Defense: let’s grade and comment your grade

[Italian Bills]

Today the defense had a poor performance. My grade is C-

[buffalojedwardo]

defense is soft and lacks a pass rush 

[oldmanfan]

You cannot give up the two drives they gave up in the second half.

[newcam2012]

Not right now. The time is to enjoy the win!

[Kellyhero68]

Defensive line has no pass rush moves. Straight bull rush most of the time. Where is Groot and Boogie? 

[billsfan89]

It was a solid performance. They gave up 21 points which isn’t great but isn’t bad either. They got the stops that mattered most and they didn’t give up any quick scores either. But they also couldn’t shut the door either even in the red zone and the pass rush and run defense wasn’t great either. It was a good enough performance a B or B- effort.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Well they were a lot better than the Pats D. Today the Bills beat the best OC, the refs, and the Pats. 

[RaoulDuke79]

The defense needs to figure out its identity. They either need to be able to create a consistent pass rush or stop the run. They can't seem to do either consistently. The secondary is strong even with White out. 

[Bigantall]

7 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

The defense needs to figure out its identity. They either need to be able to create a consistent pass rush or stop the run. They can't seem to do either consistently. The secondary is strong even with White out. 

You are absolutely correct not sure why they can't figure this out every week the same issues

[TAinLack.]

After the their first defensive series, Leslie was out to lunch - deer in the headlights look!

[JAMIEBUF12]

We have so many dt’s on this team and we still can’t stop the run😢😢

I miss the Ted Washington -Pat Williams days when you knew you couldn’t gain a yard running on us..Bring back the “package”😜

[quinnearlysghost88]

They have been and always will be bend (hopefully) don’t break vs run heavy teams. You have to hold your breath every down. 

[TFBillsfan]

Bills D didn’t give up the big run like they have previously against TN, Indy and NE in this game. However, it’s obvious this DL  front four just struggles to win their individual battles.  I just don’t see Star, Hughes, Addison or Butler back next year. They need a stud DT to go with Ed.  Linebackers continue to over pursue and get burnt by the cut backs. When they did force them into throwing downs coverage was super soft. However, it always felt like NE was getting 4 yards a pop. Rarely do you see the DL blow up a play in the backfield.

 

Super happy with the win but this D got run over on three long drives for TD’s. Gotta get better to make a run in the playoffs.

[mabden]

Mac Jones completed less than 50% of his passes for a putrid 145 yards and held Harris to 103 yards.  

 

The defense had constant pressure on Jones and picked him twice. 

 

They limited ne time of possession to 25 min.  

 

A

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by mabden
Additional info

[vincec]

B-

Predictable. Pass defense was solid. Run defense was weak. Pats couldn't break any huge plays today, which helped, but they were also 5 for 5 on 4th downs and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. They did enough to win but the offense was the real key.

[Bills92]

What am I missing...  we gave up less the 300 yards against a playoff caliber, HOF Coached team..  and we are calling for the heads of a number of defensive players? 

Sorry... I struggle with that assessment when you consider that the Pats needed to pass to make up a double digit deficit but they continued to run and eat up the clock..  

Quite frankly, I think the Pats played into the trap that Fraser and Coach set....   A minus for me

 

 

[hemma]

They held them to 288 total yards, 56 under their average.

They held them to 21 points, 4.9 under their average.

Ohhhh, almost forgot.  We won.

[HappyDays]

Our pass rush is bad, that is the fundamental problem. We don't sack QBs enough so teams never get behind the sticks. Since we rarely tackle RBs behind the LOS that compounds the problem. Mac Jones had clean pockets to work with on almost every snap. No matter how good your secondary is the coverage will break down eventually. We need to get a difference maker on the d-line next year.

[Bills92]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Our pass rush is bad, that is the fundamental problem. We don't sack QBs enough so teams never get behind the sticks. Since we rarely tackle RBs behind the LOS that compounds the problem. Mac Jones had clean pockets to work with on almost every snap. No matter how good your secondary is the coverage will break down eventually. We need to get a difference maker on the d-line next year.

Not true.. Pretty sure going into this week.. we have the 5th best pressure rate in the NFL... and I'm guessing it improves this week.

 

This narrative needs to stop

 

[BobbyC81]

1 hour ago, Kellyhero68 said:

Defensive line has no pass rush moves. Straight bull rush most of the time. Where is Groot and Boogie? 

Yeah, Hughes gets pushed (or held) to the outside and the QB just moves up in the pocket.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

1 hour ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Well they were a lot better than the Pats D. Today the Bills beat the best OC, the refs, and the Pats. 

The refs? 

[atlbillsfan1975]

Just now, Ethan in Portland said:

The refs? 

Yes, every time you play NE you also play the refs. 

[Captain Caveman]

1 hour ago, buffalojedwardo said:

defense is soft and lacks a pass rush 

 

I feel like we're in a place right now where we can either rush the passer, or have gap integrity and not give up big chunks in the rushing game.  It's not great to have to pick between them, but in most games being able to do one or the other (with this offense) will be fine.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Just now, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Yes, every time you play NE you also play the refs. 

Enlighten me. I must have missed all the calls that should have gone Buffalo's way today that didn't.  

Let's see they called holding on the Pats on a Jerry Hughes rush. They picked up the flag on Hughes roughness. They called two taunting penalties against the Pats. 

I saw a couple close PI calls that they let go both ways. They didn't call Dawkins for a hold on Allen's 4th down run. 

Williams was 8 yards downfield blocking on the Knox TD pass. That was the correct call. 

Help the rest of us that don't see the bias that you do.

[97bills]

1 hour ago, Kellyhero68 said:

Defensive line has no pass rush moves. Straight bull rush most of the time. Where is Groot and Boogie? 

Rookies, that stud from Dallas doesn’t come often. But I get what your saying 

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, Italian Bills said:

Today the defense had a poor performance. My grade is C-

 

Subject does not match poll.  Grade D- or you could argue for an incomplete.

[atlbillsfan1975]

8 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Enlighten me. I must have missed all the calls that should have gone Buffalo's way today that didn't.  

Let's see they called holding on the Pats on a Jerry Hughes rush. They picked up the flag on Hughes roughness. They called two taunting penalties against the Pats. 

I saw a couple close PI calls that they let go both ways. They didn't call Dawkins for a hold on Allen's 4th down run. 

Williams was 8 yards downfield blocking on the Knox TD pass. That was the correct call. 

Help the rest of us that don't see the bias that you do.

Judging by your posts, I don’t have enough time or energy to enlighten you. 

You sounds like a sore loser right now. Are you a Pats fan or a Bills fan who wanted the Bills to lose so you could say “I told you.”?

Edited December 27, 2021 by atlbillsfan1975

[SydneyBillsFan]

I wonder what our team sack total is this season? I am guessing we are bottom 10 in the NFL.

 

It needs to improve.

[Freddie's Dead]

WTF, I'll give them an A.  They held the Cheats to 21 and won the turnover battle.  If that third Cheats scoring drive worried you, it took like 10 minutes and the Bills D made them earn every inch.  MacHeath just isn't consistent enough to overcome the Bills in the lead.  By making them earn every inch, and not giving up any huge plays, the Bills D just choked the life out of the Cheats.  Complementary football guys.

[LeGOATski]

B- 

 

The good: Pass defense. Coverage was great. Blitzes worked. They got turnovers when they needed them. Mac Jones looked thoroughly confused at times.

 

The bad: run defense. DEs, LBs, and DBs all were undisciplined at times. They could not hold the line or keep the Pats RBs out of the end zone.

 

Overall, they held the Pats offense to below their scoring average and won the game.

[thurst44]

Is this a joke thread? We just beat the Patriots in Foxboro and held them to well below the yardage average for both them and the NFL. They are still the #1 defense by many metrics, including the one commonly used in the NFL. The D held the Pats to 3 & out on first drive, and definitively so, giving the offense the chance to take the lead. The only three drives the Pats had were about as far from easy as possible. Defense gets an A from me. It did what it needed to do in one of the unfriendliest environments in the NFL, and held the team under the average amount of yards and points and never put the team in any serious danger of losing.

 

Criticism is fine, but why are some people coming here to negatively post against the team after a win over the Patriots in Foxboro that puts the Bills in a spot where they have an insanely good chance of winning the division? I'll never get this mentality.

 

 

1 hour ago, newcam2012 said:

Not right now. The time is to enjoy the win!

Also, how in the world is the Bills defense was terrible anyone's main takeaway from this game.

Edited December 27, 2021 by thurst44

[JoshAllin]

They need to work on the 4th and short plays

[NewEra]

Do people really have an issue with our pass rush today?  Ridiculous.  We were moving macnchz off his spot and made him uncomfortable the entire game.  The patriot OL is a solid group and they got worked today.  Our D played just fine. The pats were 1/10 on 3rd down.  We forced 2 picks and Levi dropped a 3rd. 

 

B+

[GoBills808]

Run defense doesn’t matter when Josh Allen has time to throw the football

[Mango]

Edmunds had a lot of difficulty shedding blocks today. Early in the game Harris picked him up 1:1 in the backfield. No chip. Didn’t go low. Squared up and stopped Edmunds in his tracks. But pass rush machine, or something…. 
 

I really want to like Edmunds more than I do. I don’t want to get rid of him. But also don’t want to pay him. 
 

 

 

[FLFan]

Lots of confused people on this thread.

[ganesh]

Matt Milano had a less than average game than he usually plays

[HoofHearted]

34 minutes ago, Mango said:

Edmunds had a lot of difficulty shedding blocks today. Early in the game Harris picked him up 1:1 in the backfield. No chip. Didn’t go low. Squared up and stopped Edmunds in his tracks. But pass rush machine, or something…. 
 

I really want to like Edmunds more than I do. I don’t want to get rid of him. But also don’t want to pay him. 
 

 

 

That’s by design. If you are an interior rusher and you lose your first move you are a low box player and coached to hold the LoS until the QB steps up into the pocket. It’s the edge rushers job yo set the high box and force the QB to step up. The play you’re referring to has a stunt between Edmunds and Oliver where Oliver twisted off of Edmunds rush and came through Scott free because Edmonds did his job.

Edited December 27, 2021 by HoofHearted

[716er]

B

[LABILLBACKER]

Still no pass rush

Still no big plays from Edmunds 

Still over-persue 

Yet somehow were still top 3 in many defensive categories.....

Bend don't break.