Why the defense got it's mojo back

[Thurman#1]

7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

 

Why the defense got its mojo back

 

 

 

Some of it was playing the Jets, no doubt.

 

But there was more to it than that.

 

Some of it was having Milano and Edmunds both again. We're a much better team with both guys on the field. They were also running more of the deceptive looks, stuff we haven't seen much of this year, with seven guys on the line, three of whom back out at the snap. It was confusing and pressuring the Jets. It's not clear why they haven't done that much this year when it's been a McDermott staple the last few years, but my guess is they haven't had the guys they fell they need to run those. Yesterday they did. Because Milano was back? Dunno. Because Zimmer seems to have helped toughen up the interior?

 

Dunno, but they were pressuring even when they weren't blitzing and some of it seemed to come from those unpredictable pre-snap looks.

 

I'm more hopeful than I've been for a couple of weeks about this defense.

[Buffalo716]

5 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Some of it was playing the Jets, no doubt.

 

But there was more to it than that.

 

Some of it was having Milano and Edmunds both again. We're a much better team with both guys on the field. They were also running more of the deceptive looks, stuff we haven't seen much of this year, with seven guys on the line, three of whom back out at the snap. It was confusing and pressuring the Jets. It's not clear why they haven't done that much this year when it's been a McDermott staple the last few years, but my guess is they haven't had the guys they fell they need to run those. Yesterday they did. Because Milano was back? Dunno. Because Zimmer seems to have helped toughen up the interior?

 

Dunno, but they were pressuring even when they weren't blitzing and some of it seemed to come from those unpredictable pre-snap looks.

 

I'm more hopeful than I've been for a couple of weeks about this defense.

I'm pretty sure I said all of that

[LABILLBACKER]

7 hours ago, Billznut said:

The Bills have given up TONS of 3rd and long conversions this season. They are one of the worst 3rd down defenses this year. The reason the defense looked good today is because we were playing the Jets. Don’t kid yourself into thinking it was anything other than that. We haven’t stopped any other offense this year. 

Because of the obvious weakness in our front 4, McD will have no choice but to take chances and use the blitz packages more. I'm not using either Jets came as a barometer. 

[BringBackFlutie]

12 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Some of it was playing the Jets, no doubt.

 

But there was more to it than that.

 

Some of it was having Milano and Edmunds both again. We're a much better team with both guys on the field. They were also running more of the deceptive looks, stuff we haven't seen much of this year, with seven guys on the line, three of whom back out at the snap. It was confusing and pressuring the Jets. It's not clear why they haven't done that much this year when it's been a McDermott staple the last few years, but my guess is they haven't had the guys they fell they need to run those. Yesterday they did. Because Milano was back? Dunno. Because Zimmer seems to have helped toughen up the interior?

 

Dunno, but they were pressuring even when they weren't blitzing and some of it seemed to come from those unpredictable pre-snap looks.

 

I'm more hopeful than I've been for a couple of weeks about this defense.

It was completely different. Either personnel (Milano back), or McD took over play calling. I dunno. The second half showed shades of every other season that our defensive slump ended. Sometimes that's been McD taking over the play calls...

 

It's the Jets, yeah, but even they were moving the ball all first half. The second half didn't look like a rebound- it looked like our D snapped back to 2019.

[GreggTX]

All through the 2nd half I kept thinking about that Bills vs Chargers game where McDermott took over the playcalling from Frazier and the defense went from horror show to hammer time. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened in this game too. I wonder if Frazier is easier to predict and his HC is catching offenses off guard more frequently. If this is the case, McDermott needs to own up to this and start calling the plays for the defense going forward.

[Thurman#1]

 

 

4 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

I'm pretty sure I said all of that

 

Congratulations on that.

 

But you also said how it was getting them in 2nd and 3rd and long which allowed us to use them. Yet, they were used for all downs and distances.

 

The first time they noticeably use it, for example, was a 3rd and 4, at 8:57 in the 1st quarter.  They've had plenty of 3rd and 4s so far this season but we haven't seen much of those packages.

 

A bit later, they run a nice left side blitz on 1st and 10 at 3:00 in the first quarter. I think it's fair to say that they've faced one or two 1st and 10s as a defense this year.

 

Since one of the most common things they do as a pressure thing is move Edmunds up onto the line, and we've seen very little of that this year till today, seems likely to me it may be more about Edmunds getting healthy and Milano's wise head being on the field.

 

Having run a package like that on 3rd and 4, they didn't run one on a 3rd and 20. It's at 1:15 in the 1st. They do finally run one in one of the situations you talk about at 0:17 in the 1st on a 2nd and 8. Nothing on the 3rd and 11 that immediately follows. Another blitz on a 1st and 10 at 10:19  ....

 

They were running them on situations that weren't 2nd or 3rd and long, and they didn't run them on several situations that did fit your specs. To me, it's pretty clear that whatever reason they did run more of these, having more 2nd and 3rd and long situations is not the main factor.

 

More, I'd argue that you're misreading the situation when you say that the reason for our success is more 2nd and 3rd and longs. IMO you're confusing cause and effect. It's more like our success is causing more long late downs for opponents.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Thurman#1

[DDCC]

15 hours ago, delirious said:

 

You got some proof?

Yes

[DDCC]

16 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

And what trade would that be, Grasshopper?

It is wifey being reported the bills are in serious conversation to improve their defense.  A lot is predicated on the cost but Beane is very aggressive and is being pushed by McDermott to make a move.  He doesn’t want to be one and done in the playoffs again

[DDCC]

15 hours ago, delirious said:

 

You got some proof?

Yes

[delirious]

15 minutes ago, DDCC said:

Yes

 

The Bills org has been tight lipped since it seems the Beane administration has taken place.  Why, all of a sudden, is there loose lips?

 

I guess I just find this way too convenient considering the D line play has been so bad, us peons can recognize it on our TVs. Like, I'm sure Beane is doing his due diligence and seeing if there's trade candidates etc, he's shown he has done this in past trades. I'd probably believe you more if our D line play wasn't so painfully obvious bad. 

 

Edit: Just in case I wasn't clear enough: I'd believe you more that you have sources if your trade talks weren't so convenient. As I'm sure most people on this board can speculate that Beane is on the phones about D lineman, at this point. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by delirious

[DDCC]

16 hours ago, Real McNasty said:

Are you the new Dunkirk Don?

I heard of him

[MJS]

18 hours ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Hard to put any stock in to the defense today.  Miami shut them out last week.  The Jets are absolutely horrendous 

But they also didn't have Darnold. Say what you like about Darnold, but he has the ability to make some wow throws. He is also infinitely more mobile than Flacco.

 

But yeah, the Jets do suck.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

10 minutes ago, DDCC said:

It is wifey being reported the bills are in serious conversation to improve their defense.  A lot is predicated on the cost but Beane is very aggressive and is being pushed by McDermott to make a move.  He doesn’t want to be one and done in the playoffs again

 

I know it's probably autocorrect, but LOL on the "wifey"

 

I agree it's widely speculated that Beane should be making a move, but I think all signs point to dumping a defensive tackle.  We're rolling with 10 DL currently.

We need to reactivate Feliciano and we probably want to keep Dane Jackson on the roster now.  Someone's got to go.

[DDCC]

9 minutes ago, delirious said:

 

The Bills org has been tight lipped since it seems the Beane administration has taken place.  Why, all of a sudden, is there loose lips?

 

I guess I just find this way too convenient considering the D line play has been so bad, us peons can recognize it on our TVs. Like, I'm sure Beane is doing his due diligence and seeing if there's trade candidates etc, he's shown he has done this in past trades. I'd probably believe you more if our D line play wasn't so painfully obvious bad. 

 

Edit: Just in case I wasn't clear enough: I'd believe you more that you have sources if your trade talks weren't so convenient. As I'm sure most people on this board can speculate that Beane is on the phones about D lineman, at this point. 

Check my record 

[BillsFan4]

17 hours ago, NewEra said:

While I don’t think our defense is “fixed”, we did look like an entirely different defense in the 2nd half.  
 

did McD take over play calling?  Sure looked like it to me.  There’s been very few times, this season, where I’ve seen us like up 7-8 guys at the LOS to disguise our pass rush/blitz packages.  I think I saw it more times today than I had all season combined.  

I was wondering the same thing myself. Does anyone know if he did?
 

Seems like it happens once every season. The defense sucks for a couple/few games, McD takes over play calling for a 1/2 and the defense gets their **** together again.

Wondering if that’s what happened again.

[DDCC]

4 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I know it's probably autocorrect, but LOL on the "wifey"

 

I agree it's widely speculated that Beane should be making a move, but I think all signs point to dumping a defensive tackle.  We're rolling with 10 DL currently.

We need to reactivate Feliciano and we probably want to keep Dane Jackson on the roster now.  Someone's got to go.

I am very confident things are happening behind the scene 

[Rocbillsfan1]

Not sure if it was mentioned but they were playing the jets .... and they were able to blitz which most likely wouldn’t have looked good against the titans or chiefs. 

[Putin]

17 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

I would not get too excited about holding Jets to 10.

I bet at that age a hot chicken soup with a warm blanket on a lazy boy is something to get excited about !!! 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

20 minutes ago, DDCC said:

Check my record 

 

OK I did (all from 'any member can access' stuff)

You joined September 28 (public profile).  Your 41 post "record" says "no to Dareus", our D is not elite, Allen is great, Falcons are horrible, Cody Ford is a bust, Dane Jackson is not a starter based upon 1 INT, Tre White is overpaid and overhyped, Moss is a Dud, Knox has potential to be out of football soon, and (16 hrs ago) Daboll is on the hot seat and this will be his last year with the Bills because "him and McDermott" (sic) don't get along at all.

 

There's nothing in that "record" that Sara Q Fan couldn't have said. 

We all can see that the Bills DL and run game have both greatly underperformed expectations.  It doesn't take insider insight to deduce that Beane is probably looking very hard to make one or more trade moves before the deadline (whether to shore up the injury plagued roster or to improve the team long-term).

 

If you were a Bills employee or close to one, you come across as highly negative and disgruntled (except about Josh Allen): not a guy I would want with access to confidential team information.

 

31 minutes ago, DDCC said:

Yes

 

Your cred would improve if you would provide a source rather than just posting this twice.

[Billsfan1972]

The Jets scored 28 points vs. the Broncos (though aided by 3 Ints).  Offense has generated 320, 277, 254, 260, 285, 263 & 219 yards (268 avg) in 5 blowout losses and two games withing 9 points.

 

I'd be careful to announce they got their "mojo" back....

Edited October 27, 2020 by Billsfan1972