PUNT750 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Josh will lead the team to offensive greatness. We've got a power house group of skilled players who can put points on the board. But, can we stop the runs up the middle? Time killing drives that can limit our offense. Gone are Shaq, Star and Jordan. Replacing them are; Vernon Butler who has started only 9 games of 52 and has a total of 77 combined tackles, Quinton Jefferson with 4 years in Seattle, 24 starts and just 59 combined tackles and Mario Addison at age 33 who has started 51 games in 9 years. I don't see any Pro Bowls & All-Pro awards. Can they stuff the run up the middle and keep the opponents OL off Edmunds?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ManRaid Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 How many All Pro awards did we lose if that's your metric for quality? 7 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo_Stampede Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) If we score enough points teams won't be able to run. I don't think we'll be good vs the run but in terms of concerns it's a distant 2nd behind our ability to put up points. Josh Allen remains the biggest concern on the team until proven otherwise. Edited September 10, 2020 by Buffalo_Stampede 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nextmanup Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 3 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said: If we score enough points teams won't be able to run. I don't think we'll be good vs the run but in terms of concerns it's a distant 2nd behind our ability to put up points. Josh Allen remains the biggest concern on the team until proven otherwise. He's the first, second, and third most important factor going into this season. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUNT750 Posted September 10, 2020 Author Share Posted September 10, 2020 7 minutes ago, 1ManRaid said: How many All Pro awards did we lose if that's your metric for quality? My metrics are players with quality resumes! Just now, Nextmanup said: He's the first, second, and third most important factor going into this season. IMO Josh will manage a great offense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 I don't see the worry with the D-line especially against weaker offensive lines like the Jets. Star might be missed in the rushing defense but H.Phillips return might help mitigate that. I don't see Jordan Phillips loss being that big of a deal in the ground game. J.Phillips was not a good rush defender. I think Jefferson and Butler will be more than capable of filling in that gap. Overall I see the D-line being more of a concern against top 10 offensive lines. I think better O-lines might handle this D-line but we will have to see. I think McD prides his D-line as being built off depth and with the additions of AJ, Jefferson, Butler and Addision it should more than make up for the loss of Star, J.Phillips and Shaq. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rc2catch Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 If memory serves me correctly Star and Jordan Phillips weren’t exactly elite run stuffers were they? Remind me, how many pro bowls and all pros did they receive? I think we’ll be ok, Beane obviously targeted these guys and I trust him more than I’d consider trusting Punt750. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ManRaid Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 1 hour ago, PUNT750 said: My metrics are players with quality resumes! IMO Josh will manage a great offense! Quality resumes, like all pro awards? I ask again, what did we lose? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Star was handling double teams so run stuffing was not his issue. Jordan would often not stay in position which allowed more sacks but he also allowed a lot of plays to go thru position he was supposed to hold. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Anyone ever hear of a guy named Ed? I think he owns a horse stable..🤓 13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billieve420 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 More concerned with the offensive line and how they come together than the defense. That is going to be directly critical to Josh’s success this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJS Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 I'm not concerned with the dline at all. But I am a little concerned with the oline. We brought back most of the starters and they were below average last year, and the playoff game really showed as a weakness, but hopefully they have improved. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 8 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Anyone ever hear of a guy named Ed? I think he owns a horse stable..🤓 Mr. Ed? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Blitz Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 If you want to have any weakness in the 2020 NFL of all the ones you can pick, being below average against the run would top my list. No I don't want to be bad vs the run. Which we won't. But we will be middle of the pack. No one could run on Tampa last year and look how far that team went. It wasn't like their offense was incompetent. The Chiefs run D was atrocious most of last season. It's a concern vs the 49ers, Seahawks, Raiders, Titans, and Steelers. But shouldn't be a concern in any division game or anyone else really. If it is then we're not just avg vs the run we would be terrible. But I'm not concerned right now. Do the Patriots and whatever it is their doing worry you? Jordan Howard and Matt Breida? The Jets? We should be 5-1 minimum in division go find 4 or 5 more wins and we are division champs. I think winning these first 2 games immediately puts our odds at winning the division at about 90%. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folz Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 I liked Shaq, but Addison is an upgrade (talent/experience-wise). And I know it's popular to trash Trent Murphy, but he is actually excellent against the run and really had a good run down the stretch of last season [with multiple big plays in each of the Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Houston (playoff) games]. And A.J. Epenesa's strength is supposed to be against the run. As to your thread title, about the interior of the line, yes...we know very little right now. We will just have to wait and see. But... Ok, we lost Jordan Phillips, but he was considered a 2nd round bust until he got into our defense. Last year was the first good year of his career. And he will be replaced by 1st round pick Ed Oliver, who was starting to show signs of being a true stud down the stretch last year. And Quinton Jefferson, who yes, has mostly been in a backup role to this point in his career, but only because the guys ahead of him were studs. His old team loved him and didn't want to lose him. Everyone has talked highly of him. I think he is ready to breakout. Now, we are definitely losing some size here at this position, as Jordan was a giant, but I think the talent level may be better. Star has opted out. Big body...did the dirty work. But Harrison Phillips is back, who again I think is a better player than Star (if his knee continues to be ok) because he has more big play ability and a better pass rush (or a pass rush, as Star had none). Plus, Harrison is by no means a liability against the run. And we're not really losing much size, as Harrison is an inch taller than Star and only 8 pounds lighter. And they added Vernon Butler. He's a reclamation project, no doubt. But hopefully in his new surroundings and with our coaches and scheme/defense, he can take that next step. Yes, he is still a question mark. But, he's a former 1st round pick that hasn't panned out yet (much like Jordan Phillips, though Jordan was a 2nd rounder), and Vernon actually brings more size than Star did. Butler is two inches taller and 15 pounds bigger than Star. Plus, Butler, Addison, and Jefferson all have position flexibility. Leslie can show so many different fronts with this D-line, to match up against any situation and to confuse offenses. So, I really don't think we'll need to worry too much about the D-line. But we shall see soon enough. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Rc2catch said: If memory serves me correctly Star and Jordan Phillips weren’t exactly elite run stuffers were they? Remind me, how many pro bowls and all pros did they receive? I think we’ll be ok, Beane obviously targeted these guys and I trust him more than I’d consider trusting Punt750. Elite, no, but Star was very good at doing the unglamorous space eating, block absorbing duties McD needs in the middle of a run defense. Jordan Phillips less so. I was really hoping that Vincent Taylor would prove to be the block eater this scheme seems to require, but it wasn't to be. I don't see a massive hole there, but I think "concern" is fair enough. I'm not worried about the run stuffing abilities of our DEs at all. That does not appear to be a problem. DTs? We'll have to see how that goes. Edited September 10, 2020 by Thurman#1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceVilanch Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 2 hours ago, PUNT750 said: My metrics are players with quality resumes! Would at least 9 sacks since 2016 and 11 in 2018 be a quality stat? because that what Addison brings to the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProcessTruster Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 2 hours ago, Nextmanup said: He's the first, second, and third most important factor going into this season. staying Covid free is in the top 3 . a bunch of guys losing 2 weeks time quarantining would impact wins and losses in a significant way I would think as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProcessYaDigg Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Trust the Process! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 4 hours ago, PUNT750 said: Josh will lead the team to offensive greatness. We've got a power house group of skilled players who can put points on the board. But, can we stop the runs up the middle? Time killing drives that can limit our offense. Gone are Shaq, Star and Jordan. Replacing them are; Vernon Butler who has started only 9 games of 52 and has a total of 77 combined tackles, Quinton Jefferson with 4 years in Seattle, 24 starts and just 59 combined tackles and Mario Addison at age 33 who has started 51 games in 9 years. I don't see any Pro Bowls & All-Pro awards. Can they stuff the run up the middle and keep the opponents OL off Edmunds?? Harrison Phillips and Ed Oliver play there as well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Digg? Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 4 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: Anyone ever hear of a guy named Ed? I think he owns a horse stable..🤓 Convenient how he’s left out, isn’t it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBBills Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, PUNT750 said: Josh will lead the team to offensive greatness. We've got a power house group of skilled players who can put points on the board. But, can we stop the runs up the middle? Time killing drives that can limit our offense. Gone are Shaq, Star and Jordan. Replacing them are; Vernon Butler who has started only 9 games of 52 and has a total of 77 combined tackles, Quinton Jefferson with 4 years in Seattle, 24 starts and just 59 combined tackles and Mario Addison at age 33 who has started 51 games in 9 years. I don't see any Pro Bowls & All-Pro awards. Can they stuff the run up the middle and keep the opponents OL off Edmunds?? Stop.... Collaborate, and listen. Trust the process. You also need to know who is on the team before you post a thread. Edited September 10, 2020 by TBBills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formerlyofCtown Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, PUNT750 said: Josh will lead the team to offensive greatness. We've got a power house group of skilled players who can put points on the board. But, can we stop the runs up the middle? Time killing drives that can limit our offense. Gone are Shaq, Star and Jordan. Replacing them are; Vernon Butler who has started only 9 games of 52 and has a total of 77 combined tackles, Quinton Jefferson with 4 years in Seattle, 24 starts and just 59 combined tackles and Mario Addison at age 33 who has started 51 games in 9 years. I don't see any Pro Bowls & All-Pro awards. Can they stuff the run up the middle and keep the opponents OL off Edmunds?? So your concern is one of the strength of this team. Star to Butler might be a downgrade but the other two are upgrades. I'm pretty sure Jefferson is more accomplished than Phillips was when he came here and Addison is definitely more accomplished than Shaq. As far as Pro Bowls goes. How many times have our Safeties gone to the Pro Bowl. Maybe we should be worried about them.😉 All sarcasm aside why would you be more concerned about a deep unit on a proven top 5 D than a bottom 10 Offense. You do realize that our only cut that I am aware was signed to another teams active roster came from the position you are concerned about. That should probably tell you something. I think both will be fine. Edited September 10, 2020 by formerlyofCtown 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 4 hours ago, Big Blitz said: If you want to have any weakness in the 2020 NFL of all the ones you can pick, being below average against the run would top my list. No I don't want to be bad vs the run. Which we won't. But we will be middle of the pack. No one could run on Tampa last year and look how far that team went. It wasn't like their offense was incompetent. The Chiefs run D was atrocious most of last season. It's a concern vs the 49ers, Seahawks, Raiders, Titans, and Steelers. But shouldn't be a concern in any division game or anyone else really. If it is then we're not just avg vs the run we would be terrible. But I'm not concerned right now. Do the Patriots and whatever it is their doing worry you? Jordan Howard and Matt Breida? The Jets? We should be 5-1 minimum in division go find 4 or 5 more wins and we are division champs. I think winning these first 2 games immediately puts our odds at winning the division at about 90%. Really well said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putin Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 6 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said: If we score enough points teams won't be able to run. I don't think we'll be good vs the run but in terms of concerns it's a distant 2nd behind our ability to put up points. Josh Allen remains the biggest concern on the team until proven otherwise. My biggest concern is CB2 not Josh Allen we saw how great Josh can be we just need to see it on consistent basis .., This is definitely the year for him to prove that he can that !!! Go Bills !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royale with Cheese Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 6 hours ago, PUNT750 said: My metrics are players with quality resumes! That’s not what you said in your first post. And Addison doesn’t play the interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock'em Sock'em Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, PUNT750 said: Replacing them are + Harrison Phillips + AJ Edited September 10, 2020 by Rock'em Sock'em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 11 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said: That’s not what you said in your first post. And Addison doesn’t play the interior. Pay no attention. This charmer should switch to posting on the Sabre’s boards. The ice is thin under him.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordong Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Guess we'll find out in 3 days if they can stop the run. 34 minutes ago, Putin said: My biggest concern is CB2 not Josh Allen we saw how great Josh can be we just need to see it on consistent basis .., This is definitely the year for him to prove that he can that !!! Go Bills !!!! Why are you worried about #2 CB? Levi was the starting CB on the #2 Defense in the NFL last year... he is still here and now we have Josh here as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royale with Cheese Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 24 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said: Pay no attention. This charmer should switch to posting on the Sabre’s boards. The ice is thin under him.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt328 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 5 hours ago, folz said: I liked Shaq, but Addison is an upgrade (talent/experience-wise). And I know it's popular to trash Trent Murphy, but he is actually excellent against the run and really had a good run down the stretch of last season [with multiple big plays in each of the Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Houston (playoff) games]. And A.J. Epenesa's strength is supposed to be against the run. As to your thread title, about the interior of the line, yes...we know very little right now. We will just have to wait and see. But... Ok, we lost Jordan Phillips, but he was considered a 2nd round bust until he got into our defense. Last year was the first good year of his career. And he will be replaced by 1st round pick Ed Oliver, who was starting to show signs of being a true stud down the stretch last year. And Quinton Jefferson, who yes, has mostly been in a backup role to this point in his career, but only because the guys ahead of him were studs. His old team loved him and didn't want to lose him. Everyone has talked highly of him. I think he is ready to breakout. Now, we are definitely losing some size here at this position, as Jordan was a giant, but I think the talent level may be better. Star has opted out. Big body...did the dirty work. But Harrison Phillips is back, who again I think is a better player than Star (if his knee continues to be ok) because he has more big play ability and a better pass rush (or a pass rush, as Star had none). Plus, Harrison is by no means a liability against the run. And we're not really losing much size, as Harrison is an inch taller than Star and only 8 pounds lighter. And they added Vernon Butler. He's a reclamation project, no doubt. But hopefully in his new surroundings and with our coaches and scheme/defense, he can take that next step. Yes, he is still a question mark. But, he's a former 1st round pick that hasn't panned out yet (much like Jordan Phillips, though Jordan was a 2nd rounder), and Vernon actually brings more size than Star did. Butler is two inches taller and 15 pounds bigger than Star. Plus, Butler, Addison, and Jefferson all have position flexibility. Leslie can show so many different fronts with this D-line, to match up against any situation and to confuse offenses. So, I really don't think we'll need to worry too much about the D-line. But we shall see soon enough. Excellent breakdown. We lost Shaq Lawson, Star Lotulelei and Jordan Phillips We gained Mario Addison, AJ Epenesa, Harrison Phillips, Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler. Plus a year of experience for Ed Oliver. It could certainly be argued that our D-Line has been upgraded since last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 5 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: Anyone ever hear of a guy named Ed? I think he owns a horse stable..🤓 Also Horrible Harry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 In this league not many people are too concerned with stopping the run any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 I'm far more concerned about the DEs. If there's no real pass rush from the left side, OLs will continue to focus on Jerry and hold him like there's no tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 7 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said: Josh Allen remains the biggest concern on the team until proven otherwise. Are people going to freak out over every incomplete pass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putin Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 27 minutes ago, gordong said: Guess we'll find out in 3 days if they can stop the run. Why are you worried about #2 CB? Levi was the starting CB on the #2 Defense in the NFL last year... he is still here and now we have Josh here as well. Yes Levi is the starting CB2 that’s why I’m worried Just now, PromoTheRobot said: Are people going to freak out over every incomplete pass? Not ALL the people but you know exactly who will without me saying names ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Harry, Butler, Oliver, Jefferson, Epenesa, and Addison will all do just fine rotating on the interior. You saw how many times Lorax was thrown into the middle last year on passing downs. I would expect more of the same this year with the group we have. Harry can do the same thing as Star, only he's got more juice in pushing the pocket. Butler is 6'4", 330lbs, hard to move off the LOS, is coming off of his best year as a pro, and is in a familiar system. I honestly believe our run defense will be better this year, as well as our pass rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 3 hours ago, nucci said: Harrison Phillips and Ed Oliver play there as well As do Hughes, Epenesa, Murphy.. its a big rotation, and ron rivera does the same. Just because a player starts doesn't mean that they aren't getting a fair share of snaps. 14 minutes ago, matter2003 said: In this league not many people are too concerned with stopping the run any more. It lead to a couple losses last year against cleveland and philly. I'm not particularly certain buffalo was that good at it for a while there last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBuff423 Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 I'm not concerned with the interior DL, mainly because of all of the reasons previously noted in this thread. But also, because nobody knows this team better than Beane and McD and if they didn't believe they addressed the DL adequately in the off-season, SOMETHING would have been done by now. The additions of Jefferson, Butler and Addison to an existing pretty strong - albeit not perfect - Defense tells me all I need to know. They Drafted a DE, one that arguably was in the conversation for a mid to low 1st round pick, and still added FAs to the D-line. The fact they had their pick of who they wanted, PLUS Ed Oliver coming into his 2nd year and hopefully Horrible Harry able to stay healthy, means that they believe in their D-line and for now, unless or until the injuries pile up or they prove otherwise, I will trust McD and the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Oliver and Harrison = I’m not worried 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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