Defending New England

[BuffaloWest]

New England has loaded up on receivers in free agency. We have solidified our D-Line and will be able to put pressure on Brady which is the best way to defeat the Patriots...My concern is with how we are going to cover their 2 TE's down the middle not too mention Welker, Lloyd and whoever else they have running short routes, crossing patterns and precision routes. Shouldnt we be drafting some speedy Linebackers early on? Im not crazy about our current LB's coverage skills. Thoughts?

[Captain Hindsight]

Introduce Marcia Brady to gravity aka Super Mario

[devldog131]

Our revamped/upgraded d-line helps to neutralize all of those receiving threats in the following ways:

 

 

1. The patriots* choose to attempt to block three potential probowlers(and Kelsay/Merriman) with their five offensive linemen... result: only enough blockers for one double tem, marsha loses her virginity

 

2. The patriots* must keep TEs and/or RBs in to assist the blockers... result::1-3 fewer receivers running routs with seven guys to cover them, I like the outnumbering approach to pass coverage.

 

3. The patriots* use TEs/RBs to chip on the edge... result: a) timing is thrown off on passes and receivers must run shorter routes, enabling the D to keep them in front of them. b)the chip only buys a minute amount of time for the play to develop before the pass rush closes in... marsha loses her virginity.

[OCinBuffalo]

I have an idea....let's trade up with our second to Minnesota(#3), draft Morris Claiborne, CB LSU......

 

 

and watch this board totally melt down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't say it was a good idea....but it would be funny....for me, and a few others. For the guys who insist on putting an "O" in front of offensive line positions, like OC instead of just C, for no apparent reason? It would be perhaps the cruelest thing the Bills could do.

[devldog131]

In other words... marsha's screwed.

[John from Riverside]

I have no doubt we are gonna draft some more corners

[eball]

I have no doubt we are gonna draft some more corners

(earmuffs, Bill from NYC)

 

Buddy has said publicly he always drafts a couple of DBs. You can't have enough.

[dollars 2 donuts]

I trust Nix and I have no problem with them drafting Defense at #10 if they really like him, even if he is D-Line.

[Just in Atlanta]

I agree. Linebacker is a major concern next season. Tight ends / slot receivers ate us alive. Having Mario in there helps, because TEs will sometimes be forced to chip block him, but we still have a hole here IMO.

 

Outside Linebacker is now our No. 1 concern on D.

 

I don't think we're drafting a CB high. We'll likely go for depth. DE--we're set. Depth is all we need. As for Safety, I think we're stacked in skill and depth.

 

I was hoping we'd get a No. 2 WR in FA, letting us focus on O line and Linebacker in the top rounds. But it appears Nix now has a lot of strategizing to do.

 

I say we're going with a speedy LB in the first.

 

SC's Melvin Ingram could fall our way. CBS Sports scouting report: "His combination of strength, leverage and speed has scouts for 3-4 teams also taking a close look at Ingram as a potential edge rushing linebacker. Picking up coverage technique is always the biggest challenge for ends making the transition, but Ingram was recruited as a linebacker, didn't move to end until his sophomore year and still saw time there in certain packages. He had a pair of interceptions last season and was part of South Carolina's 'hands team' on kickoffs."

Edited March 20, 2012 by JustinAtlanta

[NickelCity]

While I agree we need to add more LBs, I'm not exactly disappointed with a lineup of Barnett - Shep - Morrison.

[OCinBuffalo]

I agree. Linebacker is a major concern next season. Tight ends / slot receivers ate us alive. Having Mario in there helps, because TEs will sometimes be forced to chip block him, but we still have a hole here IMO.

 

Outside Linebacker is now our No. 1 concern on D.

 

I don't think we're drafting a CB high. We'll likely go for depth. DE--we're set. Depth is all we need. As for Safety, I think we're stacked in skill and depth.

 

I was hoping we'd get a No. 2 WR in FA, letting us focus on O line and Linebacker in the top rounds. But it appears Nix now has a lot of strategizing to do.

 

I say we're going with a speedy LB in the first.

 

SC's Melvin Ingram could fall our way. CBS Sports scouting report: "His combination of strength, leverage and speed has scouts for 3-4 teams also taking a close look at Ingram as a potential edge rushing linebacker. Picking up coverage technique is always the biggest challenge for ends making the transition, but Ingram was recruited as a linebacker, didn't move to end until his sophomore year and still saw time there in certain packages. He had a pair of interceptions last season and was part of South Carolina's 'hands team' on kickoffs."

Show me a LB who can cover Wes Welker or Gronk, but also play the run, and I'm happy. But, then. that LB doesn't exist, does he?

 

What the "Draft only Lineman top 4" guys don't get: neither the Pats O line or D line had anything to do with Wes Welker torching us for a career day in our stadium. It had to do with an amazing QB, a stellar WR, and the lack of any DBs/LBs, or whatever to cover him. Taking Welker mostly away, is how the Jets beat the Pats. They don't do that with lineman. Welker doesn't succeed/fail due the play of the Pats O line or the Jets D line. With the ball coming out in 3 seconds, and no one able to cover him, both lines are irrelevant.

 

Edit: The exception that proves the rule? In the first game, our DBs played amazingly--->only in key spots though, and even set Brady up for one of the picks(Wilson). That's how you beat him. He believes that you can't stop him. So, you let him think that he can make that throw, and then you pick it.

 

Now, as I said above, the board will melt down if we draft a DB high. But, they never provide a solution for Randy Moss and then....Wes Welker...do they?

 

It will be 20x worse if we trade up to get that CB. And, if we did, that would be justified. No. The best thing is to wait and see if he falls to us. IF he's there I don't see how you can pass on the "best defensive player in the draft" at #10. That "makes sense"

Edited March 20, 2012 by OCinBuffalo

[K-9]

You're not going to stop Brady and the NE offense. That's a given. You need to make them beat you with players and plays they'd rather not beat you with. In other words, try to take away Gronk and Welker. Make them beat you with their wideouts on routes they don't prefer. And by all means, don't let them run the ball. As good as Brady is he's that much better when their offense is two-dimensional.

 

As has been pointed out and proven countless times, generate pressure with as few rushers as possible. We now have the horses to do it.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited March 20, 2012 by K-9

[dpberr]

The Giants have done it twice.

 

Generate a pass rush without a linebacker/defensive back blitz. All those linebackers and DBs now go clog his passing lanes.

 

I haven't ruled out the Bills adding another end in free agency or draft to to duplicate the NYG approach. They have 3 of 4 pieces now in place.

[benderbender]

I assumed by the title that it would be about how Colin Cowherd always defends the Patriots. Brady farts or Bellicheat sneezes, and its a brilliant strategic release of gasses.

[Joe Miner]

I have no doubt we are gonna draft some more corners

 

At least 1 CB and one S type.

 

It will happen.

 

9 picks (in no particular order):

OT

2 - WR

2 - DB

2 - LB

DL

QB

 

If no QB I wouldn't be surprised at a 3rd DB.

[OCinBuffalo]

You're not going to stop Brady and the NE offense. That's a given. You need to make them beat you with players and plays they'd rather not beat you with. In other words, try to take away Gronk and Welker. Make them beat you with their wideouts on routes they don't prefer. And by all means, don't let them run the ball. As good as Brady is he's that much better when their offense is two-dimensional.

 

As has been pointed out and proven countless times, generate pressure with as few rushers as possible. We now have the horses to do it.

 

GO BILLS!!!

So...as we can see, it only takes about 20 minutes to get a "draft O/D line, first, always" guy to respond. Like I said. Corner at 10 = Meltdown.

 

Now, as to the post....

 

To which horses do you refer? IIRC our D line played fairly well, and they played relatively well, to include shutting down the run.....

 

.....and Welker still torched us for 216+(stopped counting after I saw that stat during the game) yards and at least 2 TDs, IIRC....in a game....we WON!

 

If you double team/cover 2/zone/whatever pull it out your a$ Welker....with inferior talent, he gets open anyway, and all you have accomplished is weakening the D elsewhere.

 

What do the Jets, Steelers, Broncos, Chargers, Cowboys and Redskins have in common? They all have all-pros in their defensive backfield, and 2 good-great CBs....and they all were able to contain Welker. In some cases, that meant getting torched by TEs....or Brady just getting away, turnovers, etc.

 

The Giants have done it twice.

 

Generate a pass rush without a linebacker/defensive back blitz. All those linebackers and DBs now go clog his passing lanes.

 

I haven't ruled out the Bills adding another end in free agency or draft to to duplicate the NYG approach. They have 3 of 4 pieces now in place.

 

This is true...but I honestly do not know....are the Giants DBs considered good/great? Certainly they aren't as bad as the Pats.

Edited March 20, 2012 by OCinBuffalo

[K-9]

So...as we can see, it only takes about 20 minutes to get a "draft O/D line, first, always" guy to respond. Like I said. Corner at 10 = Meltdown.

Now, as to the post....

 

To which horses do you refer? IIRC our D line played fairly well, and they played relatively well, to include shutting down the run.....

 

.....and Welker still torched us for 216+(stopped counting after I saw that stat during the game) yards and at least 2 TDs, IIRC....in a game....we WON!

 

If you double team/cover 2/zone/whatever pull it out your a$ Welker....with inferior talent, he gets open anyway, and all you have accomplished is weakening the D elsewhere.

 

What do the Jets, Steelers, Broncos, Chargers, Cowboys and Redskins have in common? They all have all-pros in their defensive backfield, and 2 good-great CBs....and they all were able to contain Welker. In some cases, that meant getting torched by TEs....or Brady just getting away, turnovers, etc.

 

 

 

This is true...but I honestly do not know....are the Giants DBs considered good/great? Certainly they aren't as bad as the Pats.

 

You misread my intention. By suggesting rushing him with as few possible I'm saying that dropping your other seven in coverage makes things more challenging. By having seven in coverage you can double both Welker and Gronk. I'd love to have another great CB to add to the secondary and wouldn't mind a bit if they took one high in the draft, even at 10.

 

I say we have the horses because Mario Williams changes the equation considerably along with a healthy KW and Dareus. I do think the Stache would prefer one more DE to add to the rotation as he usually likes to rotate two complete sets during a game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[OCinBuffalo]

You misread my intention. By suggesting rushing him with as few possible I'm saying that dropping your other seven in coverage makes things more challenging. By having seven in coverage you can double both Welker and Gronk. I'd love to have another great CB to add to the secondary and wouldn't mind a bit if they took one high in the draft, even at 10.

 

I say we have the horses because Mario Williams changes the equation considerably along with a healthy KW and Dareus. I do think the Stache would prefer one more DE to add to the rotation as he usually likes to rotate two complete sets during a game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

So..in other words....you are a "draft O line/ D line first" guy....but you are one of the reasonable versions. I am cautiously optimistic that Kelsay will start acting like he did when Schobel was here.

 

7 in coverage doesn't do anything if 3 are good, but 4 of them are mediocre/bad.

 

The point is to keep your talented guys on the field. Belechick, by playing 2 TEs and 2 WRs, etc. makes sure you have to put backup DBs on the field and take your super duper LBs off the field. Same thing worked quite well for us...when all of our O players and our QB were healthy. The difference is we can run, and they can't.

 

The league is changing, and really if there's one thing on which we are most likely to agree...it's that LB is becoming less important....compared to DL and DB.

[atlbillsfan1975]

The Giants have done it twice.

 

Generate a pass rush without a linebacker/defensive back blitz. All those linebackers and DBs now go clog his passing lanes.

 

I haven't ruled out the Bills adding another end in free agency or draft to to duplicate the NYG approach. They have 3 of 4 pieces now in place.

They actually did it three times. twice in SB once in regular season this past season.

And they took NE to the finish in the final regular season game in NE 16-0 year.

 

The book is out on Tom Brady, get a rush that he can see coming. Ie up the middle. We as true diehard Bills fans know Brady is a prima donna. He is a great QB, but gets frustrated easy. The Bills should have a lot of one on one matchup with their front four. this is exactly what Wanny's 4-3 d asks for.

You can blitz Brady because he gets passes away typically to fast for that. make him uncomfortable from the snap with his centers ass flying at him. Then for the 4-3 to truly work the front four have to win those matchups. To me this will be the case. B

arnett is a good cover lb. If Scott is brought back i could see the two of them lined up as LB. Clog the underneath lanes. Then allow corners to play one on one, and leave safeties over the top/provide help.

You got to hit Gronk and Henrandez at the line too. Welker is tougher to get a hold of due to motion etc.

Edited March 20, 2012 by atlbillsfan1975

[K-9]

So..in other words....you are a "draft O line/ D line first" guy....but you are one of the reasonable versions. I am cautiously optimistic that Kelsay will start acting like he did when Schobel was here.

 

7 in coverage doesn't do anything if 3 are good, but 4 of them are mediocre/bad.

 

The point is to keep your talented guys on the field. Belechick, by playing 2 TEs and 2 WRs, etc. makes sure you have to put backup DBs on the field and take your super duper LBs off the field. Same thing worked quite well for us...when all of our O players and our QB were healthy. The difference is we can run, and they can't.

 

The league is changing, and really if there's one thing on which we are most likely to agree...it's that LB is becoming less important....compared to DL and DB.

 

No, I am not a "draft an OLine/Dline first" guy. I've always been a draft the BPA guy. Always will be.

 

You make a good point about Kelsay and I think he's in the mix as well as Merriman at DE if healthy. While there's a chance the Bills acquire another DE in the draft, I think he's gonna come from FAgency.

 

I don't agree that's it's as simple as three being good and four being bad equals unsuccessful coverage on Welker and Gronk. What contributed more than anything was not harassing Brady. The Giants don't have vaunted All Pros in teh secondary and are quite successful as a result of scheme and pressure from their front four.

 

Like I said originally, you are not going to shut down Brady. But you need to make him as uncomfortable as possible and force him into using personnel he'd rather not use.

 

All that said, I'd gladly take that CB at 10 if the Bills think he's the BPA on their board. And there's a good chance he will be.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited March 20, 2012 by K-9