How can we improve this defence?

[Brennan Huff]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

I think fans have been spoiled by having a top 5 defense for the past 3 or 4 seasons.

 

Guess what? We might not have that this year. We may slip into the teens.

 

The Rams have a very good offense and a very good coach.

But why? Losing Lawson and Phillips? The defense should not have regressed. Even White doesn’t look good out there. Maybe McDermott should take over play calling again

[MJS]

30 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said:

But why? Losing Lawson and Phillips? The defense should not have regressed. Even White doesn’t look good out there. Maybe McDermott should take over play calling again

It's a new season. New opponent's. New offenses. In the NFL you have to be continually adjusting.

 

Plus Edmunds and Milano are likely not 100%. Wallace his been figured out.

[GVINCENT]

1 hour ago, chris heff said:

This, and Lawson is better against the run than Murphy. Too much of an overhaul to the D-line. 

Offenses are gearing up the passing game and the QB's around the league are just better than before... The Bills D has not kept up with the changes, they can't cover elite receivers and the pass rush is mediocre at best... they need to change out a few players fast, one corner and one LB for sure ASAP...

 

[appoo]

Pass rush folks. How often the D ALMOST got to Goff, only for Goff to make the pass? Pass rush needs to get there a split second faster, and McDermott may need to commit to more blitzing in distance situations.  An offense like the Rams with a good QB and good WRs and a good schemer in McVay, they’re going to find 15-20 yards in a heavy zone with little pressure. 
 

Bills might regret not getting in on Yannick or Clowney this off-season. 
 

I’m not too worried about the Run D. That’s more of a concern without Josh Allen, where we play from behind consistently. Also the Run might give up some plays, but for the most part they’ll make enough plays where it comes down to stoping 3rd and long. That’s pressure 

Our corners aren’t a huge issue. White got beat noticeably once on a play where he was asked to chase a fast WR clear across the field - an impossible task on that one. Sure Levi gives up some plays, but really this D got killed between the hashes, and that points more to the safeties, backers and again - pass rush 

[JohnNord]

2 hours ago, artmalibu said:

looking like Star is better than what some people think. 

he always was better than what some fans gave him credit for...but he also didn’t make any difference at times either.  The Philadelphia game was a great example of a team that ran all over the Bills when he was in the game.  
 

I think it’s flawed to think his absences would’ve resulted in a significantly different result today

26 minutes ago, MJS said:

It's a new season. New opponent's. New offenses. In the NFL you have to be continually adjusting.

 

Plus Edmunds and Milano are likely not 100%. Wallace his been figured out.

Wallace wasn’t the problem today and Milano defended Higbee today.  Take a look at his stat line.  
 

It comes down to Edmunds.  He didn’t play well

[MJS]

2 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

 

Wallace wasn’t the problem today and Milano defended Higbee today.  Take a look at his stat line.  
 

It comes down to Edmunds.  He didn’t play well

Edmunds was indeed a problem today. He needs to wrap up instead of just hit. But he definately wasn't 100%. He was limited all week in a red non-contact jersey.

[Magox]

I’m not worried about the defense.  They will come around.

[JohnNord]

Just now, Magox said:

I’m not worried about the defense.  They will come around.

If McDermott and Frazier could clean up the mess with the 2017 defense, they can get this ship steered in the right direction 

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, MJS said:

I think fans have been spoiled by having a top 5 defense for the past 3 or 4 seasons.

 

Guess what? We might not have that this year. We may slip into the teens.

 

The Rams have a very good offense and a very good coach.

 

Are the Dolphins a very good Offense?

21 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

he always was better than what some fans gave him credit for...but he also didn’t make any difference at times either.  The Philadelphia game was a great example of a team that ran all over the Bills when he was in the game.  
 

I think it’s flawed to think his absences would’ve resulted in a significantly different result today

Wallace wasn’t the problem today and Milano defended Higbee today.  Take a look at his stat line.  
 

It comes down to Edmunds.  He didn’t play well

 

White was weak today as well

[Bangarang]

Take a look at our schedule from last year and the QBs we went up against. It was cake.

 

This year was always going to be a lot harder. We could use some more beef and pass rush up front though.

[Luka]

No Star. No Jordan Phillips. No light coming on for Oliver or Edmunds. No Norman. Even when they were blitzing they weren't getting home and that is a bad sign. And the run defense is just non-existent. Not good when playing a team like the Titans in couple weeks.

Edited September 28, 2020 by Luka

[Hampton Josh fan]

3 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

I think anyone watching today and even last week have to be concerned at the amount of long drives this defence is giving up.  Other than just saying play better,  what suggestions do you guys have to get this defence to get stops and get off the field?  It seemed like not one guy could make a big play in the second half and we cannot expect to win like this every week.

Try not to lump last weeks performance with this weeks. Edmunds and Milano were injured and I'm not so sure Edmund's wasn't rushed back a week too soon. All those missed tackles could be shoulder related. The other problem was Sean and Leslie called off the dogs with pressure on Goff after 28 to 3. McVay took full advantage of the prevent defense with runs and crossing patterns for Woods,  Kupp the tight end.  Let's see the adjustments against Vegas. 

[delirious]

I want another big person on the line that can spell Butler.  I like Harry, but I want someone huge at the 1T spot, like a Sam Adams, Vince Wilfork, Marcel Dareus, Haloti Ngata body type.  Someone that doesn't get moved at the line of scrimmage and takes up a lot of space

Edited September 28, 2020 by delirious

[Mikie2times]

The whole league is starting slow on defense. Most points scored in NFL history through week 2 thus far. I expect us to improve as well as the league as a whole. Hopefully we can get ahead of the curve. From what the eye sees, lot of fatigue, difficulty keeping up with so many multiple 4-5 WR sets. Defenses look two steps behind right now, not the usual one. 

[jayg]

34 minutes ago, Gene1973 said:

To start with, we can spell defense correctly

 

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/defence-defense/

 

[97bills]

3 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

They need to trade for a pass rusher. Posted it last week but was killed for it. Everyone saying Fitz just got the ball out quick.  No pass rush from front four all day. I think LA got away with at least three holds but for the most part the Bills front 4 was dominated. 

I’ve been thinking this for two games now. We don’t have one dominant player on the Dline and we’re is ed Oliver 

[gobills404]

3 hours ago, mattynh said:

Play teams with bad offenses like last year?

I decided to actually go and check, and holy crap they were they bad (average rank was 21). We played 4 games against the bottom 3 offenses (jets, skins, steelers), 4 more games against bottom 7 offenses (broncos, dolphins, bengals), and the giants and browns were ranked 23rd and 22nd. Plus the titans were ranked 12th, but we got to play their crappy Mariota-led offense.

 

[Logic]

Scoring is up across the league.

Lack of offseason and preseason and lack of fans in stands is hurting defenses more than offenses.

Things will even out over time. 

I'm not the least bit worried that a McDermott/Frazier coached defense with almost the entire roster back is suddenly terrible. Ain't happenin.

 

[Victory Formation]

Allen would not of had posted the numbers he had if this had been a low scoring game.. me? I’m just grateful that Buffalo finally has a QB who can duel with the best of them..

[Mark Vader]

5 minutes ago, Logic said:

Scoring is up across the league.

Lack of offseason and preseason and lack of fans in stands is hurting defenses more than offenses.

Things will even out over time. 

I'm not the least bit worried that a McDermott/Frazier coached defense with almost the entire roster back is suddenly terrible. Ain't happenin.

 

Good point. I think we just did not expect to be losing after we had a 28-3 lead.

 

The one thing I did not understand from today's defensive game plan was why did we have our Linebackers covering Cooper Kupp?

[Zona]

I would say that we need a large dt who specializes in stuffing the run. Like a Ted Washington,  or pat William's. The guy who eats two blockers on every play. 

[MJS]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Are the Dolphins a very good Offense?

 

White was weak today as well

Yes, the Dolphins do have a good offense.

 

What was weak about White?

[Returntoglory]

Find a dominant pass rusher. 

[LABILLBACKER]

4 hours ago, Warcodered said:

I mean if healthy Josh Norman is available this coming week.

An aging Josh Norman is hardly going to put a dent in this struggling defense. We need a young dynamic pass rusher. We need a real Mike. We need a compliment to White. Everyone on Defense played terrible today. 

[Penfield45]

Sign or draft an elite MLB to replace Edmunds 

[17islongenough]

Could they actually be missing Star?

[Coffeesforclosers]

5 hours ago, poblano said:

Lotulelei

 

 

Now we missing his non trascendental perfeormances

 

The Cover 1 guys were saying this too.  They also said the Rams were bullying Harrison Philips in the run game.  They went straight at him on three straight plays for good yardage.

[McBean]

Don’t care about defense.

 

Hold opponent to 24 or less and you should win 10+ with this offense 

[HappyDays]

14 out of 30 teams so far scored 30 points or more this week. I would bet tomorrow night that number is 15 or 16. Not to say the defense wasn't a big problem today but in the modern NFL you need to put up 30+ points to beat the good teams.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

8 hours ago, Warcodered said:

I mean if healthy Josh Norman is available this coming week.

 

Levi Wallace wasn’t the problem today, IMO. He actually made the only great play on D.

 

Our LB’s need to play better. 

[WideNine]

The Rams left tackle Whitworth is dominant and probably hall of fame bound....

 

Jerry Hughes has been a non-factor for a while. I think he had off-season groin surgery and if you have never had a groin pull/tear you have no idea how much that effects you. You absolutely lose any lateral burst. So not sure Jerry is at 100%, but his name has not been called very much for many games. He has not been the same player, but he was going against an all pro and the Rams often keep Everette in as an extra blocker.

 

Addison was neutralized too.

 

This was a game where we had to get penetration into their backfield to help blow up the reverses and fakes, to deny Goff a pocket to step into, to keep their running back from getting a head of steam hitting the gaps. For much of the game we did not move the line, nor set the edges in a meaningful way.

 

I like Taron in run support, but he is a liability covering the slot was caught peeking into the backfield and missing his assignments and was burnt for the 31 yard gainer to Roberts as he let him blow right by and Edmunds had to clean it up.

 

That motion of Woods cutting between Goff and the RB and how slick the fake is when he gets the ball is definitely something Dabs should put in the Bills arsenal. Had our DE's completely looking the wrong way at the fake to the RB and leaning inside instead of driving up field setting the edge. White's tackling has been suspect.

 

Woods really took it to us this game. Liked him as a Bill and I was not wrong about him...tough competitor. 

 

But that d-line play or scheme......oooo boy. Needs some work, as they were getting powned.

 

Look at the LOS below, a wall of Rams blocking a yard deep on our side. The runner is just on the other side of 93-Murphy who is engaged with a blocker 81?, but setting the edge. The runner has a gaping hole between RT and TE-Higbee, Edmunds is chasing Woods-17 (does not have the ball) and taking himself out of the play, 90-Jefferson was not able to anchor much today and often was turned completely around and washed out with his back to the play much like on this play. A lot of the same things we saw last year that they tightened up, but never quite fixed.

 

Will be curious what changes McD makes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maryland-bills-fan]

9 hours ago, delirious said:

I want another big person on the line that can spell Butler.  I like Harry, but I want someone huge at the 1T spot, like a Sam Adams, Vince Wilfork, Marcel Dareus, Haloti Ngata body type.  Someone that doesn't get moved at the line of scrimmage and takes up a lot of space

Are you saying that big people can not spell Butler?  It is not like they are trying to spell defencse.

[Matt_In_NH]

First, they are not as bad as you may think.  Going into this game they were fifth overall.....going by yards.  After this game they will take a big hit.  Sometimes the higher ranked defenses are on teams that have weak offenses....the games tend to be low scoring and close, kind of like  the Bills of the last couple years kind of fall into that group.  Things have changed, the offense can score points and put the other team in a hole.  When you have a team that does that it provided a good chance for the other team to get a lot of yards and points.  They need to learn how to play with  a lead, get to the QB and cause some turnovers.

 

I think the D may just not be quite as good as we have thought of them as, they need to evolve this year to form a better match with the offense.   They played a lot of weak teams last year, a lot of QB's with very little experience.  This year the schedule is loaded with quality quarterbacks, we say that yesterday.  McVeigh and Goff have had a lot of success, they were a super bowl team two years ago.  Moving forward, its Carr, TanneyHill (Not Mariotta), Mahomes, Darnold, Newton, Wilson, Murray, Herbert, Garrappolo, Roethlisburger (not the chumps from last year), Lock, Newton, Fitz.

 

Overall that list is way superior than the list of nobodys they played last year.  Maybe there will be some changes, but all in all, this year is a lot more challenging for this years defense.

[FeelingOnYouboty]

Shaun Wade and Patrick Jones III. First two rounds next year.

Edited September 28, 2020 by FeelingOnYouboty

[Jerome007]

15 hours ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

Refs get paid to call the games as unbiased as possible. When they do make up calls and pick on a specific player it makes the game look scripted like a WWE match. 

Oh I fid it unprofessional all right, but no doubt Hughes has got under their skin. Hell, remember the 15 yard rough penalty for giving celebration strikes to his... teammate?

 

I saw Donald getting held in the 4th quarter, and complaining legitimately to the ref about the no call. Well, I saw Hughes again getting mugged multiple times today, zero calls.

[ctk232]

17 hours ago, jayg said:

 

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/defence-defense/

 

Came here for this, "defense" and "defence" are both correct. Pretty sure the US is the only english speaking country that uses the former, everywhere else uses the latter. Now that that's said, this thread is meaningless. Defense has an all-around bad week and we're calling in the auxiliaries.

 

Most of the issues present here are ongoing in the Edmunds thread, and are just as hot if not hotter refuse there as they are here. Let's see how this defense comes out against a tough run game with Jacobs in Vegas. 

[LABILLBACKER]

22 hours ago, Lurker said:

 

Edmunds is the key.   He can't keep being MIA.    If that means lighting a fire under him by giving Dodson some snaps, so be it.   

 

Up to this point, McD has coddled Edmunds, who seems exempt from the "have to earn it" mantra for the rest of the team...

I agree. I'm tired of hearing the "he's only 21" arguments. He's making the same mistakes as he did his rookie year. I know he and White are fighting injuries but eventually a move to the outside will have to be made. 

[TPS]

22 hours ago, JohnBonhamRocks said:

I can improve “defence” by making it “defense“ 😜

I clicked on this topic just to see how many responses it took for this.  👍

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, ctk232 said:

Came here for this, "defense" and "defence" are both correct. Pretty sure the US is the only english speaking country that uses the former, everywhere else uses the latter. Now that that's said, this thread is meaningless. Defense has an all-around bad week and we're calling in the auxiliaries.

 

Most of the issues present here are ongoing in the Edmunds thread, and are just as hot if not hotter refuse there as they are here. Let's see how this defense comes out against a tough run game with Jacobs in Vegas. 

Well governor when I move to London town I'll be sure to slot that "c" in there.

[WideNine]

6 minutes ago, TPS said:

I clicked on this topic just to see how many responses it took for this.  👍

 

You know fixing de "fence" kind of fits  

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by WideNine