Possible, partial explanation for why D was bad

[Kelly the Dog]

Sacks matter because it equates to getting pressure on the QB and disrupting the opponents passing game and frustrating the QB with hits, hurries, pressures. It's why the Buffalo Bills paid their front four 1/4 billion dollars to get sacks!

My bad. I thought it was to stop the other team from scoring. Carry on.

[hondo in seattle]

If true, the lack of leadership, by both the coaches and the players was in full effect here. Nobody held the players accountable it seems. If only there were a few guys on D who held their teammates accountable for not knowing the D as well as they should.

 

Yeah, this is very discouraging.

[Manther]

As a coach, if his tactics weren't getting through, you'd think he would do something about it. This just sounds like an excuse to me. Every single player (except maybe gilmore) regressed on the defense. I don't think that's a coincidence and/or that each one of them didn't learn the playbook. Rex lost his balls around the same time he stopped being fat. Not that one has to do with the other. Just an observation. He only seemed to game plan for division games this year.

I agree division game planning was better than other games. Rex kows our division well. Which leads me to think he didn't put in enough time to game plan on a weekly basis

[Kelly the Dog]

Yeah, this is very discouraging.

Kyle said he wasn't able to do more of that when he was hurt and unable to be there. AW was a leader also that wasn't there. Gilmore is an elite player but he is not a vocal guy. Spikes was a good leader last year. Losing those three guys definitely created a void in leadership on the player front.

[MyDogLuvsPB]

Issue was partly due to offense in training camp. The Bills defense was penetrating the offense line so fast they were instructed to take plays off so offense could get up to speed BUT the defense at that time were trying to adapt to a new defense scheme which resulted in stunting their growth. The injuries to primary backup defense lineman, Kyle Williams and Aaron Williams contributed.

I don't buy the injury thing at all. I formed a premature opinion after week 2 and by the middle of the season I knew without a doubt what the real problem was. Mario only confirmed it later. I didn't think we would get 50 sacks again this year and set a club record. No, I was totally perplexed by the absolute lack of pressure on opposing QB's. Sacks are overrated IMO but constant pressure to force incompletions and/or turnovers is not. Watching replays of games via Rewind only reinforced my opinions. We had safeties and corners trying to rush the passer and beat OG and OT but his very rarely worked. Our four best pass rushers were not allowed to rush at the same time on passing downs. One of them dropped into coverage every time and the D gave up huge chunks of yardage nearly every game. If Darby hasn't exceeded expectations, we would've finished with a losing record easily.

 

I don't put this on the players it was the scheme plain and simple.

 

People forget we used to have an All-Pro LB in Bryce Paup once. When he signed as a free agent with the Jags, he was relegated to covering TE's where he struggled mightily. It's no coincidence he didn't make the Pro Bowl there and was cut 3 years later I believe.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I don't put this on the players it was the scheme plain and simple.

 

People forget we used to have an All-Pro LB in Bryce Paup once. When he signed as a free agent with the Jags, he was relegated to covering TE's where he struggled mightily. It's no coincidence he didn't make the Pro Bowl there and was cut 3 years later I believe.

 

I'd forgotten Bryce. Yeah, it was sad - switched teams and was never heard from.

 

Scheme does matter.

[Nihilarian]

My bad. I thought it was to stop the other team from scoring. Carry on.

If your defense sits back in coverage a lot and doesn't blitz what happens? It gives the opposing QB time to throw and make those deep passes. It's why suddenly Alex Smith had a deep ball against Buffalo. It's why Blake Bortles was able to drive 80 yards to score the winning TD. So many games in which the Bills had the edge only to see the opposing QB sit in the pocket and make plays to win the game.

 

There is a real reason why this fan base went so crazy to sign DE Mario Williams and Buddy Nix wouldn't let him leave Buffalo until he signed for 100 million dollars!! Oh, and any other players making nearly that much on the team like perhaps another DE and a DT? It's why the team wasted a first round pick on Aaron Maybin in the outside chance that the one year wonder at Penn St could actually rush the passer!

 

I dunno about the rest of you Bills fans but my favorite game this year was against the Patriots in the second game when Ryan brought so much pressure he had Tom Brady screaming at his offensive line. That's right in 20 of 40 drop backs was more pressure then Brady had seen in the last 7 1/2 years. Then suddenly, and abruptly as it started, it stopped because Ryan really only brought the heat for that one game. Up until that point, no other team had held the unbeaten Patriots to 20 points.

 

How good was that Buffalo Bills defensive scheme against the Patriots in week 11? It was so good it showed the rest of the NFL on how to get to Brady and after that, the Patriots lose their next game. Then go on to lose the next four out of six. That one sole game proves that he could switch things up when he wanted and get successfully get pressure on the QB 50% of the defensive drop backs just like he did in his first two years with the NY Jets when they went to the AFC Championship game.

 

 

I'd forgotten Bryce. Yeah, it was sad - switched teams and was never heard from.

 

Scheme does matter.

This is exactly right! What does it say about a head coach who refuses to put his players in the best position for them to succeed and make plays?

 

Go ahead Buffalo and cut the best pass rusher since Bruce Smith since you want him to play gap contain anyway. Then keep the scrub head coach who ruined the defense this year and then allow him retool the defense for his lame 3-4 scheme that doesn't win games! Get used to 8-8, 6-10, 8-8, 4-12 because those are the records of his NY Jets teams his last four years with the Jets.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Nihilarian

[Pirate Angel]

I wonder how much studying the playbook its going to take for Jerry to quit jumping offsides

[Uffalo Ills]

Issue was partly due to offense in training camp. The Bills defense was penetrating the offense line so fast they were instructed to take plays off so offense could get up to speed BUT the defense at that time were trying to adapt to a new defense scheme which resulted in stunting their growth. The injuries to primary backup defense lineman, Kyle Williams and Aaron Williams contributed.

Oh yeah! I completely forgot about the defense taking plays off in camp. In hindsight that seems like a poor decision, but at the time, I was excited about how well our defense would be. I think next year might be better. It's gonna be a one horse race for the QB spot and the defense will have more time to adapt to Rex's scheme. They seemed to improve towards the end of the season. I say something like that every year, but who knows?

[Mister Defense]

But again, why did his Jets defense break the NFL record for fewest turnovers caused in a two year period his last two years in New York?

 

Was it the players' fault there too, that one of the most important objectives of the pressuring, disruptive defense failed miserably? The players' fault that the so called loaded Jets defense was not even middle of the pack in points allowed?

 

Almost shocking to see those three big turnovers on Sunday, the game changing nature of them (go Fitz!) as we have come to simply not expect big plays from this extremely underachieving, poorly coached defense. If Thurman is back next year, or Rex has another yes man leading the defense, it will likely be the same thing again next year. Another waste of big time talent, like the Bills the past year and the Jets for years under Ryan.

 

I hope I am wrong, as I think this offense will become better and better, and the defensive talent is there, but the objective evidence, including what we have seen with our eyes, tells me otherwise.

[YoloinOhio]

I wonder how much studying the playbook its going to take for Jerry to quit jumping offsides

small issue in the grand scheme of things IMO. good pass rushers jump offsides sometimes. Happens every time I watch any football game, it seems. Hughes makes plays. Edited January 7, 2016 by YoloinOhio

[Mr. WEO]

So you can't learn the playbook the for the rest of the 17 weeks of the season?

[dave mcbride]

I don't buy the injury thing at all. I formed a premature opinion after week 2 and by the middle of the season I knew without a doubt what the real problem was. Mario only confirmed it later. I didn't think we would get 50 sacks again this year and set a club record. No, I was totally perplexed by the absolute lack of pressure on opposing QB's. Sacks are overrated IMO but constant pressure to force incompletions and/or turnovers is not. Watching replays of games via Rewind only reinforced my opinions. We had safeties and corners trying to rush the passer and beat OG and OT but his very rarely worked. Our four best pass rushers were not allowed to rush at the same time on passing downs. One of them dropped into coverage every time and the D gave up huge chunks of yardage nearly every game. If Darby hasn't exceeded expectations, we would've finished with a losing record easily.

 

I don't put this on the players it was the scheme plain and simple.

 

People forget we used to have an All-Pro LB in Bryce Paup once. When he signed as a free agent with the Jags, he was relegated to covering TE's where he struggled mightily. It's no coincidence he didn't make the Pro Bowl there and was cut 3 years later I believe.

 

Paup never recovered from his groin tear. He lost his explosiveness and declined swiftly as a result. Scheme was in my opinion only a small part of the reason for his decline.

[eball]

If there is a silver lining here, it's that there will be no false assumptions of predestined greatness on D going into 2016 training camp. Which is very important.

[Chandler#81]

 

Come on, man-- buck up!! If you have at least 10 good years left, I am confident that we will sneak in the playoffs at some point in the next decade.

well, they are contemplating additional playoff teams, so 6-10 records may finally be 'sneakable'.

But again, why did his Jets defense break the NFL record for fewest turnovers caused in a two year period his last two years in New York?

 

Was it the players' fault there too, that one of the most important objectives of the pressuring, disruptive defense failed miserably? The players' fault that the so called loaded Jets defense was not even middle of the pack in points allowed?

 

Almost shocking to see those three big turnovers on Sunday, the game changing nature of them (go Fitz!) as we have come to simply not expect big plays from this extremely underachieving, poorly coached defense. If Thurman is back next year, or Rex has another yes man leading the defense, it will likely be the same thing again next year. Another waste of big time talent, like the Bills the past year and the Jets for years under Ryan.

 

I hope I am wrong, as I think this offense will become better and better, and the defensive talent is there, but the objective evidence, including what we have seen with our eyes, tells me otherwise.

This, more than anything, is truly alarming. Imagine our record if Tyrod wasn't soo good with the football..

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Sacks matter because it equates to getting pressure on the QB and disrupting the opponents passing game and frustrating the QB with hits, hurries, pressures. It's why the Buffalo Bills paid their front four 1/4 billion dollars to get sacks!

 

Interestingly, when we got a bazillion sacks under Pettine in 2013, we were 28th in the league in rushing D and 20th in the league in points allowed.

 

Sacks matter, pressure matters, but they aren't the only thing that matters. You got to stop the other team from scoring points, and if you can't stop their rush...well then.

The problem as I saw it was the play came in from the sidelines, the players communicated with each other and just weren't sure of what they were doing or didn't have the microsecond to get ready to go and confident in their assignment when the ball was snapped. You could see this over and over and over. So if they did put the study time and playbook time in, they could have been more prepared and been ready when the ball was snapped, as well as confident in their assignment. The defense is super complex, which is a big part of the problem.

 

People also worried Rex would suffer from nepotism and bring too many Jets in but he didn't and it probably hurt us that he didn't because no one knew the defense. I don't think IK counts.

 

Rex brought in a record number of his Jets coaching assistants wholesale, especially on D. One would think, with all those coaches familiar with the system, it should have been a cinch to teach the players.

 

IK should have at least known the system and been able to teach it.

 

This is categorically false.

 

Not only did the defense stabilize AND improved, it did so in spite of devastating personnel losses.

 

Cat (and KtD), by what metric do you think the D improved and stabilized during the season?

 

This is a very open question because as you may recall, I'm a bit of a stats geek and I pulled up the Bills game stats from this season.

 

The last 2 games - against Dallas and the Jets - were better. No question. More pressure, guys playing with higher motors, fewer yards and points given up.

 

But right up until that point - through the Phi and Was games - I can see no pattern of improvement. And I sliced and diced and looked and hooked and tried to see one.

 

If it's true that Ownership got a bit heated after the horrible, horrible Wash game and called Rex in for a chat where the word "Unacceptable" was used, the pattern would fit the notion that the HC got the message that he'd better turn it around and at least bring a sound game plan and a prepared team that goes hard to every game - and possibly also, the backups having put in more effort to master the playbook and going harder because they're playing for their jobs -- but it would not fit the pattern of the defense gradually improving and stabilizing due to learning the playbook through the season.

 

IMO, the D players were not the only ones who were complacent and lackadaisical (if they were) about preparation during the season. I think we smacked Mia and the Jets around because they're division rivals from Rex's division and he knows them and can plan effectively, but he didn't put in the time to gain an equivalent level of knowledge about the other teams we played.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Hopeful

[Max997]

I listened to Kyle Williams interview from Monday night and got same impression. There was also an article from Dareus a few weeks ago with same sentiments.

 

Dareus mentioned in training camp that he had issues with what Thurman and the defense were asking him to do and how different it was than what he was used to

 

my assumption was that he was being asked ty up blockers and to react to what the offense was doing instead of penetrating and to be as disruptive as he was last year under Schwartz whose defense is all about the dline penetrating especially the DT's

 

the concern i have is Preston Brown comes off as a guy who studies a lot and the fact that he still struggled is a big concern....i still think he was better on the outside

[BmarvB]

I think both Rex and the players came into this season with their noses in the air. The NFL and all of us thought they would be great, and they probably got complacent. Here's to hopin this season was a big wake up and the kick in the ass they need. I do expect a big turn around next year.

 

I thought the same thing. Those guys were living off last years press clippings, and Rex was just too full of himself. Now that both have been humbled, look for a much better defense in 2016.

[GG]

 

The last 2 games - against Dallas and the Jets - were better. No question. More pressure, guys playing with higher motors, fewer yards and points given up.

 

But right up until that point - through the Phi and Was games - I can see no pattern of improvement. And I sliced and diced and looked and hooked and tried to see one.

 

 

I think they turned the corner vs Texans, and played well in the first quarter of the Eagles game. I think that the long pass they gave up to Bradford was the proverbial straw. Don't know if it was a bad play design or bad play execution, but there's no way you give up a long TD on a 2nd and forever from the 50. It was also after that game that players accused Mario of faking his illness. In retrospect, you can see how the Eagles game led to the Washington collapse, followed by Pegula son's tweet and the apparent meeting with the top brass.

 

Everyone got religion after that, and hopefully will carry over to next year.

[Direhard Fan]

Boy I can't believe we are in the "Wait Till Next Year" mode already.