Don't look now....Bills are now a "Top 10 Defense"

[ddaryl]

none of this means a damn thing if we don't win the superbowl IMO

[thebandit27]

Gross yards allowed simply isn't the best barometer.

 

Coaches and scouts key in on a few numbers to get an idea of how good teams are:

 

Yards per play for and against.

Yards per rushing attempt for and against.

Yards per pass attempt for and against.

Number of rushing attempts per game for and against.

 

Here are the ones that I earmark as important:

 

YPP allowed - 5.4 (11th)

YPA allowed - 7.6 (25th)

YPC allowed - 4.3 (12th)

1st downs per game allowed - 21.3 (27th)

Takeaways - 14 (23rd)

3rd down pct allowed - 42% (24th)

Defensive PPG allowed - 21.273 (17th)

 

In case anyone is wondering, offensively:

 

YPP - 5.5 (16th)

YPA - 6.7 (24th)

YPC - 5.3 (1st)** it's 5.1 if you remove Tyrod's rushes, which would still rank 1st

1st downs per game - 19.7 (19th)

Giveaways - 5 (1st)

3rd down pct - 39% (20th)

Offensive PPG - 23.64 (9th)

[BADOLBILZ]

 

It's interesting to me how luck factors into our perceptions.

 

The Bills D has caused 20 fumbles, but only recovered 6 of them. Compare that to KC who has caused 21 fumbles but recovered 11 of them. The Bills D is tied for 2nd in fumbles caused but ranked 15th in fumbles recovered. There's not much a D can do but keep flying hard to the ball and hoping the ball bounces their way.

 

 

While that is true.......the Bills have also had lucky breaks that throw some of their defensive performance out of whack.

 

How about a SHUTOUT of the Pats without Tom Brady...........Brady plays, that's an additional 25-45 points on the ledger.

 

Or playing the Bengals without AJ Green?

 

If you look objectively at the opponents they've played this year, they should have gotten FAT off of that group.

 

We have seen very good defense pretty recently....just two seasons ago.....and this has been nothing close to it. They have been shaky and fortune has certainly favored them despite your stat.

Edited November 29, 2016 by #BADOL

[BreezeMafia]

 

Just for context, I always like to look at defensive points/game allowed (which removes all defensive TDs and special teams TDs scored by opponents).

 

In this metric, the Bills rank 17th.

 

And situational Defense as well.

[bobobonators]

Too much work. Lol.

I went ahead and gave him what he wanted.

 

I think he was the Pats fan who preferred seeing his pats ranked #3 in pts allowed vs being ranked #13 in yds allowed.

[The Big Cat]

Gross yards allowed simply isn't the best barometer.

 

Coaches and scouts key in on a few numbers to get an idea of how good teams are:

 

Yards per play for and against. (14 / 11)

Yards per rushing attempt for and against. (1 / 15)

Yards per pass attempt for and against. (27 / 14)

Number of rushing attempts per game for and against (2 / 25*)

 

*25th fewest

Edited November 29, 2016 by The Big Cat

[The Big Cat]

Losses of Shaq and Ragland has meant next to nothing.

 

Dareus and AW a good amount.

 

This. Good post.

 

It'd be just as foolish to argue the contrary, so we're clear.

[Beef Jerky]

Let me know when you guys start using the Tedy Bruschi defensive index. Then I will give a **** where the defense is ranked. Right now everyone is just shouting out random stats to defend their views.

[bobobonators]

Losses of Shaq and Ragland has meant next to nothing.

 

Dareus and AW a good amount.

 

This. Good post.

How can you say their losses meant next to nothing? They were drafted to be starters. We were counting on them to start. Rookies are going to be rookies but losing a starter means that someone else has to step up. Shaq is pretty much in week 1 mode instead of week 12 mode.

[bigK14094]

I hate to be the negative Nancy but the defense doesn't "feel" like they have played very well. Maybe my expectations were higher and maybe some guys that I didn't expect to struggle have? I don't know what it is but they feel like an average defense and I expected (and hoped) for a little better.

The lack of takeaways is the "feel" problem. The lack of big D plays that turn the ball over. The db's aren't catching the ball.

[quinnearlysghost88]

you are what your record says you are.

[BADOLBILZ]

The lack of takeaways is the "feel" problem. The lack of big D plays that turn the ball over. The db's aren't catching the ball.

 

 

It's the third downs and the redzone D.........it just seems like all an offense has to do is focus and they can beat this D.

 

Turnovers would help a lot......they always do......but they aren't something you can consistently count on and Rex D is typically not a turnover D........it's a system designed to get off the field on 3rd down and force punts.......which makes it particularly discouraging when a team like the Jags rips off 7 straight first downs to start a game in Buffalo.

[bobobonators]

And look at the year Zac Brown is having.

 

He guys playing at an all pro level. You think Ragland would be there?

 

Shaq has been pretty much invisible out there.

 

Again, the Bills drafted to fill "needs" when they never needed to. These guys would be making a very minimal impact.

I agree about Brown stepping up. As for shaq being invisible thats what i meant. Shaq is playing like its week 1 with no preseason or training camp. Either way depth is always important. And players missing eventually burns others. Lorax is starting to come back down to earth.

[PO16FFS]

I rate the defense by how many times the Train/Buffalo Horn goes off in a drive on 3rd down. Seemed like against the Jaguars, the Horn was going off 4-6 times per drive.

[bobobonators]

I rate the defense by how many times the Train/Buffalo Horn goes off in a drive on 3rd down. Seemed like against the Jaguars, the Horn was going off 4-6 times per drive.

 

Thanks. I'm going to think of that every single time we play a home game now.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

Just for context, I always like to look at defensive points/game allowed (which removes all defensive TDs and special teams TDs scored by opponents).

 

In this metric, the Bills rank 17th.

agree on all fronts. The defense has one job, prevent the opponent from scoring. If they allow yards between the 20s who cares.

[Punching Bag]

 

Just for context, I always like to look at defensive points/game allowed (which removes all defensive TDs and special teams TDs scored by opponents).

 

In this metric, the Bills rank 17th.

 

Of course you do; but if that metric was not what you were looking for you would find another.

 

There are stats, damned stats, and stats which you make up and JSP believes.

[Big Gun]

Not possible, as every no nothing has labeled the unit as horrible and one of the worst in the league.

[thebandit27]

 

Of course you do; but if that metric was not what you were looking for you would find another.

 

There are stats, damned stats, and stats which you make up and JSP believes.

Me?

 

No

 

I endeavor to accurately assess the team's performance

 

That is all

[Nihilarian]

What QB's, teams have the Bills beaten this year so far?

 

The 4-6 Arizona Cardinals

 

The 9-2 Patriots with an injured 3rd string rookie QB starting who was forced to start because they had no other healthy QB and he went on IR right after that week's game. Ooooh, the Bills beat an injured Jacoby Brissett. (1-1)

 

The 4-7 LA Rams

 

The 1-10 San Francisco 49ers

 

The 3-7-1 Cincinnati Bengals

 

The 2-9 Jacksonville Jaguars

 

This is like a QB padding his stats in garbage time in six games. The team also lost two division games that they never should have lost to the NY Jets and Miami Dolphins if the defense didn't fold like deck chairs on the Titanic.

 

This year's Bills team lost to the 3-8 NY Jets and allowed 493 yards of offense to those scrubs and worst of all Fitz threw for 374 yards WITH Aaron Williams in the lineup.

 

Then the Miami Dolphins had a rusher run for 214 yards as the Dolphins rushed for 256 yards and 2 TD's and that Bills defense allowed 454 yards of offense to those smelly fish. The Bills lines were manhandled in this game.

 

Lies, damned lies, and statistics...

 

Yes, the Bills are currently the #2 team in the league in sacks and yet that somehow doesn't correlate to QB pressures / hurries because they are currently 15th in defensive hurries. Then, as bad as they look against the pass the stats say they are 8th in the NFL and as good as they look against the run the stats say they are 21st.