We need to prepare for our D being worse.

[HHURRICANE]

I am very optimistic about the Bills offense this year. I think it will be very exciting to watch and along with special teams should keep us in many games this year.

However, I cannot keep watching posts where the "D should be better."

I was optimistic about the Bills D earlier this year but:

1) Without a healthy McCargo and Darwin Walker we will be worse in the middle where we were totally exploited last year.

2) Sorry but Crowell-Ellison/DiGorgio-Poz is not Crowell-Fletcher-Spikes. Maybe it will be better but not right now.

3) Kelsay, Schobel, and Denney I don't see do anything more than they have already done. Maybe Hargrove takes it up a notch and adds a little more to the pass rush.

4) I think Nate was overrated. However, this is IMO and doesn't mean that the odds are that we will struggle back there, especially without pressure up front.

We need to save the improvement argument. Same ingredients, bake at 350, doesn't get you an entirely different cake.

[Scumbag College]

I don't think the defense is going to be as rotten of a situation as most think. With the departure of Spikes and Fletcher, yeah the LBs have lost alot of star power. However, I loved the way Ellison played near the end of the year, and Poz is going to add alot more size and speed at MLB. (No way Digiorgio starts, sorry.)

I think the D Line and DBs have alot of questions to be answered, but alot of "wildcards" too that might be boom or bust. Will McCargo come back 100% by training camp? Will Walker ever play for the Bills, and if so would he bring the inside pass rush that has been lacking at DT for a while? Will Kelsay or Denney ever step up to their potential opposite Schobel at DE? Will Webster return to his form prior to his injuries and be able to start? Will Yobouty contribute? Will Ko and Whitner continue to develop? If two or three of these issues work out positively in the Bills favor, I think the defense might not be as dire as we thought.

I do agree that the offense will be much better, and this will help the defense as well. With the additions on the O-Line and with Lynch, Wright, and A-Train in the backfield, I think the running game will be solid to very good and get alot of first downs and chew up that clock. If a #2 receiver can be established along with a TE that can step up, the passing game is going to be very good and not only move the chains, but score some points too at the same time.

[Scumbag College]

BTW, thank you for starting a thread that doesn't have to talk about the depressing notion of a possible Bills move to Toronto, LA, Alburquerque, or wherever.

[Goobylal]

I think the defense will be better right off the bat. The biggest things are that at most 1 rookie (Poz) may start on defense, compared to last year where up to 5 rookies started at one point (Whitner, Simpson, McCargo, Williams, and Ellison). Also, having a year in the system and strength and conditioning program, not to mention in the NFL, will be huge for the former rookies.

Next consider that the other players on defense will have had a year in the cover-2, which is a hard system to learn. Again that will be huge.

Taking the above into account, the DL even without McCargo, will at worst have the same personnel, but they'll be more experienced. That's an improvement. If McCargo plays, so much the better. Walker would also be an improvement, but it's looking like he's not going to be around.

At LB, I'm thinking that a corp of Crowell-DiGiorgio-Ellison would be the ideal situation. Poz is a rookie and will probably struggle initially, so it might be better to bring him along slowly. If he starts, I'll say the defense will struggle a bit initially.

As for the secondary, it returns everyone except for Clements, who had an up-and-down year. Actually make that a down-and-up year as he started-off lousy and played well in the 2nd half. His replacement currently looks to be Jason Webster, a player who if he stays healthy, could pickup where Clements left-off and not miss much of a beat. I say this because in the cover-2, the safeties are more important than the CB's.

[Earthquake Enyart]

For young LB's, the cover two - one gap type of defense should be easy to learn.

These guys will play it better than Fletch and Spikes.

CB is what worries me.

[HHURRICANE]

Taking the above into account, the DL even without McCargo, will at worst have the same personnel, but they'll be more experienced. That's an improvement. If McCargo plays, so much the better. Walker would also be an improvement, but it's looking like he's not going to be around.

At LB, I'm thinking that a corp of Crowell-DiGiorgio-Ellison would be the ideal situation. Poz is a rookie and will probably struggle initially, so it might be better to bring him along slowly. If he starts, I'll say the defense will struggle a bit initially.

Improved play from last year's exact same DL (minus a healthy McCargo) is the equiv of scoring a 67 vs. 66 on a test. It still sucks.

We knew the LB crew was going to be weak and expecting DiGorgio to play better than Fletcher is unrealistic.

I watched Vince Young and the Titans running game go 12 of 13 plays on the ground to beat us. I watched the Jags tie the game with less than a minute to go when on 4th and 13 Girard decides to run and get the first. I watched the Colts and Pats run out both games with 8 minutes on the clock.

No matter how good our O is if we can't get the ball back to try and win a game, which happened several times last year, the improvements on O are going to be meaningless.

[John Doe]

1) Without a healthy McCargo and Darwin Walker we will be worse in the middle where we were totally exploited last year.

Why would we be worse even if McCargo is not healthy? It's the same players with more experience in the system and Williams is no longer a rookie. Anderson and Jefferson are still young and can improve. If McCargo is healthy then the line may improve a lot more.

2) Sorry but Crowell-Ellison/DiGorgio-Poz is not Crowell-Fletcher-Spikes. Maybe it will be better but not right now.

Sorry, but Spikes was not a good player last year. He may improve with the Eagles, but that does not take away the fact that he had limited mobility last season. Crowell is now healthy and Poz could be as good as Fletcher right off the bat. Ellison made a significant contribution without the benifit of an entire preseason. John D. is no longer a rookie. These guys should be better. The linebackers could be one of the quickest units in the league.

3) Kelsay, Schobel, and Denney I don't see do anything more than they have already done. Maybe Hargrove takes it up a notch and adds a little more to the pass rush.

Kelsay is still a young player and can improve. We are not worse off than last season and maybe better.

4) I think Nate was overrated. However, this is IMO and doesn't mean that the odds are that we will struggle back there, especially without pressure up front.

That is really the only valid point that I can see.

We need to save the improvement argument. Same ingredients, bake at 350, doesn't get you an entirely different cake.

I reject the analogy of comparing the baking of cakes to the improvement of young football players. I would hesitate to go to a baker for football advice.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Poz will end up being a big upgrade in run D over Fletch.

[HHURRICANE]

Poz will end up being a big upgrade in run D over Fletch.

All speculation until he plays. Fletcher was a liability at times and I'm glad he's gone but Poz has no NFL resume.

You can get excited about the O because you have veteran talent on the line so one of three RBs is going to be at an advantage this year.

In regards to John Doe he acts like Anderson and Jefferson are rookies and have tons of upside. These guys have been here a while and have consistantly sucked. Period.

If we don't have a healthy McCargo and or Darwin Walker there is absolutely zero upgrade to the line. Zero.

[John Doe]

In regards to John Doe he acts like Anderson and Jefferson are rookies and have tons of upside. These guys have been here a while and have consistantly sucked. Period.

If we don't have a healthy McCargo and or Darwin Walker there is absolutely zero upgrade to the line. Zero.

Anderson is 26 and Jefferson is 25. The prime years for athletes are usually 27-30. To say that there is absolutely no potential for either to improve is shortsighted.

You act like these guys are in their 40's.

[Goobylal]

Improved play from last year's exact same DL (minus a healthy McCargo) is the equiv of scoring a 67 vs. 66 on a test. It still sucks.

Whether it goes from a 66 to just a 67 remains to be seen. But the major point is that it WON'T be worse.

We knew the LB crew was going to be weak and expecting DiGorgio to play better than Fletcher is unrealistic.

What was so special about Fletcher last year? Considering a MLB's job is to stuff RB's, how can you say that Fletcher did so good a job last year that JD cannot possibly be better? I've acknowledged that Fletcher needs big DT's in front of him to play effectively. Well, so too do most MLB's. We saw what we had with Fletch. Given that and his age, it was time to move on, and the Bills didn't even bother to offer him a contract, if that tells you anything.

I watched Vince Young and the Titans running game go 12 of 13 plays on the ground to beat us. I watched the Jags tie the game with less than a minute to go when on 4th and 13 Girard decides to run and get the first. I watched the Colts and Pats run out both games with 8 minutes on the clock.

Yes, again with up to 5 rookies in the lineup and EVERYONE playing in a new scheme. What does that mean for this year? Nothing.

No matter how good our O is if we can't get the ball back to try and win a game, which happened several times last year, the improvements on O are going to be meaningless.

Not exactly.

[im4bflo]

I don't think they'll be worse, they've got another year in the system now,
and that helps, there are a lot of questions right now, so it's really hard to
judge just yet, but if the guys get healthy and who's supposed to play, plays,
besides the rookies(who are going to skrew up from time to time, expected),
they may not be at their peak yet, but I don't see them being worse.
Our improved O with a good running game, will keep them off the field a lot more,
than all the 3 and out's we had last year.
We're younger and faster, but not enough experience yet, but I see us doing a little better, than a little worse, and better as we go.