Defensive Game Plan

[Armchair GM]

Yes, our run defense sucked last year...BUT, is it possible they are schemeing too much to stop the run? It was pretty evident to me, yesterday, that we showed ZERO respect for the Raiders passing game, though understandable with the amount of injuries they had, Campbell carved us up with a RB as a WR (i know he was a former WR in college)and a rookie, who looked like a seasoned vet against McKelvin...I don't know if i'm not watching close enough, but I didn't see many blitzes and we looked slow off the edge. Also, it looks to me that Merrimen is handcuffed out there.

 

If the same D shows up this Sunday, Brady may set a ingle game passing record.

 

I'd like to see Wannstache take over the D and put Edwards back with the LB's.

 

Our defensive gameplan next week should look something like:

1.) Hit Brady...often and pressure him up the gut to force him out of the pocket.

2.) Get a good chip on the TE's...we HAVE to hold up the TE's off the line

3.) MLB's have to stay at home in the middle of the field, and if he starts hitting those 5-10 yrd slant's combacks and outs, we need to have a man on the WR's making tackles immediately.

4.) Stay off the field...we need our O to help by sustaining drives and control TOP.

[Max997]

the Bills gameplan should be what the Falcons and Eagles gameplans were last night...hit the QB on every play

 

then again that should be the gameplan every week

Edited September 19, 2011 by Max997

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Yes, our run defense sucked last year...BUT, is it possible they are schemeing too much to stop the run?

 

I think there's no question we were focused on containing the run at the expense of the pass yesterday.

IMHO we clearly under-respected Campbell and under-estimated Moore, who apparently was their best receiver in preseason and caused fan controversy when he wasn't active in Game 1.

 

Although part of me wonders if our coaching staff is "crazy like a fox". Are they trying to sucker Belicheck into a game plan for which we have answers we haven't shown, by the schemes we've been playing? Could they be that clever? I can't Billieve that far. They almost outfoxed themselves yesterday, if that's the case.

 

 

Our defensive gameplan next week should look something like:

1.) Hit Brady...often and pressure him up the gut to force him out of the pocket.

3.) MLB's have to stay at home in the middle of the field, and if he starts hitting those 5-10 yrd slant's combacks and outs, we need to have a man on the WR's making tackles immediately.

 

So many fans are ginned up on this pressure Brady thing. I don't know, maybe I'm mistaken - it's certainly happened before and will happen again.

 

I see 1) as leading to 3) above. From what I've seen, it's not a question of "starts hitting those 5-10 yd slants". That's Brady's bread and butter. Pressure him up the middle and he is deadly accurate at those 5 yd slants to Welker and now this year it looks like take Welker away and the TE go over the middle. Even Ocho will go. Tackling immediately is NOT enough - 5 yards moves the chains.

 

Heck 3.4 yds moves the chains.

 

In some ways, that's the worst of both worlds - the Pats score anyway, and stay on the field 7-8 minutes while doing it.

 

When Brady looks bad, it's Pressure + Cover that short stuff like a blanket. I think we can pressure. I dunno if we got any blankets.

 

4.) Stay off the field...we need our O to help by sustaining drives and control TOP.

 

This.

[Dorkington]

If we pass rushed every play and got burned on runs left and right because of over pursuit, this board would be fuming with "WOW OUR RUN DEFENSE SUCKS"

 

Instead, we key in on stopping the run, and make the unproven Raiders passing game beat us, and the board goes "WOW OUR PASS DEFENSE SUCKS". We had 7 guys in the box all game, and made our DBs essentially single cover every Raiders WR. That's a lot of pressure on our secondary. They didn't perform very well, some of that was luck, some of that was skill, some of that was a damned good game by Campbell.

 

We won, we stopped the run decently well, now we need to figure out how to stop both the run and the pass, on every weekend. We apparently need to both sack the QB and stuff the run, at all times. And our DBs apparently need to intercept every pass when left alone in single man coverage.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Instead, we key in on stopping the run, and make the unproven Raiders passing game beat us, and the board goes "WOW OUR PASS DEFENSE SUCKS". We had 7 guys in the box all game, and made our DBs essentially single cover every Raiders WR. That's a lot of pressure on our secondary. They didn't perform very well, some of that was luck, some of that was skill, some of that was a damned good game by Campbell.

 

I also give props to the Raiders OL. They were practically undressing Marcell and Merriman. But still.

Got to give props to Moore also. He was out to show he deserved to start. Mission accomplished, I'd say.

 

I think the single thing that bugged me was that we never came up with an answer to the screen. It worked on us Every. Single. Time.

 

Don't think that Belicheck won't take notice.

[Dorkington]

I also give props to the Raiders OL. They were practically undressing Marcell and Merriman. But still.

Got to give props to Moore also. He was out to show he deserved to start. Mission accomplished, I'd say.

 

I think the single thing that bugged me was that we never came up with an answer to the screen. It worked on us Every. Single. Time.

 

Don't think that Belicheck won't take notice.

Indeed.

 

That's really the only thing that upset me yesterday. When you dedicate to one thing, you'll get burned by others. But dedicating to the run, you should be able to stop screens, imo... I think there was some poor recognition early in the game by our guys. We started to see it later in the game, but simply couldn't get there in time (see K. Williams missed tackle). I'm not sure if it was overpursuit (Holy **** we might get a sack!) or simply not being able to disengage (the missed holding calls all over), but we gotta fix that.

[DrDawkinstein]

If we pass rushed every play and got burned on runs left and right because of over pursuit, this board would be fuming with "WOW OUR RUN DEFENSE SUCKS"

 

Instead, we key in on stopping the run, and make the unproven Raiders passing game beat us, and the board goes "WOW OUR PASS DEFENSE SUCKS". We had 7 guys in the box all game, and made our DBs essentially single cover every Raiders WR. That's a lot of pressure on our secondary. They didn't perform very well, some of that was luck, some of that was skill, some of that was a damned good game by Campbell.

 

We won, we stopped the run decently well, now we need to figure out how to stop both the run and the pass, on every weekend. We apparently need to both sack the QB and stuff the run, at all times. And our DBs apparently need to intercept every pass when left alone in single man coverage.

 

This This This!

 

The Bills faced two of the (supposed) top running teams. Our top priority was Stop the Run. And we succeeded! Stop what they do best and force them to try to beat you at what they do worst.

 

The only issue from yesterday is that Campbell and a rookie WR played well, and got lucky a couple of times.

 

It will be interesting to see what this defense looks like against a pure Passing team, when our priority will be generating pass rush, and dropping into coverage.

[Kaenon]

One thing is for sure, we are going to see an entirely different defense for the Patriots (#1 passer from 2010 in QB rate) than we've seen against the Chiefs and the Raiders (#1 & #2 rushing teams in 2010).

[HARCO186]

The Chargers were doing good but failed to put the ball in the end zone. If the Bills get into a shoot out, I really feel they can. Many people say we have an explossive offense. The pats defense is questionable this year. They can't run like the last two teams we played are built for. Remember that the Raiders and the chiefs were and are run first teams and led the nfl last year respectfully at #1 and #2. The patsies are even strength and show a run first menatlity but pass. Brady takes what he can which makes him hard to beat. I think George and Wanny will have their hands full trying to contain this. I would expect the Bills to have a real breakout game with Blitzing. I dont think we blitzed much and when we did were hit with screens. I see Buffalo in a nickel setting most with some stunts and blitzing. The pats use a 2 TE set and can throw with it as the TE's can run routes and catch. Very tough game, but winnable as Buffalo might be able to run ball control and use the clock against the pats. They can score at will on anyone almost like the Bills were able to do so in the 90's. We were beat by ball control and a taste of that to the pats can be done. The best gameplan is for Buffalo to run the ball a lot and just control the clock. Run and when we are done running, run the ball again. Short screens as well. Not saying we win, but do smell a an upset in the air. I hope we do.