Bills DEFENSE must improve in these 3 areas in 2018

[freddyjj]

So it's the time of year where nothing is happening in the league...except in Buffalo where The Process is still evolving.  Was on the road yesterday and heard Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on NFL Radio reviewing AFC East Defenses.  As imagined they were not too kind to the Bills as our defense let us down at key times last year.  Think NO run game and SD and NYJ passing games during mid-season losing streak.  They mentioned 2 areas for improvement on D:

 

1. Pass Rush - we were 4th worst in league with only 27 sacks.  it is amazing that the McD /Frasier D schemed up as many picks as we got given the poor pressure generated.  Bringing in Trent Murphy to come around the RT is part of the process.  Keeping Lorenzo around might also be a way to generate pressure.  Would be interesting to see if they drop Shaq inside on obvious passing downs to help get pressure?  If he can't do that it could spell the end for him in BUF.  STD Rush package Murphy-Star-Kyle-Jerry.  Rotation pkg Shaq-Harry-Washington-Yarborough.  I would also offer the Greyhound pkg-  Zo-Murphy-Shaq-Jerry on 3rd and long or obvious passing downs.
2. 3rd and long - per Kirwan the Bills were 2nd to last in this stat in getting off the field in 3rd and 7 or longer allowing opponents to convert almost 30% of the time.  The lack of pressure and our poor LB coverage were the main culprits.  McD went to a nickel package with Johnson playing in lieu of Zo for back half of season.  Even then Brown and Humber were often exposed by an empty backfield or 13 formations.  Having Edmunds and Milano as Nickel LBs and drafting 2 DBs and signing 2 more should help here.
3. Rushing Defense - This is my pet peeve.  Wonder why they signed Star ASAP and traded up for Edmunds?  Check out this link...  http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS&tabSeq=2&season=2017&role=OPP&Submit=Go&archive=false&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=RUSHING&qualified=false  The Bills were putrid on Run D.  Some lowlights:
   • Bills gave up 22 Rushing TDs, 4 more than the next worst team.  Worst in the league!  The Titans gave up only 5 by comparison as the leagues best vs Run scoring.
   • Bills gave up 121 Rushing 1st downs, again worst in the league.  By comparison, the Vikings only gave up 59 Rushing 1st downs and were the leagues best.
   • 4th worst in Yards surrendered at 1994 yds for the year and 4th worst average of 125 ypg.  Eagles were leagues best holding opposition to 75 ypg

 

With a tougher schedule, a new QB and a new offense it's helpful they will run same scheme on D.  I will be watching the SEP games to see if these 3 areas improve dramatically.  If not, the season could get away from the team quickly with a brutal first 7 weeks (5 on the road).  It appears McD and Beane saw these weaknesses and took action to correct these areas of concern.  

Edited June 27, 2018 by freddyjj
spelling

[blargo]

They had only given up 5 rushing TD's in the first 8 games.  The second 1/2 of the season was not pretty in the Rush D for sure.

[jr1]

Bortles looked like Barry Sanders

[freddyjj]

3 minutes ago, blargo said:

They had only given up 5 rushing TD's in the first 8 games.  The second 1/2 of the season was not pretty in the Rush D for sure.

Wow was unaware of late season bias.  Harrison Philips and Star are real steps up from the guys we had in there after trading Marcel Dareus.  Thorton, Worthy and Washington were traffic pylons IMHO.

[ProcessAccepted]

I'm excited to see out defense in action. Second year + some quality talent added should see all 3 areas above being significantly improved

 

[John from Riverside]

And ppl wonder why the big contract to Star

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

1 hour ago, freddyjj said:

So it's the time of year where nothing is happening in the league...except in Buffalo where The Process is still evolving.  Was on the road yesterday and heard Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on NFL Radio reviewing AFC East Defenses.  As imagined they were not too kind to the Bills as our defense let us down at key times last year.  Think NO run game and SD and NYJ passing games during mid-season losing streak.  They mentioned 2 areas for improvement on D:

 

1. Pass Rush - we were 4th worst in league with only 27 sacks.  it is amazing that the McD /Frasier D schemed up as many picks as we got given the poor pressure generated.  Bringing in Trent Murphy to come around the RT is part of the process.  Keeping Lorenzo around might also be a way to generate pressure.  Would be interesting to see if they drop Shaq inside on obvious passing downs to help get pressure?  If he can't do that it could spell the end for him in BUF.  STD Rush package Murphy-Star-Kyle-Jerry.  Rotation pkg Shaq-Harry-Washington-Yarborough.  I would also offer the Greyhound pkg-  Zo-Murphy-Shaq-Jerry on 3rd and long or obvious passing downs.
2. 3rd and long - per Kirwan the Bills were 2nd to last in this stat in getting off the field in 3rd and 7 or longer allowing opponents to convert almost 30% of the time.  The lack of pressure and our poor LB coverage were the main culprits.  McD went to a nickel package with Johnson playing in lieu of Zo for back half of season.  Even then Brown and Humber were often exposed by an empty backfield or 13 formations.  Having Edmunds and Milano as Nickel LBs and drafting 2 DBs and signing 2 more should help here.
3. Rushing Defense - This is my pet peeve.  Wonder why they signed Star ASAP and traded up for Edmunds?  Check out this link...  http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS&tabSeq=2&season=2017&role=OPP&Submit=Go&archive=false&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=RUSHING&qualified=false  The Bills were putrid on Run D.  Some lowlights:
   • Bills gave up 22 Rushing TDs, 4 more than the next worst team.  Worst in the league!  The Titans gave up only 5 by comparison as the leagues best vs Run scoring.
   • Bills gave up 121 Rushing 1st downs, again worst in the league.  By comparison, the Vikings only gave up 59 Rushing 1st downs and were the leagues best.
   • 4th worst in Yards surrendered at 1994 yds for the year and 4th worst average of 125 ypg.  Eagles were leagues best holding opposition to 75 ypg

 

With a tougher schedule, a new QB and a new offense it's helpful they will run same scheme on D.  I will be watching the SEP games to see if these 3 areas improve dramatically.  If not, the season could get away from the team quickly with a brutal first 7 weeks (5 on the road).  It appears McD and Beane saw these weaknesses and took action to correct these areas of concern.  

 

Fixing 1 and 3 will fix 2. 

16 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

And ppl wonder why the big contract to Star

Hope he lives up to his contract and his first name 

[Augie]

31 minutes ago, jr1 said:

Bortles looked like Barry Sanders

 

That’s funny. And sad. And true. 

[blacklabel]

46 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

And ppl wonder why the big contract to Star

 

Solid point, sir.

[corta765]

1 hour ago, freddyjj said:

Wow was unaware of late season bias.  Harrison Philips and Star are real steps up from the guys we had in there after trading Marcel Dareus.  Thorton, Worthy and Washington were traffic pylons IMHO.

 

The numbers rebounded a bit after the 3 game sked but that also coincided with Milano returning to being a starter and a slightly easier stretch of games.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

1 hour ago, blargo said:

They had only given up 5 rushing TD's in the first 8 games.  The second 1/2 of the season was not pretty in the Rush D for sure.

 

 

....frustratingly, the defense exhibits bi-polarism going back to the Pettine days...one week, they were the Rock of Gibraltar......and the next week they were more porous than WikiLeaks......and uncanny how the 3rd down has perennially be the "down from hell" defensively....opposition looks at 3rd and 18 as "third and short" smoking our azz with a TE pass down the seam for an easy 1st down.......

[wppete]

This years Defense should be much improved frol

last years. The new additions and second year in this Defense. Can’t wait to see them play. If our offense improves also we should be back In The playoffs. 

[BuffAlone]

3 areas....D-line

LB'ers

Secondary

Pretty much sums it up ?

[Dadonkadonk]

2 hours ago, blargo said:

They had only given up 5 rushing TD's in the first 8 games.  The second 1/2 of the season was not pretty in the Rush D for sure.

I wonder why that could be....

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Sacks

Ints 

stopping the run. 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

The rush defense should be drastically improved. And the 3rd down conversion % should go down some. I still don't see us getting more than 30 sacks. We were pathetic getting to the qb last year and it's a testament to the secondary for the int's they did get.

[Punching Bag]

3 hours ago, jr1 said:

Bortles looked like Barry Sanders

Really? I did not see him make multiple plays which result in loss of yards in backfield.

1 hour ago, Dadonkadonk said:

I wonder why that could be....

Since that included games when he did not play not directly related.

[billsredneck1]

i think we have 3 double digit sack guys this year with murphy, hughes and lorax over 10. i expect another 10+ between eddie , shaq and blitzing. that should make the 2ndary top 3 or at least top 5 in picks..... ypg avg rush...80.

Edited June 28, 2018 by billsredneck1

[Seanbillsfan2206]

Lorenzo Alexander is 47 yrs old. I wouldn’t expect much out of him this year

[3rdand12]

4 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

And ppl wonder why the big contract to Star

Its not that big . i have seen it, But he is very hard to move off the ball.
 

 This is  big part of the immediate fix effort against the run. I will admit i have faith in what Bills have done to address the D line of scrimmage

1 hour ago, billsredneck1 said:

i think we have 3 double digit sack guys this year with murphy, hughes and lorax over 10. i expect another 10+ between eddie , shaq and blitzing. that should make the 2ndary top 3 or at least top 5 in picks..... ypg avg rush...80.

hmm. dd sack guys? thats a stout reversal from last year

17 minutes ago, Seanbillsfan2206 said:

Lorenzo Alexander is 47 yrs old. I wouldn’t expect much out of him this year

as long as he pees clean ? Never you mind about Lorax.

if he is used correctly with and improved Line ? I think he might have us cheering again. taking the over with Lorenzo as a situational