In defense of defense (and running, too)

[Billsfan1972]

11 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Just curious how many years it took for you to go from loving a season of football to realizing how bored you actually were that year. 1973, right? Over 45 years go? When did you have your epiphany?

 

And how can I be sure that at some point in the future your narrative won't flip and the 2019 that you find so offensive won't become your most beloved memory?

 

 

 

 

I will answer this as it is really outside the thread.....  

 

The epiphany was when oldmanfan brought it up.  We look back often and wax nostalgic about the good old days but be honest that team threw 12X's/game & basically ran and only ran the ball...  I loved the year but looking back in retrospect it was not that great & the style of football not very exciting.

 

 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1973.htm

 

400 yards offense in 1 game, over 100 yards passing in only 2.  Yep loved the year and the record in 1973, but if I was watching that today I'd be bored silly.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Billsfan1972

[oldmanfan]

1 hour ago, Billsfan1972 said:

I will answer this as it is really outside the thread.....  

 

The epiphany was when oldmanfan brought it up.  We look back often and wax nostalgic about the good old days but be honest that team threw 12X's/game & basically ran and only ran the ball...  I loved the year but looking back in retrospect it was not that great & the style of football not very exciting.

 

 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1973.htm

 

400 yards offense in 1 game, over 100 yards passing in only 2.  Yep loved the year and the record in 1973, but if I was watching that today I'd be bored silly.

Why should the rest of this board or the Bills care if you’re bored?   Why do you think you have to continually bring this up in thread after thread?

 

The Bills are in the playoffs.  Try not being bored about that.

[Billsfan1972]

7 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Why should the rest of this board or the Bills care if you’re bored?   Why do you think you have to continually bring this up in thread after thread?

 

The Bills are in the playoffs.  Try not being bored about that.

I was answering Sincethe70's question.  Maybe you should stop being so grumpy.

 

I'm excited they're in the playoffs, and an offensive explosion next week (& win), would have me downright giddy!!!!? 

[NoSaint]

14 hours ago, KayAdams said:

 

People who know football had respect for what Greg Roman was building with Taylor, McCoy, and Williams/Gillislee. Taylor's passing limitations may have ultimately doomed them, but those teams could have done some damage in the AFC if Rex Ryan had put in the proper effort with all that defensive talent.

 

Interestingly enough, the Buffalo Bills have almost always been focused primarily on a strong running game and a strong defense. When were the exceptions? The early 90's? 2002 Bledsoe? Fitzmagic years? Any other years I missed?

 

I prefer the strong defense + strong running game first model for multiple reasons:

 

1. It's (subjectively) more exciting to watch. Every play has proportionally more importance when you get into field position battles.

2. It diminishes the value of any singular position (i.e., the QB). One bad injury to your QB shouldn't send all the effort and all the hopes you had for the season down the drain.

3. Works better on the road and in bad weather.

best road record of late - saints.

 

best bad weather teams - steelers, pats, and Green Bay all have hall of fame qbs

 

i know the smash mouth blue collar romanticism loves big ugly unsung guys knocking off those delicate stars of the passing game... and there’s no single way to win... but overwhelmingly the path to sustained success in this league is through the QB and passing, and putting a well rounded 52 around him

[GreggTX]

I love a great D and rushing attack, but the QB still has to be effective as a passer. That's why Jackson will be MVP and Allen will never be MVP. Both run very well, but Allen's inaccuracy will always hold him and his team back whereas Jackson's passing game is efficient. He protects the ball and completes a very high percentage of his throws. Josh has a VERY long way to go and he handles pressure very poorly.

[oldmanfan]

9 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

I love a great D and rushing attack, but the QB still has to be effective as a passer. That's why Jackson will be MVP and Allen will never be MVP. Both run very well, but Allen's inaccuracy will always hold him and his team back whereas Jackson's passing game is efficient. He protects the ball and completes a very high percentage of his throws. Josh has a VERY long way to go and he handles pressure very poorly.

Stop with the never nonsense.

[BillsVet]

The '78 rule changes implemented opened up the NFL for more passing, and that's what is here to stay.  The running game isn't coming back like it was before those rules.  And I'm sure the NFL is okay with that because there's less likelihood for injury than guys running into piles of bigger guys.  

 

The league's rules are situated to encourage passing, not to mention analytics tend to favor it given the propensity for big gains.  Putting together long drives with plenty of running isn't as easy as hitting on a few intermediate or long passes.  Sort of like MLB hitters swinging for the fences instead of trying to hit singles and doubles.  

 

A defense first team with a pedestrian offense has a ceiling, and it's not frequent that teams designed this way win in the post-season.