Defense: Any way you want it

[Mikie2times]

If you look at Mahomes and Allen, you see a variation in how teams are going about defending them. Neither is getting blitzed like they once did. Allen's career blitz average is over 40% per attempt, this year it's just 13.7%, while Mahomes is at 13.8%, down from his career average of 23%.  You saw how we played Mahomes and how teams have played us. Rush four, try and disrupt the pocket and play coverage. 

 

Is the blitz obsolete? Obviously not. We will never see the 85 Bears again. Reduced contact within 5 yards allows plays to start faster rendering the blitz more risky. I think teams have learned with Mahomes and Allen if you blitz and they evade you, it's over. You will be down defenders in coverage and they can throw from any position extending plays 6+ seconds. It isn't just saying don't blitz, you also need a defensive line to disrupt the pocket with only four rushers and enough meat in the middle to not get gutted in the ground game (sounds a lot like Pittsburgh). Excellent back end coverage certainly doesn't hurt either. Last year we didn't have the make up to do all these things. Very few teams have the make up to do all these, I thought Tampa Bay was about as close as anybody at the end of last year.

 

Buffalo was built around it's coverage at DB and LB. We also have aggressive blitz packages. Getting a top notch DL was never something I envisioned as a real possibility this early.  

 

This year Star has been a different player. Maybe the year off revitalized him. He's absorbing two blockers and not conceding any space. Zimmer has been a very solid rotational player. Groot, Boogie, and AJ have injected another dimension into the pass rush. Then Hughes, Addison, and Oliver can all flash at anytime, all current or former starters, all of these guys rotating. Which is key, they stay fresh and offensive lineman never get a beat on tendency. It has to be maddening to face so many styles. We saw this style of defense on display all night and we dominated. We saw a much more aggressive, blitzing style defense on display previous weeks and we dominated.

 

This defense was built on coverage and now it is a considerable threat without blitzing to get home. We have not had that luxury in the McDermott / Frazier era and they have had a lot of success without such a benefit. This defense has a chance to be historically good this season. We can play any style we want.  DVOA from Football outsiders actually has us as being historically good as of this time with the KC game being against far and away the #1 offense in the NFL. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by KzooMike

[Warcodered]

Good QBs with good skill position players destroy blitzes.

[3rdand12]

6 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

If you look at Mahomes and Allen, you see a variation in how teams are going about defending them. Neither is getting blitzed like they once did. Allen's career blitz average is over 40% per attempt, this year it's just 13.7%, while Mahomes is at 13.8%, down from his career average of 23%.  You saw how we played Mahomes and how teams have played us. Rush four, try and disrupt the pocket and play coverage. 

 

Is the blitz obsolete? Obviously not. We will never see the 85 Bears again. Reduced contact within 5 yards allows plays to start faster rendering the blitz more risky. I think teams have learned with Mahomes and Allen if you blitz and they evade you, it's over. You will be down defenders in coverage and they can throw from any position extending plays 6+ seconds. It isn't just saying don't blitz, you also need a defensive line to disrupt the pocket with only four rushers and enough meat in the middle to not get gutted in the ground game (sounds a lot like Pittsburgh). Excellent back end coverage certainly doesn't hurt either. Last year we didn't have the make up to do all these things. Very few teams have the make up to do all these, I thought Tampa Bay was about as close as anybody at the end of last year.

 

Buffalo was built around it's coverage at DB and LB. We also have aggressive blitz packages. Getting a top notch DL was never something I envisioned as a real possibility this early.  

 

This year Star has been a different player. Maybe the year off revitalized him. He's absorbing two blockers and not conceding any space. Zimmer has been a very solid rotational player. Groot, Boogie, and AJ have injected another dimension into the pass rush. Then Hughes, Addison, and Oliver can all flash at anytime, all current or former starters, all of these guys rotating. Which is key, they stay fresh and offensive lineman never get a beat on tendency. It has to be maddening to face so many styles. We saw this style of defense on display all night and we dominated. We saw a much more aggressive, blitzing style defense on display previous weeks and we dominated.

 

This defense was built on coverage and now it is a considerable threat without any pressure to get home. We have not had that luxury in the McDermott / Frazier era and they have had a lot of success without such a benefit. This defense has a chance to be historically good this season. We can play any style we want.  DVOA from Football outsiders actually has us as being historically good as of this time with the KC game being against far and away the #1 offense in the NFL. 

I must disagree with this point  ^
There is plenty of pressure. But the method is very disciplined.

Recall how Jerry Hughes would often  run full on , curling in his edge but overshooting the QB and forcing him forward ?
 as mentioned sagely here / Addison rushed and then just sat down to contain against Mahomes.
Pressures are very much still there from Bills I think
But sacks are no longer the main goal of our D line
In your face pressure, gap awareness for short passing lanes and dumps have changed our Defense.
 

Nice post Mike ty

[Mikie2times]

2 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

I must disagree with this point  ^
There is plenty of pressure. But the method is very disciplined.

Recall how Jerry Hughes would often  run full on , curling in his edge but overshooting the QB and forcing him forward ?
 as mentioned sagely here / Addison rushed and then just sat down to contain against Mahomes.
Pressures are very much still there from Bills I think
But sacks are no longer the main goal of our D line
In your face pressure, gap awareness for short passing lanes and dumps have changed our Defense.
 

Nice post Mike ty

Just poor wording on my part. I meant we don't need to blitz to get pressure this year. I see it exactly as you do. 

[JohnNord]

17 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

If you look at Mahomes and Allen, you see a variation in how teams are going about defending them. Neither is getting blitzed like they once did. Allen's career blitz average is over 40% per attempt, this year it's just 13.7%, while Mahomes is at 13.8%, down from his career average of 23%.  You saw how we played Mahomes and how teams have played us. Rush four, try and disrupt the pocket and play coverage. 

 

Is the blitz obsolete? Obviously not. We will never see the 85 Bears again. Reduced contact within 5 yards allows plays to start faster rendering the blitz more risky. I think teams have learned with Mahomes and Allen if you blitz and they evade you, it's over. You will be down defenders in coverage and they can throw from any position extending plays 6+ seconds. It isn't just saying don't blitz, you also need a defensive line to disrupt the pocket with only four rushers and enough meat in the middle to not get gutted in the ground game (sounds a lot like Pittsburgh). Excellent back end coverage certainly doesn't hurt either. Last year we didn't have the make up to do all these things. Very few teams have the make up to do all these, I thought Tampa Bay was about as close as anybody at the end of last year.

 

Buffalo was built around it's coverage at DB and LB. We also have aggressive blitz packages. Getting a top notch DL was never something I envisioned as a real possibility this early.  

 

This year Star has been a different player. Maybe the year off revitalized him. He's absorbing two blockers and not conceding any space. Zimmer has been a very solid rotational player. Groot, Boogie, and AJ have injected another dimension into the pass rush. Then Hughes, Addison, and Oliver can all flash at anytime, all current or former starters, all of these guys rotating. Which is key, they stay fresh and offensive lineman never get a beat on tendency. It has to be maddening to face so many styles. We saw this style of defense on display all night and we dominated. We saw a much more aggressive, blitzing style defense on display previous weeks and we dominated.

 

This defense was built on coverage and now it is a considerable threat without any pressure to get home. We have not had that luxury in the McDermott / Frazier era and they have had a lot of success without such a benefit. This defense has a chance to be historically good this season. We can play any style we want.  DVOA from Football outsiders actually has us as being historically good as of this time with the KC game being against far and away the #1 offense in the NFL. 

Wasn’t Allen blitzed a few times during the first few series of the second half?  I don’t think teams have abandoned blitzing him entirely as they have with Mahomes and Brady.  But I can see the overall numbers declining  

[Richard Noggin]

9 minutes ago, 3rdand12 said:

I must disagree with this point  ^
There is plenty of pressure. But the method is very disciplined.

Recall how Jerry Hughes would often  run full on , curling in his edge but overshooting the QB and forcing him forward ?
 as mentioned sagely here / Addison rushed and then just sat down to contain against Mahomes.
Pressures are very much still there from Bills I think
But sacks are no longer the main goal of our D line
In your face pressure, gap awareness for short passing lanes and dumps have changed our Defense.
 

Nice post Mike ty

I think the poster meant "pressure" to mean blitzing, essentially. Pressure by design, versus pressure by execution. 

[3rdand12]

then we agree again ! 
It was a strong effort and sight to see Frazier pull this game off.

Smart football against the Chiefs
Very proud of our Defense as a whole group.

50 played another smart game. he is coming along just fine already
 

1 minute ago, Richard Noggin said:

I think the poster meant "pressure" to mean blitzing, essentially. Pressure by design, versus pressure by execution. 

Oh yes. Not to argue with our friend here
 Pressures are why mahomes was so pouty in the many shots we saw of him on sidelines etc.
 its a fine thing when our Bills can "pressure" with four.

Go Bills
 

[Mikie2times]

1 minute ago, JohnNord said:

Wasn’t Allen blitzed a few times during the first few series of the second half?  I don’t think teams have abandoned blitzing him entirely as they have with Mahomes and Brady.  But I can see the overall numbers declining  

I wouldn't say teams have 100% given up on the blitz, but Allen has gone from 42.7% last year to 13.7% this year. So they virtually have given up on it. Which we really adapted to after week 1. Allen is much more aware of his check down, Moss has done well in that role and Daboll has got much more creative and consistent in the run game. It's almost like Allen didn't expect it week 1, especially from Pittsburgh, now he's onto how teams are playing him. As is Daboll and I love the counter punch which in the end just gives the offense diversity. No reason a team like this can't pivot to a Roman like approach with a QB like Josh. We just need a few plays that do single wing/rpo concepts, we don't need to build an entire offense around it.  

[Big Turk]

Bills blitzed on only 1 play last night out of 63 dropbacks, but got pressure on 25% of those dropbacks, meaning their front 4 are doing a pretty good job of making it happen themselves and not needing to blitz.

[quinnearlysghost88]

11 hours ago, Big Turk said:

Bills blitzed on only 1 play last night out of 63 dropbacks, but got pressure on 25% of those dropbacks, meaning their front 4 are doing a pretty good job of making it happen themselves and not needing to blitz.

The BN had their blitz count at zero. 

[MAJBobby]

 Tie that Defense to this explosive offense and you get the 2021 AFC SB Favorites: The Buffalo Bills 

 

11 hours ago, Big Turk said:

Bills blitzed on only 1 play last night out of 63 dropbacks, but got pressure on 25% of those dropbacks, meaning their front 4 are doing a pretty good job of making it happen themselves and not needing to blitz.

Frazier said he never called a Blitz the entire game.  

Edited October 12, 2021 by MAJBobby

[GunnerBill]

When I first started watching the NFL as a casual observer I loved the blitz. But from about 2008 when I really started to try and understand the game at a much more granular level the more I learnt the less I liked the blitz. That isn't to say I am against ever blitzing. But if I were a defensive coordinator it would be a limited part of my playbook and gameplan most weeks. 

[Gugny]

[Big Turk]

22 minutes ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

The BN had their blitz count at zero. 

 

Got it...I saw some places saying it was 1 time

[Jauronimo]

28 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

When I first started watching the NFL as a casual observer I loved the blitz. But from about 2008 when I really started to try and understand the game at a much more granular level the more I learnt the less I liked the blitz. That isn't to say I am against ever blitzing. But if I were a defensive coordinator it would be a limited part of my playbook and gameplan most weeks. 

Unless you're playing Tua/Brissett/Mills then you blitz every down.

[Freddie's Dead]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

 

You beat me to it Gugs.  LET'S DANCE!!

[Milanos Milano]

That’s the way you need it, anyway you want it. 

[Buffalo Boy]

    The D Line is the key. It’s why we sucked last year and don’t this year.

    They generated enough of a rush to make PM make quicker decisions than he wanted and he threw a bunch away and misfired a bunch, especially into the dirt which was satisfying.

    Also, there were some plays wher the outside rusher didn’t advance but stayed wide to keep PM inside which was nice. 
    The DBs also played a great game but I think some of that is a product of the rush.

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

When I first started watching the NFL as a casual observer I loved the blitz. But from about 2008 when I really started to try and understand the game at a much more granular level the more I learnt the less I liked the blitz. That isn't to say I am against ever blitzing. But if I were a defensive coordinator it would be a limited part of my playbook and gameplan most weeks. 

McDermott has said for years that getting pressure from four rushers is essential.  Bills will bring backers or backs, but still try to limit the total to four.

[wjag]

So I've been itching to say some things about the defense, but didn't want to start a thread.  So I'll jump in here.  

 

3 Up, 3 Down

 

Up...

1.  Rotating 9 DL in the game was awesome.   Less injury potential and fresh bodies to come wave after wave after wave.

2. Edmunds is clearly better playing behind Star.  Clearly.

3. "Micah Poyer" or "Jordan Hyde" are playing their best ball behind that new DL this year..

 

Down....

1.  Milano just doesn't seem capable of staying healthy..  Some guys are just snake-bit.

2. Jerry Hughes is done.  Through five games, I literally have not noticed him.

3. Ed Oliver is good for one or two brutal penalties each game..