Lions Defensive Highlights

[K-9]

20th in the league per carry last year at 4.2

23rd at 4.5 the year before

29th at 5.0 in 2011

 

His rush D might be overstated around here.

 

I agree. Hardly the stuff of legend here. And looking at their yards per play against, they gave up 5.9 yards per play while we gave up a very respectable 4.9 (anything under 5 is good). As the very erudite gugny pointed out above, if we can keep our D off the field and just reduce the sheer number of plays against, I think we can do some damage. I like Schwartz's chances with us because of our talent, not because of any dominance Detroit had with their defense.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Gugny]

I agree. Hardly the stuff of legend here. And looking at their yards per play against, they gave up 5.9 yards per play while we gave up a very respectable 4.9 (anything under 5 is good). As the very erudite gugny pointed out above, if we can keep our D off the field and just reduce the sheer number of plays against, I think we can do some damage. I like Schwartz's chances with us because of our talent, not because of any dominance Detroit had with their defense.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Does erudite rhyme with crudite?

 

I, too, think Schwartz will be the the best DC this team has seen in a while. I sure as hell hope so.

[NoSaint]

 

 

I agree. Hardly the stuff of legend here. And looking at their yards per play against, they gave up 5.9 yards per play while we gave up a very respectable 4.9 (anything under 5 is good). As the very erudite gugny pointed out above, if we can keep our D off the field and just reduce the sheer number of plays against, I think we can do some damage. I like Schwartz's chances with us because of our talent, not because of any dominance Detroit had with their defense.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

And our talent appears to be pretty well fit to his philosophy. Which is nice for a new hire coming in. I think we will field a good unit, and all - just not sure expectation/reputation are in line with résumé around here.

Edited July 12, 2014 by NoSaint

[K-9]

Does erudite rhyme with crudite?

 

I, too, think Schwartz will be the the best DC this team has seen in a while. I sure as hell hope so.

 

air-ooh-di-tay

 

I think it's safe to say Schwartz hasn't had horses across the board like he has with us. Even going back to his Titans days.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Gugny]

air-ooh-di-tay

 

I think it's safe to say Schwartz hasn't had horses across the board like he has with us. Even going back to his Titans days.

 

GO BILLS!!!

I think Dareus has a career year and Mario has his best year in Buffalo. Just a hunch. Likely just wishful thinking, but I'm going to go with it. I think our secondary has been fine and will continue to be fine/get better. It's all about stopping the run. It's even more important than pressuring the QB, IMO.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Big thing that bothered me this offseason is how little many fans know about the game. The whole Wanny vs Schwartz stuff, i couldnt even believe it. There are so many things that go into calling a game besides what the base scheme is.

 

As for blitzing, there is no right or wrong way, some good defenses blitz a lot some good defenses dont. Some that blitz are bad, some that dont are bad.

Edited July 12, 2014 by TheTruthHurts

[K-9]

I think Dareus has a career year and Mario has his best year in Buffalo. Just a hunch. Likely just wishful thinking, but I'm going to go with it. I think our secondary has been fine and will continue to be fine/get better. It's all about stopping the run. It's even more important than pressuring the QB, IMO.

 

I'll qualify that further: stopping the BIG running play. That killed us last year. Take those away, and we were very good against the run most of the time. Contrast that with 2012 when we were just GOUGED with the running game, period. Last year it was more stop, stop, stop, BOOM!

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Gugny]

I'll qualify that further: stopping the BIG running play. That killed us last year. Take those away, and we were very good against the run most of the time. Contrast that with 2012 when we were just GOUGED with the running game, period. Last year it was more stop, stop, stop, BOOM!

 

GO BILLS!!!

What was most troublesome to me was when they let up big runs on obvious running downs. Killed me.

[machine gun kelly]

There's definitely more defensive talent here than in Detroit.

 

I also think we won't see nearly as many differences in pass defense, scheme-wise, as we may have been lead to believe.

 

Schwartz is a very smart coach, and he's going to use guys in ways that can make them most successful. I'm jut guessing, but I anticipate seeing things like Lawson splitting time between DE and LB, Stefan Charles playing on the boundary on run defense, Searcy seeing time in special blitz packages, etc. just as Pettine did.

 

I agree. I see the back talent for us being much better. What a genius Pettine looks by the play he had out of McKelvin and A. Williams.

 

The pundits who don't really spend time researching the Bills continue to report on the loss of Byrd, but they don't mention he wasn't on the field for the first I think 6 games due to his foot, playing well against the Ravens, Panthers, the Patriots ( I know they won), and so on.

 

 

I think Dareus has a career year and Mario has his best year in Buffalo. Just a hunch. Likely just wishful thinking, but I'm going to go with it. I think our secondary has been fine and will continue to be fine/get better. It's all about stopping the run. It's even more important than pressuring the QB, IMO.

 

Agreed Gugny. With Spikes backing up behind KW, he'll bang up a ton of guys. What will be interesting is Eddy Lacey vs. Spikes. That reminds me of the Nigerian Nightmare vs. Conlan. That was one hell of a battle on MNF 20+ years ago. The older guys on the thread probably remember that night. They won, but man it was a battle all night.

[#34fan]

Nice reel.

 

Brings into sharp focus how great it would have been to have Kiko this season.

[eball]

I think Schwartz is foaming at the mouth about the secondary talent he has to work with, considering what he had in Detroit. The front seven will be fine. This D will be nasty.

[Green Lightning]

I like how the front 7 really bang on the QBs and RBs. They really hammer when they tackle. I'm getting amped up now.

[Gugny]

It comes down to the linebackers, IMO. And I know everyone is downtrodden over Kiko Alonso getting injured ... but don't forget; he was part of the problem last year. The linebackers' poor performance as a whole was abysmal. Not saying he couldn't have improved this year; he very well may have. But he was no sure thing and his injury could not have made the LB corps any worse than it was last year.

[YoloinOhio]

It comes down to the linebackers, IMO. And I know everyone is downtrodden over Kiko Alonso getting injured ... but don't forget; he was part of the problem last year. The linebackers' poor performance as a whole was abysmal. Not saying he couldn't have improved this year; he very well may have. But he was no sure thing and his injury could not have made the LB corps any worse than it was last year.

this is true. He played every single defensive down last year. But not sure he should have. What bums me out the most is how much more effective he would have been with spikes in the middle.

[Gugny]

this is true. He played every single defensive down last year. But not sure he should have. What bums me out the most is how much more effective he would have been with spikes in the middle.

Indeed. The kid has serious upside. But his absence isn't the end of the season (or, world, for some). He's but one small piece of a very big puzzle.

[Nanker]

That's one small piece for a fan, one giant performer for a team.

[Just in Atlanta]

Some semi low lights, 2012.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d81c686a5/Patriots-vs-Lions-highlights

[YoloinOhio]

Both highlight and lowlights, as well as "stats" can be misleading on their own as there are so many variables in game planning, personnel and assistant coaches. Not sure if anyone else follows Jim Light om Twitter but he puts out a lot of all-22 for college and pro. This is a good one for Lions vs. Vikings from last year, especially since we play them this season. It shows the 2 deep version of the fire zone (5 man pressure, with a Cover 2 concept behind it).

 

He shows some Bama stuff after it, they used some of the same thing against Auburn.

 

James Light @JamesALight · 13m

#

Alabama

#

DetroitLions

Cover 2 Fire Zones:

http://

wp.me/p2V0ns-1Lq

...

Edited July 13, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[Kellyto83TD]

While their front 7 wasn't bad, their secondary was horrible. Buffalo defensive talent> Lions defensive talent.

 

Which makes me all tingly when thinking about what JS can do with this Defense

[billybrew1]

Excited about our secondary. No byrd but having solid corners will help the safeties

 

@TCBILLS_Astro: According to #PFF Premium Stats (subscription req'd), McKelvin is 13th-ranked overall among CBs playing >900 snaps. #BillsMafia

 

i didn't watch much lions football because they were never in tv here except for thanksgiving. But I heard on WGR this week that lions had 6th best run D and were #1 in league on 3rd down.

 

Yes, I have heard that too and that is encouraging.

But I've read about Schwartz's wide-nine a bit and he essentially sends his front four up field to the ball just about every play. This is how he likes to get pressure more than blitzing. Last season, Super Marion stood up and played patty-cakes with the right

OT a ridiculous amount of time. He was reading the offense, looking for screens, delays and draws. He really should make more impact plays in this D. He should play much faster. Dareus would too, only he is often doubled and often can't beat it.

From what I've read, it is the LBs that have major run responsibilities. Particularly the MLB who has both A gaps. You need a very strong and stout player in at MLB to play this D, hence drafting Brown as not only competition but insurance. Interestingly enough the MLB has tons of run responsibilities in the 4-3 under. This is pettine's defense. Kiko, while doing an excellent job, should not not have played MLB in Pettine's D either and we probably would have signed Spikes had Pettine stayed.

I think Schwartz's defense is going to be good because it fits us. Because We have four linemen that excel at pass rushing.

He have some depth at DT.

We have Manny helping at end (and perhaps more, we'll see).

We have Spikes, Brown and Rivers, all good fits and hole fillers.

We are still good at S. A. Williams is a stud. He'll be great playing. The concern with Aaron is he has to shake the injury bug. I think he will. Denorris is big, mean and ready. Duke, Jonathan and Kenny Ladler provide good depth and competition.

And lastly, our cornerbacks may rival our defensive line in overall talent this year. Graham was an awesome signing.

Cockrell looks like he'll be able to help.

Schwartz is talking up uber talented Ron Brooks.

Robey is dynamic weapon at nickle.

Leodis is back to normal now. (The injury, the play, the losing, with hard work, he has been able to rise above that and is playing closer to his potential now. He's a good and solid inside-outside CB and a hell of returner too.)

Stephon Gilmore is definitely a key Bill once again, even with all the depth imho. With Kiko gone now, somebody has to lay the wood on some plays. Somebody has to create big plays. Make stops. Defend passes. Get tackles for losses on the right side of the defense. Nobody fits that description as well as Gilmore. Film junkie, gym rat, unusually big and strong for a CB, ultra fast and ultra quick. We need to make-up that probowl player that we lost in Kiko. Gilmore, now entering his third season, just might be able do that.

The point is, corner hurt us tons last year. With Gilmore's stunting broken wrist (what a chushing injury that was, almost as bad as this year's Kiko injury). Justin Rogers complete collapse, Ron Brooks injuries, (did even McKelvin miss a game or two?)

The point is, we might be like a machine at corner this fall, possibly going six deep and all being valuable. (No scrubs!)

This difference is huge!

So, attacking front four.

Fixed MLB position and that is huge also. (I would have said LB fixed entirely until....) but at least we have a few options there now..if Kiko got hurt last year it would have been even more disasterous.

Fixed cornerback depth. The biggest change. We could go from it being a huge weakness last season to a huge strength this season. And that could make up for Kiko. (Although I wanted to see this D gel into an ultra top unit....oh well, maybe all the LBs will surprise and be a solid unit.)

No injuries!

Go Bills!