I understand it anyway. It pretty much means the same thing to me.

I totally agree mybills. The bottomline is that the defense can TOTALLY not be counted on and is a liability to the rest of the team...from offense right down to the water boy. The vets that were brought in to make a difference, like Fletcher and Robinson, have been a HUGE disappointment for the most part and the defense has actually regressed from last year. Fletcher had is best game against Miami a couple of weeks ago. Other than that, he has had just a handful of big plays. Others might argue that he is one of the leading tacklers but most of them have been downfield. When you are a middle linebacker in that defense you are supposed to make the the BIG play.

[LuvDaBills11]

why does every body pick on wys guy? hes right the defense was good under wade phillips but it sucks now. thats td's fault because he didnt want to pay cowart and washington and wiley. thats ok since he wanted to build the o but we have to be patient while he rebuilds the d.

wades defenses though almost never prevented teams from outscoring us. they stopped yards but didnt keep scores down.

[John from Hemet]

Isn't WYS the same one that said Travis Henry sucks?

You know...the same Travis Henry that is over the 1K mark and might get 1500 yards this season?

[Jman]

I think Marv said it best...

You gotta win the turnover battle, thats all there is to it.

[MissBuffalo]

And I'm sure it also ways heavily on the offensive players minds that during a game they need to be exceptional or they have no chance of winning.

[Marcos20]

Your right Judge ... just look at the Miami game and you will see what he is saying

[LtBillsFan66]

Originally posted by Jman
I think Marv said it best...

You gotta win the turnover battle, thats all there is to it.

Here, here!

We are second to last in the league with -7.

[mackey789]

if we had a defense we would be 8-5 or 9-4

[WG]

Originally posted by mackey789
if we had a defense we would be 8-5 or 9-4

Possibly even better.

Fully agree. But not having a D certainly doesn't explain away our offense only putting 7, 13, 16, 16, and 17 points on the board and against some very sketchy Ds too over our last 7 games. Even the 24 against Detroit fell short IMO. With the game tied at the half, we barely put up 100 yards of total O in the 2nd half and were only able to struggle our way to 10 2nd half points. Meanwhile, the D allowed only 3 second half points but the O simply couldn't put the game away leaving the Lions in it leaving Detroit in it right into the last 2 minutes of the game.

So as I see it, in addition to our D playing poorly in recent weeks, largely as a result of the O's inability to keep us in games by scoring, the offense has certainly done it's share in losing, or "not" done it's share to help us win.

Yes, if we had a better D then we'd likely be better in terms of our record. But if our O had only put up those point totals, then likely we wouldn't be better. Even a good D cannot be expected to hold teams like K.C., N.E., Miami, and the Jets (resurgent) to under 16 or 13 points. Only a #1 or near #1 D could do that consistently.

We lost the K.C. game! Why? B/c our Offense could only muster 16 points. B/c our D held the Chiefs to only 17. That was the Chiefs third lowest offensive total all season. The first two lowest resulted in Chief losses. So that one was clearly on the O!

As well, if this continues, and we come into next season struggling to hit 20, I don't care what defensive changes we make this offseason, our record won't be any better than the 6-10 or 7-9 that we're likely to have this season.

[WG]

We absolutley need to snap out of our offensive funk these last few weeks. I say we'll do it as long as Gilbride gives Henry 25+ carries each week. But that's only happened 4 times this season in 13 games. So I'm not holdin' my breath.

If we don't, then look for further and more immediate problems.