Frazier & McD's defensive strategies a potential postseason liability

[kkim0904]

Our D carried the team when our offense struggled.

[OldTimer1960]

Watching what I thought was a very good Dallas D give up 31 to Zay Jones and Marvin Jones Jr, I wonder if the NFL rules have made it nearly impossible to play good defense.  Jets and Niners seem able, but beyond them, defenses are up and down.

 

I miss the days when dominating defenses existed, but that was back when defenses could mug receivers all over the field and were allowed to just annihilate a receiver if he was fortunate enough to make a catch.

[Eastport bills]

2 minutes ago, Toyo321 said:

Not even close to the way they gutted our D running the ball.

 

 

 

 How about the last 2 drives when Josh ran wild and Motor made 1st downs to set up the crushing FG. We were bad against the run  but when they needed a drive after we tied the score, they got stuffed. We played to win.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

1 hour ago, Gene1973 said:

He's old, unwilling to adjust.

You're young. Too willing to fall for anything. No conviction.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, GoBills808 said:

This is a fair point but at this point they aren't going to change the way they approach that side of the ball

 

And fyi the Niners and Chargers played Dolphins differently...Niners stuck to their guns and let Tua make mistakes, Chargers had a great game plan w disrupting timing and clouding coverages

 

Yep. The 9ers actually had a very similar plan to the Bills. The Chargers did something different but they have very different personnel. They kind of have to do something different because their linebackers suck in coverage. Taking nothing away from them, it was a good plan. But it was designed to play specifically to their personnel.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Gene1973 said:

49ers and Chargers showed how to stop the Dolphins offense. But nope. Frasier sticks with nickel. Either he's stupid or stubborn.

Frazier’s defense held the Miami offense to their season low 212 total yards while missing key starters, including both safeties. I guess you missed that game.

[Billever76]

1 hour ago, Gene1973 said:

He's old, unwilling to adjust.

These fans hold him like some kind of defensive guru lol....he is just running a safer version of the lovie Smith Tony dungy bs tampon 2 😆 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, Gene1973 said:

They sucked yesterday.

So the job they did in holding Miami to that paltry 212 yards in the first meeting is no reflection on Frasier, but yesterday’s game tells his whole story. Got it. 

[MrEpsYtown]

I am hoping for Steve Wilks when Carolina inevitably screws up and decides to hire someone else and someone hires Frazier as a HC. 

[Billsfanatic8989]

I don't know how we fix the OL. A bad OL will ruin any SB aspirations (See KC two years ago). Maybe more quick screens?

[SCBills]

1 hour ago, Eastport bills said:

The defense was clearly geared to protect against Hill, Waddle the TE. They hadn’t been running the ball well the last 2 games. The D-line had a bad game, but our secondary on the whole was confused and was victimized on several occasions. White looked good but Hamlin, Jackson and Elam struggled . The roughing the punter penalty made the game closer than it should have been. If we limit teams to FGs  and win the turnover battle, do you think the teams we face can stop our offense. I like our chances. Davis played like a number 2. We got great production from TE and our slot guys and when it counted,  we ran it down their throats. 

White looked good but got smoked on a go route for a TD.  Considering they had two big plays, accounting for 50% of them isn’t exactly amazing. 

[Freak-O]

Who won? 

[Aussie Joe]

8 minutes ago, Billsfanatic8989 said:

I don't know how we fix the OL. A bad OL will ruin any SB aspirations (See KC two years ago). 

Unless Allen keeps up the Superman routine …. It’s a lot to ask though 

[Big Turk]

Hyde being out is really showing up in how teams are able to move the ball in the air.

 

Hamlin has been OK to good in most games but he is still a liability in pass coverage. Usually pretty good against the run but not last night.

[Aussie Joe]

4 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

Hyde being out is really showing up in how teams are able to move the ball in the air.

 

Hamlin has been OK to good in most games but he is still a liability in pass coverage. Usually pretty good against the run but not last night.

Yep… Hyde is a massive loss… hope he can recover for the playoffs ( probably a tad unrealistic..)…

 

im wondering if Hamlin can get close to that level eventually… another year or two down the track…? 
 

Hyde was no prodigy when he was drafted either …

 

 

[K-9]

22 minutes ago, Gene1973 said:

Got what? That the D sucked yesterday? Great!

Never mind. 

[Warcodered]

 

[Big Turk]

20 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

 

 

But...but...but...I was told he sucked and should be replaced ASAP tho right here on this board!

Edited December 18, 2022 by Big Turk

[nosejob]

2 hours ago, Toyo321 said:

It's great to be 11-3 and honestly if it were not for some really bad defensive mistakes this year,  we surely would be 12-2 or 13-1 at this point.

 

I said this last year and now it is a concern.  I believe that Frazier's and McD's reluctance to go away from the nickel D and zone coverage, and their adaptability is going to hurt us this year in the playoffs.

 

1) Our D-Line got annihilated last night by Miami.  And it's not the only time this year it's happened too.

2) Milano had a horrible game.  Not being able to contain to the outside on run plays killed us in this game.

3) The poor LB and DB tackling has become a major issue.

3) Lack of talk on the field, safeties and the LB's cost us with opposition putting points on the board again last night on big passing plays.

4) The D has not looked good on too many games like last night,  numerous times this season.

 

Teams that have lit us up this year passing against our D, 300+ yards.     Vikes, Browns, Pitt, KC

Teams that have lit us up this year rushing against our D, 100+ yards       Ravens, Packers, Jets, Vikes, Phins

 

Frazier has lost his edge when it comes to preparing and executing game plans against other teams this year.

This team is so set on this Nickel scheme that I don't believe this year our D will be able to be relied upon in the postseason, especially without Von & Micah.

 

Plus I see Dorsey as a real handicap this year going into the postseason. 

That even makes the D's performance more important this year, than last year. 

Our D needs to evolve as we go to the playoffs this year.  If not we are screwed.

We are only going to go as far as our D is going to take us this year. 

JA17 is a like having Ace in the hole when playing poker.  But your Ace is not always going to be there for every game.  Especially in the postseason.

 

I hope I am wrong,  but if we play D as inconsistently as we did last night we are in trouble.

 

Like I said i another post, the upcoming Cincinnati game is going to be a real test where we stack up this year going into the postseason.

 

We will see after the Cinci game where we truly are.

And if we don't start playing D like we did against the Jets, we're done. Why we can't be an attacking defense is beyond me. We need a new DC with an aggressive attitude. It's absolutely aggravating. We don't have the talent to play press against Hill and Waddle?....or have the ability to do that when need be? Why can't we send blitzes when we're stuffing the run game on passing downs? We need some new blood on  the Defensive staff. Josh Allen can't be  like P.Manning with no Defense. We're gonna get screwed with this 1990 Defensive approach.

[NewEra]

Strategies differ game to game.  Of course a game plan could cost us our season.  That’s usually how most seasons end….. for every team.