NOW is Bobby Babich's seat hot?

[BuffaloRebound]

Fair to criticize a defense that consistently crumbles in the playoffs when no significant changes have been made.  It’s the same scheme of undersized back 7 guys with very few who can play man coverage.  So we get the same complicated  coverage schemes with undersized players who get gashed in the run game and torched by the elite QB’s.  I actually am positive on the D Line.  It’s the back 7 and scheme that remains the problem.  

[mannc]

36 minutes ago, sunshynman said:

Growing pains from a schema change and key players missing is the issue right now. Eagles, Detroit, Rams, KC would probably score at will on the D currently. Good thing we got a few weeks before we play some of them. We need to be heading towards a great D come playoffs. I think the Eagles game will be a good measuring stick for the D. And likely will need to be less "ugly" by the O.

I expect the Falcons game to be a shootout, similar to the Rams and Lions indoor games last year…will be fun to watch.

[JP51]

4 minutes ago, HamptonBillsfan said:

What’s the rush to dump this guy when he’s working with substandard personnel. You must agree that getting pressure with their front four without Oliver is not possible so Babich is starting to bring Bernard, Thompson and even Bishop. That  paid  dividends against the Saints and Miami. He’s missed a great run defender and tackler with superior diagnostic instincts in Milano. Tre is giving a great effort but he’s going to struggle against top receivers( Hill, Shaheen, Flowers, etc) I like the idea of stopping teams when the game is on the line. In the Ravens miracle we stopped them and turned them over to make Josh’s comeback possible. Against Miami, who played their best game, we turned them over and got pressure on Tua when they were on the verge of taking the lead. Same thing with NO, they went 4 and out with the game on the line. At the end of the 1st half. Bishop got a TO to get us momentum. He was put in a position by Babich’s defense to make a big play. If you believe that this defense will improve with the PED boys, Oliver,Milano and Hairston, it’s worth giving Babich a pass.

and that is what makes this board great... if we all thought alike how boring would this be lol....  I think I elaborated on why I dont think a pass for babich is right... you do not agree... fair enough...  heck I am not even pointing and saying I am right and you are wrong.... (I understand nor are you)  hey I could be dead wrong here.... but I don't think I am... time will tell as it always does... thanks for the good discussion! 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Low Positive said:

This would be a valid discussion if the team were losing. Teams don't fire coaches after wins that were not good enough. I'm sorry that the Bills aren't 4-0 enough for you, but if you want coaching changes, you will have to hope for losses in the next two games.

 

…and I’d bet that some of our “fans” will do just that, because they are upset and want things their way and they are sure their way is the right way. 

[Allen2Moulds]

I know people are saying the sample size is too small, but I disagree. This is year 2 under Babich, and so far, it's been a disappointment. I understand that the anti-McDermott crowd will simply point to him. However, I will point to the one time he took over play calling duties from Leslie Frazier, and how it was instantly better. Calling plays on defense, is no different than calling plays on offense. It's not so much what you call, but when you call it. I'm OK with Babich stumbling his way through the reg season, as long as McDermott is willing and able to take over in the playoffs. 

[stlbills13]

Hard for me to ever say his seat SHOULD be hot when the same issues span across multiple d-coordinators 

 

But also the defense just kind of has a theme. Dare the team to run the ball and bend quite a bit early. Then the office just piles up points and eventually the opposing team has to throw on you and then you force a turnover or two. 

[NewEra]

While I’m not a fan of our D this year, I think we need to wait until November to truly have this conversation.  I’m not sure if having McD call plays would necessarily benefit our team as whole.  Luckily, Ryan Nielsen has experience and could step in for Babich.  If we decided to make a move, I don’t think we would even fire Babich.  I think we’d keep him on and hand over play calling to Nielsen, similar to what he he Jets did with Hackett last season (I know, I know).  I think McD and the players like and respect Babich too much to can him outright mid season.  I don’t think it was the same for Dorsey, even though the players said differently.   

[BuffaloMatt]

55 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

 

That approach works against bad, or even average teams. But in the playoffs, the teams you're playing against can overcome that approach. Those teams know how to finish drives. And then you're in a shooting match. We've seen that all too often. 

 

 

I don't disagree with you. The D needs to be better against the leagues top teams. The D is going to improve when they have a fuill compliment of starters and more expierence. However, the D that is working through the injuires, suspensions and rookies is being trashed when they are in fact playing at the level that took them to the AFC championship last year. 

[MJS]

53 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

Except most of those other puppets established careers independently. Many of them have full creative control of the defense. With McD, with all of his coordinators, he has to promote from within. Which allows him far more control over the coordinator than any external hire. How can anybody think this is Babich's defense or Leslie Frazier's for that matter? McD says, here are all your toys. These are the only toys you get to use. I will give you the freedom to use these toys how you want, but you can't have any other toys.

 

That is hardly freedom. That sounds like complete hell to be honest. Nobody who is talented would work in that situation. 

What NFL world do you live in? Every head coach in the NFL does the exact same thing on their side of the ball, often to a greater extent including taking play calling for themselves.

[Buffalo03]

I don't know. Have you felt it?

[VW82]

21 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Fair to criticize a defense that consistently crumbles in the playoffs when no significant changes have been made.  It’s the same scheme of undersized back 7 guys with very few who can play man coverage.  So we get the same complicated  coverage schemes with undersized players who get gashed in the run game and torched by the elite QB’s.  I actually am positive on the D Line.  It’s the back 7 and scheme that remains the problem.  

 

We've seen more diversity in scheme this year than any from McD era. Lots of evidence to think we'll screw it up in some new unexpected way this time around.

 

Also, it's way too early give up on back 7. Strong, Taron, Benford are all decent in man. Bet Hairston will be good too. Bernard and Thompson have a track record in this scheme and Milano can be a difference maker. Bishop improving... youth mixed with vets needs to hit the sweet spot but there's enough talent and flexibility we're now playing in more different alignments than in the past. It's not as predictable even though we're fequently screwing up. 

Edited Tuesday at 06:23 PM by VW82

[Goin Breakdown]

1 hour ago, Low Positive said:

Name me one time that a coach was fired after a win. ONE TIME.

Jerrod Mayo. Beat the Bills and what did he get for it??? Canned. I mean he beat the BILLS for crying out loud!!!! 

[JP51]

58 minutes ago, Mikie2times said:

Except most of those other puppets established careers independently. Many of them have full creative control of the defense. With McD, with all of his coordinators, he has to promote from within. Which allows him far more control over the coordinator than any external hire. How can anybody think this is Babich's defense or Leslie Frazier's for that matter? McD says, here are all your toys. These are the only toys you get to use. I will give you the freedom to use these toys how you want, but you can't have any other toys.

 

That is hardly freedom. That sounds like complete hell to be honest. Nobody who is talented would work in that situation. 

and McD's defense is old... like 2015 old... that is why we need a mind in here that can reimagine what this defense is...  and for the folks that think this defense was built to stop Mahomes... I dont agree, I think this defense was built to contain threats play soft and pray you hold teams to FGs while your offense score TDs... 

[Mister Defense]

15 minutes ago, stlbills13 said:

Hard for me to ever say his seat SHOULD be hot when the same issues span across multiple d-coordinators 

 

But also the defense just kind of has a theme. Dare the team to run the ball and bend quite a bit early. Then the office just piles up points and eventually the opposing team has to throw on you and then you force a turnover or two. 

 

Simply untrue, and almost completely so.

 

They were one of the best defenses in several, almost all?, of the areas they are awful at now, under both Frazier and McD, though the defense got weaker as key players were gone.

 

One of the best statistical defenses in the NFL for most of McDermott's years as head coach--no gray area. 

 

You may have beefs with him, and that is fine, but don't say this untrue thing.  As bad, faulty information leads to bad, faulty decisions, and consistently.

 

 

[eee1776]

i have been anti Bobby Babish for two years now. Every presser he says the same thing " I have to do better.. (Well yeah). I think if a change is going to come it will be at bye week. Mcd has a habit hanging on people way to long. .I hope not in this case. Maybe moving him from the booth to the field would help, more contact with MacD. But the heat starting to ramp up now. finally/ This not a Superbowl bound D.

[hondo in seattle]

Here's how McD defenses have performed over the years...

 

 

The Bills D's have normally been in the Top Ten and been ranked as high as #1.  So why is this a subpar year?  

 

If I had to apportion blame, I'd do it as follows:

 

1.  Beane.  This is not one of our best rosters.

 

2.  Injuries & Suspensions.  We're missing guys - including arguably our two best players.

 

3.  Babich & McD.  There have been some questionable defensive calls.  And sometimes players are missing assignments which suggests they haven't been coached up adequately.  On the other hand, they play hard and - given the talent on the field - may be overperforming statistically.  

 

 

 

 

[Mikie2times]

45 minutes ago, MJS said:

What NFL world do you live in? Every head coach in the NFL does the exact same thing on their side of the ball, often to a greater extent including taking play calling for themselves.

If you can't see the difference from a coordinator that is externally hired vs one that is promoted from within, I really can't help you. All NFL HC's want control. Most are smart/confident enough to know the outcome will improve with the best people in these roles. We ended up with Frazier and Babich for control reasons, not talent reasons. 

[Captain_Quint]

To me it seems like the LBs need to fit it up a little better with the new DLine. 

The secondary has to do a better job of fitting it up as well. 

 

Overall, we really need to fit it up better. 

[Nihilarian]

Some Bills fans need to remember that this is Bobby Babich's second season as Buffalo's DC. He was promoted for a reason, as other teams were looking at making him their DC. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills have had a rash of defensive injuries to several players, including some rookies, which have limited their experience to start the season. 

 

McD made a perfect choice for his new OC, and in time, I think the same will be said of this DC. So many up-and-coming new players that could have a major impact in future games. Strong, Hairston, TJ Sanders, Landon Jackson, Hancock, Deone Walker. Just look at Cole Bishop and how he is improving with playing time. I feel it's not the coach's fault that players don't maintain their gaps or make the wrong reads.

 

Have some faith and give it some time. While the defense hasn't looked as good as I had hoped, there is still a lot of room for improvement. The current scheme that Buffalo runs really works well, and if there's one thing that we know, it's that McD is not going to tolerate a bad assistant for very long. Simply look at what happened with the offense and Ken Dorsey. 

 

Allow me to reiterate, have some faith and give it some time. 

[nuiwek]

Holy hell, we're only a quarter of the way through the season playing many young guys. Maybe they get better, maybe they don't but 4 games isnt gonna tell you whether it's going to be better or not