Sharp Analysis: Best front sevens in NFL (Bills 8th)

[Big Blitz]

In the article he has them 8th - I think his tweet is wrong.  I’m optimistic about the D line but I mean - we have to see it before you put almost a brand new group with some Rookies that high.  Obviously Bernard and Milano help.   
 

 

 

The Bills contacted opposing running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage at the league’s second best rate last year (53%), and the front seven may be stronger in 2025. Few teams can match Buffalo’s depth on the defensive line after the additions of Joey Bosa in free agency and draft picks T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson,and Deone Walker. 

[julian]

[Thurman#1]

I mean, yeah, they have a ton to prove.

 

But knowing the future is impossible, though predicting or guessing right is not.

 

To me it's with the reasonably possible set of outcomes. A bit on the high side, but not irrational or illogical at all.

 

Just looked at Cover1's looks at why the defense had problems on third downs. They largely said the pressure was genuinely good, but the balls came out quickly and the defensive backfield wasn't fooling anybody the way they had in years before with Power and Hyde, so teams were completing the quick routes and converting the longer third downs. They had a lot of quick pressure on 3rd downs, but turning them into sacks, not so good, largely because even when the pressure was quick, the ball was out before they got there.

 

They were 11th overall in quick pressures (2.5 seconds or less), 9th in quick pressure rate, and had the 7th fastest time to pressure rate in the league. (from the Cover 1 video below).

 

 

 

Edited July 22 by Thurman#1

[BigAl2526]

Except in the case of Buffalo, it's a front six.  Or do you include Taron Johnson as part of the front seven?

[MJS]

They are 9th in the tweet you posted.

[Richard Noggin]

6 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

In the article he has them 8th - I think his tweet is wrong.  I’m optimistic about the D line but I mean - we have to see it before you put almost a brand new group with some Rookies that high.  Obviously Bernard and Milano help.   
 

 

 

The Bills contacted opposing running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage at the league’s second best rate last year (53%), and the front seven may be stronger in 2025. Few teams can match Buffalo’s depth on the defensive line after the additions of Joey Bosa in free agency and draft picks T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson,and Deone Walker. 

 

3 hours ago, MJS said:

They are 9th in the tweet you posted.

 

TIED for 8th, actually. 

[Chandler#81]

The suspensions of the druggies really sucks as it will take virtually the entire season to figure out who and what we’ll be up front. I do expect better play -if only because it can’t get much worse..

[H2o]

I expect a shift in our run defense with a healthy DaQuon (hopefully) and Deone Walker anchoring at the 1T. 

 

I also expect a more aggressive front in general that puts back into the top 5 in sacks. That 3rd and passing front is going to be tough to block. Groot, Oliver, Sanders, Bosa are a scary prospect for opposing OL's. 

 

Mix in some rotational Jackson, AJE, and Hoecht (when he comes back), this guys will be fresh all game. That will allow us to have an advantage later in games when opposing offenses are wearing down. 

 

Please, health, be with us this year. 

[Rich Stadium Original]

Also hard to believe the Chiefs are as low as 16th. I'd like to see some of the logic and criteria behind the selecrions

[corta765]

4 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

The suspensions of the druggies really sucks as it will take virtually the entire season to figure out who and what we’ll be up front. I do expect better play -if only because it can’t get much worse..

I would expect that the Bills defense by seasons end is quite good especially upfront... but the numbers will not show the same because the first half of the year they gotta figure everything out

[Charles Romes]

That was quite a playoff performance the Bills had v the Broncos, given all the love Denver has gotten this offseason 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

43 minutes ago, Charles Romes said:

That was quite a playoff performance the Bills had v the Broncos, given all the love Denver has gotten this offseason 

Yeah weird game for their defense. They sacked Allen twice after Bills only gave up 14 all year. But Allen was 20/26 passing. Cook destroyed them on the ground as well. 

[JerseyBills]

They could be top 3 if the rookies and vet signings, mainly Bosa and Hoecht are as good as I think they could be, oh also Solomon and Carter,  sheesh they have potential to be #1 

[Dillenger4]

7 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

They could be top 3 if the rookies and vet signings, mainly Bosa and Hoecht are as good as I think they could be, oh also Solomon and Carter,  sheesh they have potential to be #1 

On paper - yes sir! Let's go Bills!

[Fleezoid]

12 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

I mean, yeah, they have a ton to prove.

 

But knowing the future is impossible, though predicting or guessing right is not.

 

To me it's with the reasonably possible set of outcomes. A bit on the high side, but not irrational or illogical at all.

 

Just looked at Cover1's looks at why the defense had problems on third downs. They largely said the pressure was genuinely good, but the balls came out quickly and the defensive backfield wasn't fooling anybody the way they had in years before with Power and Hyde, so teams were completing the quick routes and converting the longer third downs. They had a lot of quick pressure on 3rd downs, but turning them into sacks, not so good, largely because even when the pressure was quick, the ball was out before they got there.

 

They were 11th overall in quick pressures (2.5 seconds or less), 9th in quick pressure rate, and had the 7th fastest time to pressure rate in the league. (from the Cover 1 video below).

 

 

 

 

This is good analysis on 3rd down struggles. But I really don't need all the examples and numbers to know they had problems all year getting off the field. What this also tells me is, they're not utilizing the decent pressure rate to their advantage by using cover zone defenses constantly. The pressures don't translate if offenses pick apart the soft zones with quick hitting plays. Be aggressive for crying out loud. So what if you give up a big play every so often. Take a shot with some big plays on defense!

 

Aaaarrrgh!  Okay....getting ready for regular season mode when I'm screaming at the TV screen!

[Thurman#1]

19 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

 

This is good analysis on 3rd down struggles. But I really don't need all the examples and numbers to know they had problems all year getting off the field. What this also tells me is, they're not utilizing the decent pressure rate to their advantage by using cover zone defenses constantly. The pressures don't translate if offenses pick apart the soft zones with quick hitting plays. Be aggressive for crying out loud. So what if you give up a big play every so often. Take a shot with some big plays on defense!

 

Aaaarrrgh!  Okay....getting ready for regular season mode when I'm screaming at the TV screen!

 

 

I hear you, but I think it's a lot more subtle and multi-faceted than just too many soft zones.

 

It's also that we used to be really unpredictable, as Poyer and Hyde could wait till post-snap to go to deceptive switches and coverage changes. The new safeties just aren't that cagey and deceptive yet, and they aren't used to each other as much. Power and Hyde would show zone and switch post-snap even waiting another beat before pulling the moves. Then they'd do the opposite. Then they'd fake switches and cover straight. Our safeties had never started together before last year. 

 

And in their first year together in Buffalo, Poyer and Hyde were very good. But just not close to as good as they became after working together for awhile.

 

We were running mostly zone Ds with Poyer and Hyde too. Just doing it a lot better, smarter, less predictably and more deceptively.

 

Not to mention that after Benford, our CBs just weren't as good as they used to be. Douglas looked older suddenly and nobody else was any better.

 

 

Edited July 22 by Thurman#1

[SoonerBillsFan]

13 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

In the article he has them 8th - I think his tweet is wrong.  I’m optimistic about the D line but I mean - we have to see it before you put almost a brand new group with some Rookies that high.  Obviously Bernard and Milano help.   
 

 

 

The Bills contacted opposing running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage at the league’s second best rate last year (53%), and the front seven may be stronger in 2025. Few teams can match Buffalo’s depth on the defensive line after the additions of Joey Bosa in free agency and draft picks T.J. Sanders, Landon Jackson,and Deone Walker. 

I feel that ranking is correct.  If we can finish the season say 5th, it bodes very well.

[Pecker]

4 hours ago, Rich Stadium Original said:

Also hard to believe the Chiefs are as low as 16th. I'd like to see some of the logic and criteria behind the selecrions

I feel like Chris jones alone is better than our front 7.  How are the ravens and eagles not higher too?  
 

this list just doesn’t pass the eye test. 

[billsfan89]

On paper seems accurate to say the Bills have better than average front line talent and elite depth. One thing that makes me think the front 7 is better than in the past is the general upside having some younger talent added. Three rookies plus two second year guys on the D-line have a lot of potential upside. But as is a lower top 10 front 7 seems fair. 

[BigAl2526]

17 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

The suspensions of the druggies really sucks as it will take virtually the entire season to figure out who and what we’ll be up front. I do expect better play -if only because it can’t get much worse..

The good news is the suspensions of Hoecht and Ogunjobe will give the rookies more regular season reps and hopefully accelerate their development.   The questions it raises is could their absence cost the Bills a win or two and can the players who will play avoid injury.