This team is built for 'new' NFL!

[Hebert19]

So I listened to a random podcast in the car about new Orleans starting Hill this week and how that allows Peyton to call plays for the new NFL...

 

Meaning options, boots, trickery for mobile QBs.  

 

It got me thinking.  In this so called new NFL a DEs and DTs have different responsibilities.  It's no longer about getting to QB at the bottom of a 5 or 7 step drop its about keeping them in the pocket.  And if they escape its about having super athletic linebackers that can go sideline to sideline.  It's also about scheming to blitz your way to pressure....like we did against Russell.  

 

So what does a defense like that look like.  

 

Dts...penetrating and less run staffers.  

DE...quick.  set the edge and can pursue from behind. 

Lbs...speed!   And ability to blitz.  

Safties...speed!   And ability to blitz. 

CBS...zone > man as its more about scheme and keeping plays in front of you than shut down...

 

Sound like a defense that we Know?   Ya its not perfect but its designed to stop Tua, Murray, Russell, Watson etc more than the bradys and bens of the league.  

 

Not sure this is intentional but it could come in handy if we make a run this year. 

[BillsFan619]

8 minutes ago, Hebert19 said:

So I listened to a random podcast in the car about new Orleans starting Hill this week and how that allows Peyton to call plays for the new NFL...

 

Meaning options, boots, trickery for mobile QBs.  

 

It got me thinking.  In this so called new NFL a DEs and DTs have different responsibilities.  It's no longer about getting to QB at the bottom of a 5 or 7 step drop its about keeping them in the pocket.  And if they escape its about having super athletic linebackers that can go sideline to sideline.  It's also about scheming to blitz your way to pressure....like we did against Russell.  

 

So what does a defense like that look like.  

 

Dts...penetrating and less run staffers.  

DE...quick.  set the edge and can pursue from behind. 

Lbs...speed!   And ability to blitz.  

Safties...speed!   And ability to blitz. 

CBS...zone > man as its more about scheme and keeping plays in front of you than shut down...

 

Sound like a defense that we Know?   Ya its not perfect but its designed to stop Tua, Murray, Russell, Watson etc more than the bradys and bens of the league.  

 

Not sure this is intentional but it could come in handy if we make a run this year. 

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

[97bills]

10 minutes ago, Hebert19 said:

So I listened to a random podcast in the car about new Orleans starting Hill this week and how that allows Peyton to call plays for the new NFL...

 

Meaning options, boots, trickery for mobile QBs.  

 

It got me thinking.  In this so called new NFL a DEs and DTs have different responsibilities.  It's no longer about getting to QB at the bottom of a 5 or 7 step drop its about keeping them in the pocket.  And if they escape its about having super athletic linebackers that can go sideline to sideline.  It's also about scheming to blitz your way to pressure....like we did against Russell.  

 

So what does a defense like that look like.  

 

Dts...penetrating and less run staffers.  

DE...quick.  set the edge and can pursue from behind. 

Lbs...speed!   And ability to blitz.  

Safties...speed!   And ability to blitz. 

CBS...zone > man as its more about scheme and keeping plays in front of you than shut down...

 

Sound like a defense that we Know?   Ya its not perfect but its designed to stop Tua, Murray, Russell, Watson etc more than the bradys and bens of the league.  

 

Not sure this is intentional but it could come in handy if we make a run this year. 

So I should start Big Ben in my line up when we play them ?

[Your Brown Eye]

[mjt328]

Historically, the NFL has been a copycat league, where coordinators try to duplicate what is working for other teams. 

It is also a sport that evolves and changes over time.

 

Right now, you are seeing the trend of athletic/mobile QBs taking hold over the NFL.  Just like you said.  To counter this, defenses are finding they need to change.  They are no longer building defenses to stop Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.  They are creating defenses to stop guys like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, etc.  They will need to draft certain kinds of players to fit into this mold.  

 

But what happens a few years down the road, when the majority of defenses across the league have equipped themselves with the schemes/personnel capable to do this?  That is when the guys who can't truly read a defense will falter, and the traditional pocket passers will likely start to re-emerge.  

 

That's why I think Lamar Jackson's luster is going to gradually fade (you already are seeing it).  Although he occasionally puts up big passing stats, it's more because of how his running ability forces defenses to leave receivers open.  He doesn't seem to have developed much in his ability to sit in the pocket, read a defense and go through progressions.  Meanwhile, guys capable of doing it ALL like Josh Allen should be in great shape moving forward.

 

[Hebert19]

14 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

Historically, the NFL has been a copycat league, where coordinators try to duplicate what is working for other teams. 

It is also a sport that evolves and changes over time.

 

Right now, you are seeing the trend of athletic/mobile QBs taking hold over the NFL.  Just like you said.  To counter this, defenses are finding they need to change.  They are no longer building defenses to stop Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.  They are creating defenses to stop guys like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, etc.  They will need to draft certain kinds of players to fit into this mold.  

 

But what happens a few years down the road, when the majority of defenses across the league have equipped themselves with the schemes/personnel capable to do this?  That is when the guys who can't truly read a defense will falter, and the traditional pocket passers will likely start to re-emerge.  

 

That's why I think Lamar Jackson's luster is going to gradually fade (you already are seeing it).  Although he occasionally puts up big passing stats, it's more because of how his running ability forces defenses to leave receivers open.  He doesn't seem to have developed much in his ability to sit in the pocket, read a defense and go through progressions.  Meanwhile, guys capable of doing it ALL like Josh Allen should be in great shape moving forward.

 

Agree.   Its all about adjustments.   My point is that we have a D much more suited to playing the chiefs than the ravens or titans. 

[billybrew1]

I think both, he and the Cleveland kid are too short to play from the pocket or at least to play as well as a guy like Josh Allen who stands over the pocket..... I think Allen has been making difficult plays look easy all season long....

 

Just not sure why he gets bogged down from time to time. He needs more weapons is my belief.... (somebody has to get open)

[LABILLBACKER]

We needed a fast freak DE to hunt down Murray on that heave. Addison was never that guy. Finding speed at the collegiate DE position gets harder every year. I wonder if McD would ever consider going 3-4 and find some fast edge OLB's?

[H2o]

5 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

We needed a fast freak DE to hunt down Murray on that heave. Addison was never that guy. Finding speed at the collegiate DE position gets harder every year. I wonder if McD would ever consider going 3-4 and find some fast edge OLB's?

Nah, I don't see that happening. He and Frazier both are 4-3, Zone Coverage base guys who mix in variations. 

[MJS]

I have noticed that pretty much every successful, young QB coming in these days are two dimensional. You don't see your traditional pocket passers much any more.

 

Jackson, Watson, Allen, Mahomes, even Mayfield is quick and can get yards on the ground.

[Don Otreply]

So the NFL is turning into college football, this is just what some folk said was inevitable, and others of course said wouldn’t happen. College coaches for some number of years have not given a hoot about “NFL” style play, and in doing so have forced the league to use/adapt to the type of players college coaches are developing, and we are watching it happen..., 

 

really if ya think about it, it’s not much of a surprise, 

 

Go Bills!!!

 

[Putin]

6 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

So the NFL is turning into college football, this is just what some folk said was inevitable, and others of course said wouldn’t happen. College coaches for some number of years have not given a hoot about “NFL” style play, and in doing so have forced the league to use/adapt to the type of players college coaches are developing, and we are watching it happen..., 

 

really if ya think about it, it’s not much of a surprise, 

 

Go Bills!!!

 

And with all that if there’s another Payton , Rogers or Brady coming out of college I would take any one of them ( any day ) over Murrey , Lamar or Watson 

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, Hebert19 said:

Agree.   Its all about adjustments.   My point is that we have a D much more suited to playing the chiefs than the ravens or titans. 

The Chiefs put up 245 rushing yards against us.

[Don Otreply]

7 minutes ago, Putin said:

And with all that if there’s another Payton , Rogers or Brady coming out of college I would take any one of them ( any day ) over Murrey , Lamar or Watson 

So would I, but guys like Brady won’t be playing cause they aren’t likely to be mobile enough, to play in those schemes, but as is the way of things, it will rotate back to pocket passers at some point, even bell bottoms got popular again for a little while, 😁

[SirAndrew]

8 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

The Chiefs put up 245 rushing yards against us.

I think the OP has some valid points about how defense is built these days. The way our defense is built isn’t really the problem though. We simply have too many guys underachieving on that side of the ball. It doesn’t matter how the defense is built when guys aren’t doing their job well. We don’t have any CB’s behind Tre on the depth chart, and our recent draft choices (Edmunds, Oliver, and Epenesa) are all very unproven. That’s where I have concern, not about whether or not we have a modern defense. 

[Maybe Someday]

3 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

I think the OP has some valid points about how defense is built these days. The way our defense is built isn’t really the problem though. We simply have too many guys underachieving on that side of the ball. It doesn’t matter how the defense is built when guys aren’t doing their job well. We don’t have any CB’s behind Tre on the depth chart, and our recent draft choices (Edmunds, Oliver, and Epenesa) are all very unproven. That’s where I have concern, not about whether or not we have a modern defense. 

Totally agree. Our defense is pretty darn good when everyone does their job. Unfortunately we’ve had way too many plays where guys either don’t or can’t do their job, especially the front 4. How many times have we seen Jerry make a move inside rather than maintaining the edge?  Or DTs that just can’t hold their ground?  
 

Maybe things will click as we get down the stretch. I think we can if we get/stay healthy and find someone that can play 1 tech DT. We won’t go far in the playoffs if it don’t. 

[Inigo Montoya]

8 hours ago, mjt328 said:

It is also a sport that evolves and changes over time.

 

Absolutely right mjt.

 

QBs like Murray and Lamar Jackson would have never lasted a full season playing in Jim Kelly's era and would have been killed outright on the field playing in Bradshaw's era.  I can't imagine what Jack Ham or Mike Singletary would have done to those guys during or after one of their runs.  The amount of punishment opposing defenses were allowed to put on a QB back then was nuts.    

 

With the league putting rules in place to protect the QBs it allows a player like Murray to have a chance.  I think Josh could have played 50 years ago and been successful.  He has the frame and the stones for that kind of football.  You know that guys like Steve Young and Bradshaw must shake their heads when they see what gets called Roughing the Passer in today's NFL.

 

Personally, I like it.  I don't want to see players getting injured and I think today's NFL is a lot more exciting that it was 40 years ago.  I do miss the crushing hits sometimes, but on the whole, I think the changes were needed and the game is a lot more fun to watch now. 

[John from Riverside]

Offense might be fun to watch but there are still some of us that consider the defense an art form I love I will coordinate a defense that all comes together

[BuffaninSarasota]

OP makes a good point but when the Bills are getting gouged for at least 6 YPC (either up the gut or bounced outside), this "new defense" is not the mark of a contender. Save for a few key 3rd down stops and forced turnovers, this D is not built for a long playoff run. Why wouldn't you run all day long on the Bills if you were an opposing OC? (.....which then opens up play action).

 

And then there is the Bills run game......oy vey

 

Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but we all see what I am describing.

Edited November 22, 2020 by BuffaninSarasota
additional comment

[Ga boy]

Good points!  This could explain why Titans will be a scary team for us in playoffs.  Heck, that freight train running back makes their QB look elite.  Why scrabble when you can rumble.  I like our chances against every other team but them.  Go Bills!