How do you deep down, really feel about this defense?

[VW82]

Way improved over last year. With that said we're still susceptible to a good play action team as the Titans game showed. We'd have a hard time with a team like the Browns.

[DrPJax]

11 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

So right now as it stands, the Bills are #1 in the NFL in total yards, points and turnovers (tied) on defense. 

 

Am I the only one who doesn't think they are as good as the stats show?

 

I certainly think this is a good defense but I don't feel they're elite.  Their numbers are elite but I'm not there yet with them.

 

What about yous guys?

I feel ya cuz I think we all want to see them get some more sacks and be a legit run stoping team IN CRITICAL TIMES; they didn’t against Tennessee but they did come thru yesterday !  The one difference tho that I am really encouraged by is that this year they are CAUSING TURNOVERS and I think we lead the league at somewhere around a +13 differential!   That is winning football and if they keep creating those 1-2 extra possessions in every game, I think it’s a formula we coukd actually bring a home a Lombardi with. 
 

At a pre game sponsored party in Pasadena for SB 27 I was at because of the ticket package, Hank Stramm was giving a talk on his opinion who would win, Bills or Cowboys.  He said he had developed a formula he used to help him predict the winner.  While he didn’t divulge his entire secret formula , he did say one part was turnover differential.  He then went on to explain how he predicted the Cowboys were going to win SB 27 and he predicted a wide margin. I laughed thinking the game had passed him by and was ready to finally see the Bills third time was a charm story happen.  
 

Hank turned out to know football much better than I did and I never forgot how Important he thought turnovers differential was!  This was back in early 93 , before we have been deluged with pregame shows, expert analysts, and analytics!  Pretty craZy to have been at a dinner party with the guy who coined the matriculating the ball down the field line and get some insight into how football was their lives then. Classy , well dressed guy of course!  Stood on a box behind his speaking podium, shorter than me and I’m 5’9”. 😀👍. True story so maybe this D can be real ! 

[Reader]

They've been great. Obviously we still have weaknesses but considering we can't be perfect we're in a really good spot with them.

 

[akcash]

It's a solid defense. Just like we were overrated in '19, we're overrated now. But we are playing fundamentally sound.

[BuffaloBill]

Are you guys looking for perfection? This D has proven to be very good - yes, the schedule has been favorable but so what?

[Greg S]

The true test will come next week against the great Mike White and the explosive Jets offense. The Chiefs game showed they can stop elite level offense's but the Titans game also showed they can be beaten. Its a good defense but the 70's Steelers, 85 Bears, and 01 Ravens they are not on that level.

[John from Riverside]

They are very good one healthy I would like to see more sacks

[boater]

Bills 31 - Titans 34

 

Against a good team they got scorched for 34 points. Elite = No.

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

On the money, as usual.  And McDermott does one additional thing - he steels his guys to be tough at the goal line.  They're currently second in the league in red zone scoring defense.  If you're going to lead the league in scoring defense, you have to be good in the red zone.   So, not only does McDermott insist that you won't hurt him long, which allows teams to attack consistently for short yardage, he also insists that you won't hurt him with short yardage once you get inside the red zone.  It makes sense, of course, because there is much less territory to defend, but you can see that the rushing defense tightens up too.  It doesn't hurt so much to bite on play action from the five, because the guys in the box don't need to take deep drops.  

 

Again, whether we think it's pretty or not, whether he think it's flashy or not, there's no arguing that it's effective.  

 

Yep and that was the issue early last year... we were not playing good redzone defense which traditionally McDermott's teams here have. 

 

Your last para is characteristically perceptive - a lot of fans seem to like heavy blitz defensive schemes and all press man coverage - and they can't get over the fact that isn't what McDermott and co do. The Dolphins played that sort of style yesterday. I know which I prefer.

[Freddie's Dead]

Deep down, this defense is Lights *****in' Out.

[dpberr]

Built to beat KC.  Built to defend the pass at an elite level.  

 

Is in deep trouble against 1) any above average ground game or 2) monster OL with a significant weight advantage that they can't push.

 

  

[Solomon Grundy]

I really think Kyle Fuller would be a good grab for this defense 

[FilthyBeast]

1 minute ago, Greg S said:

The true test will come next week against the great Mike White and the explosive Jets offense. The Chiefs game showed they can stop elite level offense's but the Titans game also showed they can be beaten. Its a good defense but the 70's Steelers, 85 Bears, and 01 Ravens they are not on that level.

 

I still don't think the Chiefs win means much and even if they somehow turn it around and make the playoffs our win will have an asterisk given the circumstances of when/how it came.

 

I want to see this team and defense pummel another truly good team which all elite contenders typically do at least once over the course of a full season but the sad reality is outside of the Bucs game there might not be any other opportunities to do that this year.

[colin]

top 10 for sure, maybe top 5.  we lack a little physicality up front at times, big targets in the guts of our zone are always a concern.

 

how they play vs better teams will tell me how confident i am in the playoffs.  that tenn game was a wake up call.  i think we had the wrong guys active tho.  aje woulda done better work.

[Not at the table Karlos]

They will beat up on bad teams. Balanced teams can give them trouble. Good QBs can pick it apart. Finesse 

[NewEra]

I feel that our D is right around top 10.

 

We’ve only played 2 good QBs, Mahomes and Tannehill.  Yes, I think Tannehill is good.  Not great.  

I’m happy with our run D. I thought we played ok vs Henry.  The long run was nonsense and should’ve been called back.  
 

our safeties are far and away the backbone of the D.  Poyer is the man. 

 

Our pass rush is hit or miss. 
 

Jerry is still a demon on the edge, regardless of what some people here have to say.  
 

they just have to compliment 17.  Good enough to win it all
 

 

 

 

[Buffalo Junction]

Lower end of Top 10, and could use another playmaker. That said, when the other team becomes one dimensional they seem to flourish more than some other teams defenses with more “top end” talent. For that reason improving the offensive consistency by the playoffs might be a deciding factor with regards to how this season ends. 

[Big Turk]

They are really really good.

[Marv's Neighbor]

No doubt, our D kept us in the game for yesterday's first half.  But I'm really not sold on Frazier's ability to adjust, when we have to.   Too many 3rd and long conversions.

[SCBills]

I think they’re a Top 10 Defense, but are probably towards the bottom of the Top 10 if everyone played the same schedule.  
 

I think we have way too much assets/money tied up into the DL for the product we see on the field.  
 

The back half is very talented in Edmunds, Milano, Johnson, White, Poyer and Hyde.  
 

That being said, nobody in our secondary is Jalen Ramsey or Tyrann Matthieu, and we certainly don’t have a Donald or Bosa. 
 

They lack a true difference maker which makes them very good, but not elite.