Poz Second Best At HIs Position In The League?

[OCinBuffalo]

Another quick point - if 3 or 4 players on a team's defense are really unqualified/bad, then the defense will be bad no matter who is playing in the other positions. Good offenses target the weak spots and go after them. The Bills' LB corps outside of Poz this year was a joke, and guys like Byrd - who I like - were horrible against the run.

 

A classic case: in the 1996 draft, 3 defensive players from California were drafted in the first 40 picks - Regan Upshaw at #11, Duane Clemons at #16, and Je'rod Cherry at #40. That's really quite spectacular. And you know what? They all deserved high draft picks - they were excellent players in college. The catch? Despite having three blue chippers on defense, the Golden Bears had the worst defense in the Pac-10. They couldn't stop anyone. However, it wasn't because of those guys; it was because beyond those three players, the D was loaded with poor players. Other teams at that level were good enough to go after them very effectively despite facing truly top tier talent at three positions.

Agreed. That is why individual stats on defense in football are always dubious, team outcomes are not always indicative of the quality of each individual, and both are often attributed more definitive meaning than they deserve. Not to say that the above isn't a good attempt, but, we have to recognize the flaws in the system.

 

Also, the good news is POZ is at the top of a list, any list . It means there is at least a correlation between Poz and "good player". Perhaps with some real help he has a chance to be a great player.

 

I keep saying one of these days I will put together a real BI system for this that will actually analyze this data properly, but I never do it . Perhaps when I retire.

[Latason]

Personally I feel Poz's play is extremely average.

If you truly watch the games you will see that Poz

has a problem shedding tackles.

Often misreads plays.

Very weak at the point of impact.

When you have to resort stats as opposed to just watching their play it is a problem.

This list has Poz rated above Ray Lewis, Patrick Willis and many others...please.

Although he had a few picks he is constantly taken to school in the middle on pass coverage.

He is the least talented MLB or ILB that we have had since the superbowl teams.

I hope he becomes the player that some of the fans want him to be. That would be great but I don't see it now.

I would have no problem putting Poz out there as trade bait before Lynch or Whitner..I think he is more over rated.

I honestly don't think we could get any thing for him.

 

Totally agree with your post.....great points!...anyone who thinks Poz is 2nd best MLB is either crazy or hasn't been watching Bills games....# tackles 5-8 yards downfield is not the dominating force a winning NFL team needs to anchor its defense....put Poz on the outside and get a beast in the middle!

[OCinBuffalo]

Totally agree with your post.....great points!...anyone who thinks Poz is 2nd best MLB is either crazy or hasn't been watching Bills games....# tackles 5-8 yards downfield is not the dominating force a winning NFL team needs to anchor its defense....put Poz on the outside and get a beast in the middle!

What I said above notwithstanding, I couldn't agree less with this thinking.

 

I think Poz has been a victim of a bad scheme and bad/rookie players around him at LB(after Mitchell got hurt). I think he will thrive in the 3-4 because it essentially splits all the stuff he had to be worried about before in half. And, he doesn't have to try and read 30 different things before he can go make a play.

 

IMO, that is the great weakness of the Tampa 2. IF your DL isn't all out awesome, your MLB get hung out to dry. Look at the Bears recently. When they had elite lineman, they had an elite, go to the SB even though the offense sucks defense. Brian Urlacher is supposedly the same guy, right? Take away those two D tackles and now he is just a guy.

 

I honestly feel that this defense will benefit Poz. Perhaps not as much as a zone/blitz scheme, but still. In fact, I am going out on a limb and saying: you will see Poz owning RBs at the LOS this year consistently....provided he is the same player, and the DL is at least adequate.

[Sisyphean Bills]

IMO, that is the great weakness of the Tampa 2. IF your DL isn't all out awesome, your MLB get hung out to dry. Look at the Bears recently. When they had elite lineman, they had an elite, go to the SB even though the offense sucks defense. Brian Urlacher is supposedly the same guy, right? Take away those two D tackles and now he is just a guy.

Urlacher of recent seasons is not a great example. He's missed tons of playing time due to injury, and when he has got back on the field, the injuries have sapped his game.

 

If you want to rail against the Tampa-2, the fact that Tampa, Detroit, and Indianapolis all abandoned it last year and the Bills are abandoning it this year is proof enough. Lovie Smith is the only one still using it (I believe) and he's on the verge of being fired.

[Thoner7]

The weakness of our LB core has always been at OLB. Poz looks exposed because he cannot play all 3 LB position. Im not certain he will improve in the 3-4 however, as I never thought taking on OLman was one of his strong suits.

[Cynical]

Urlacher of recent seasons is not a great example. He's missed tons of playing time due to injury, and when he has got back on the field, the injuries have sapped his game.

 

If you want to rail against the Tampa-2, the fact that Tampa, Detroit, and Indianapolis all abandoned it last year and the Bills are abandoning it this year is proof enough. Lovie Smith is the only one still using it (I believe) and he's on the verge of being fired.

 

Just wait.

 

When Jauron gets another DC gig, the Tampa 2 will rear it's ugly head once again.

[BillsVet]

Just wait.

 

When Jauron gets another DC gig, the Tampa 2 will rear it's ugly head once again.

 

Over his first 5 seasons, DJ and Belichick were very similar record-wise. And, it wasn't until Belichick got Brady that he won the SB's. Someone will hire DJ real soon, and he'll win.

 

Yeah freaking right. Hopefully we don't hear that line of bull anymore.

[Thoner7]

I notice poz supporters spend most of their time making excuses rather than citing examples of him being good.

 

How about how well we were defending the Pats in game one, then Poz gets injured, Ellison replaces him, and allows about 15 catches, 2 TDs, and we lose the game.

 

We win that game if Poz is playing.

[Kelly the Dog]

Have you ever made an argument in your life where you didn't include your ridiculous condescending tone?

Of course. All the time in fact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bloody git.

[Kelly the Dog]

I still don't see how most all the best linebackers in the game also come out high on this list if it's so flawed. Granted, DeMarcus Ware is not on it at the top, and he was first team all pro. But each of the top eight or so guys are exceptional linebackers any team would love to have, I guess except Poz. It doesn't make much sense.

[murra]

How about how well we were defending the Pats in game one, then Poz gets injured, Ellison replaces him, and allows about 15 catches, 2 TDs, and we lose the game.

 

We win that game if Poz is playing.

 

You made an excuse instead of telling me where he was good. "Poz gets injured"...how is that a good story? Sounds like an excuse. If anything its more of an example of why Ellison sucks, than it is how good Poz is. Again, cite examples of his "excellence," please.