2010 Bills: Better out of the box?

[Jerry Jabber]

http://www.realfootball365.com/comments/bills/14887/

 

This article takes a good look at teams that successfully transitioned in one year from the 4-3 to 3-4 defense.

[nick in* england]

Nice article - but too much Kool Aid.

 

Offense might be better but not markedly - we have made no appreciable improvements to the OL which means more waiting for development.

 

Coach changes are good - but they need players and there are too many open positions to expect delivery right off the bat.

 

I love they way we are going - but we need more years to make it count. Nix and Gailey say 3 years - I expect them to deliver.

[Kelly the Dog]

Hate to say it but the key to this defense is Terrel Troup. If he can successfully tie up blockers on first and second run downs as a rookie NT, allowing Poz and Davis and the LBs to make tackles that aren't 5-7 yards downfield, we have a chance to make a very quick transition. If he can't, it's likely going to be a struggle. Troup doesn't even have to make many tackles or get much penetration, he just has to hold his ground.

 

The other keys are more obvious, how Maybin and Stroud adapt. I wouldn't doubt we start Mitchell or Torbor at the other OLB, early in the season at least.

[DrFishfinder]

Different out of the box? Yep.

 

Better out of the box? Cautiously optimistic. Hard to imagine a more bewildered team than last year.

[cjatcreek07]

As bad as things were last year, and despite all the coaching changes and injuries we still managed to get 6 wins. We should of had 7 because we played as good if not better than the patriots all game until leodis had a brain fart and cost us the win. I think we can scrape out 1 or 2 more this year and go 8-8. But if it does turn out to be a transition year like every one is saying then I am fine with that, knowing we are taking good long strides in the right direction.

[jethro_tull]

The article refutes the idea of a transition year based on recent history of Bills coaching changes, the horrible offensive fiasco with Van Pelt at the beginning of last year and that teams do well if not really well in their first year of the 3-4. Add in the idea of less injuries and this really could be the surprise year.

 

there is a little kool aid here but I gotta hand it to the RF365 trolls on this one.

[DDD]

Hate to say it but the key to this defense is Terrel Troup. If he can successfully tie up blockers on first and second run downs as a rookie NT, allowing Poz and Davis and the LBs to make tackles that aren't 5-7 yards downfield, we have a chance to make a very quick transition. If he can't, it's likely going to be a struggle. Troup doesn't even have to make many tackles or get much penetration, he just has to hold his ground.

 

The other keys are more obvious, how Maybin and Stroud adapt. I wouldn't doubt we start Mitchell or Torbor at the other OLB, early in the season at least.

 

Agree entirely on Troup. He is the key to the defense as an anchor in the middle. And that's alot to ask out of a rookie coming from UCF.

[Conch]

Holes in 2010

 

Offense

LT

RT (Green is a career journeyman)

C (Hang is almost average)

WR #2

Slot receiver

TE's (young or unproven)

QB

RG (if Wood doesn't come back 100%)

Installation of a brand new offense and new terminology.

 

Defense

Depth at DE

Depth at NT (Troup is a rookie)

ROLB (Maybin is a ?)

LOLB (Kelsay)

Installing a brand new defense, new terminology and about half the players are playing a brand new position for them.

 

Other than those few holes this team is ready for a SuperBowl run.

[nick in* england]

Agree entirely on Troup. He is the key to the defense as an anchor in the middle. And that's alot to ask out of a rookie coming from UCF.

He only has to do it spelling with Kyle Williams. It's manageable. Kyle can do a job too.

[nick in* england]

Holes in 2010

 

Offense

LT

RT (Green is a career journeyman)

C (Hang is almost average)

WR #2

Slot receiver

TE's (young or unproven)

QB

RG (if Wood doesn't come back 100%)

Installation of a brand new offense and new terminology.

 

Defense

Depth at DE

Depth at NT (Troup is a rookie)

ROLB (Maybin is a ?)

LOLB (Kelsay)

Installing a brand new defense, new terminology and about half the players are playing a brand new position for them.

 

Other than those few holes this team is ready for a SuperBowl run.

 

You are missing MLB. Andra Davis also a bit of a journeyman.

 

And the jury is kind out on Poz isn't it?

[billsfan89]

I honestly think that the D going into the season is better then last and the offense is just as bad.

[Bflojohn]

Defense is akin to real estate in the 3 aspects both need. In land aquisition it's location, location, location and in the NFL it is pass rush, pass rush, and more pass rush!! The improvement will be tied to this statistic largely, and George Edwards (Bills defensive coordinator) needs to find ways to generate pressure and generate sacks this year. Of course, the run defense needs a total overhaul, but bigger stronger players can turn this stat around in a hurry! One example is Aaron Maybin, whereby he needs favorable match-ups coming off the edge and this can be done by moving around said player prior to the snap. Parcells and Billichick did this with Lawrence Taylor all the time, and guess what? IT works!! Just a thought....

[mpl6876]

Nice article - but too much Kool Aid.

 

Offense might be better but not markedly - we have made no appreciable improvements to the OL which means more waiting for development.

 

Coach changes are good - but they need players and there are too many open positions to expect delivery right off the bat.

 

I love they way we are going - but we need more years to make it count. Nix and Gailey say 3 years - I expect them to deliver.

 

Nix and Gailey say 3 years? Really where did you get that from? I think many of us believe we can win now and maybe even make the playoffs.

[Gabe Northern]

Hate to say it but the key to this defense is Terrel Troup. If he can successfully tie up blockers on first and second run downs as a rookie NT, allowing Poz and Davis and the LBs to make tackles that aren't 5-7 yards downfield, we have a chance to make a very quick transition. If he can't, it's likely going to be a struggle. Troup doesn't even have to make many tackles or get much penetration, he just has to hold his ground.

 

The other keys are more obvious, how Maybin and Stroud adapt. I wouldn't doubt we start Mitchell or Torbor at the other OLB, early in the season at least.

 

I continue to believe Mitchell will get cut in a salary dump.

 

Who is starting opposite Maybin? You see Kelsay performing well in space? Who is backing him up? What about Maybin's back-up? How much do you like Danny Batten and Antonio Coleman?

 

Agree that NT is the biggest question mark, but you seem to disregard some other pressing areas of concern.

[Hossage]

The ability of the defense to play withing the new scheme will be the deciding factor, that much seems clear to me. I think we are a more talented team than last year. it is a cliche at this point so say that we couldnt be worse coached, but we were a disciplined team under Jauron, and he did a good job with the defensive backfield.

 

Attitude is a major factor that is difficult to speculate upon, but we can agree the team was lacking in that dept under Jauron.

[jethro_tull]

The front seven appears to be in good hands with George Edwards, Schobel's departure will be absorbed. The secondary will be fine. The OL will be mended and less injury prone. The running game will be upgraded. That leaves QB-

 

Option 1) Trent. We know him. We don't love him.

Option 2) An unproven. More growing pains.

 

Although the QB options can be managed via a great game plan / offense, when it comes to moving the chains the QB needs to get it done.

 

The Bills will be MUCH better out of the box if Brohm can step up as a legit NFL starter.

[Sisyphean Bills]

On the defense point, the Broncos replaced most of the starters on their defense last year, IIRC. The Bills still might do so as well, but there is also talk about deck chairs being rearranged. Green Bay hired one of the best 3-4 defensive coaches around. Sorry, but Edwards isn't that. Hopefully, he is competent and blossoms quickly, but he isn't a veteran NFL DC. And the Chiefs ... yawn.

 

To throw in some other data. The Bucs dumped their Tampa-2 system last year after years of drafting players specifically for it. For the Bucs, it was a disaster. Jim Bates installed his own system and got demoted only a few months into the gig.

[Alaska Darin]

Completely agree. Troupe must be a force AND stay healthy for the duration.

 

Offensively, we WILL be better because we'll have competent coaching for the first time in a decade. We'll be far more unpredictable and that will go a long way toward hiding the holes at Lt , C, Rt, and Et. We're actually going to dictate for a change.

 

Hate to say it but the key to this defense is Terrel Troup. If he can successfully tie up blockers on first and second run downs as a rookie NT, allowing Poz and Davis and the LBs to make tackles that aren't 5-7 yards downfield, we have a chance to make a very quick transition. If he can't, it's likely going to be a struggle. Troup doesn't even have to make many tackles or get much penetration, he just has to hold his ground.

 

The other keys are more obvious, how Maybin and Stroud adapt. I wouldn't doubt we start Mitchell or Torbor at the other OLB, early in the season at least.

[Ronin]

http://www.realfootball365.com/comments/bills/14887/

 

This article takes a good look at teams that successfully transitioned in one year from the 4-3 to 3-4 defense.

Let's reason through this together.

 

First off, answer your own question.

 

It all comes down to talent, right?

 

How are the Bills talent wise?

 

Their special teams really doesn't need any justification and Spiller will merely add to that.

 

Defensively however they made the switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Running a 3-4, for obvious reasons, puts the strength of your D in the hands of the LBs. Does the team have the LBs and the depth at LB to have that be the strength of their D?

 

How about on the line? Do they have the types of DEs and NT that are required to run a 3-4 effectively?

 

IOW, is Stroud your typical NT in a 3-4? Schobel won't be here and he wasn't a good fit at 3-4 DE anyway, but likewise, is Kelsay?

 

If not, who on the team will play those positions and do it such that it clears the way for the LBs?

 

OLBs are key in the 3-4. Who will be our OLBs and do you have faith that they will excel in that role in the 3-4?

 

Secondary is secondary either way.

 

On offense, why will we be better? Just because Spiller's around? While good, is he personally really going to make all that difference?

 

What about the WRs? Who starts besides Evans?

 

How about TE?

 

Line, meh, we've made some acquisitions, but just as in past years, the names aren't as big, so why should we hope for instant improvement immediately, or "out of the box?"

 

And say what you want about coaching, but both coordinators have never been coordinators before. That's not good no matter what systems you are running.

[BillsVet]

Let's reason through this together.

 

Reason has never been a strong suit around these parts, although it is frequently confused with negativity. Those questions/points are valid concerns entering a season. Let's face it, 32 teams have a question mark at a position and/or coach. The teams with more of them generally sink to the bottom of the standings and Buffalo remains one of those franchises, even if some don't like hearing it.