THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - The Complete Package

[Billsfan1972]

11 minutes ago, Buddo said:

 

This is a bit of a 'chicken and egg' argument. While we did have the football to start the 2nd half, there's a reason why we could keep the football away from the Patsies, and that was because the D was getting it back for them enough.

 

I'd also say that where it's concerning, and annoying, that they scored 3 rushing TDs, apart from probably the one in the first half, the Patsies had to work incredibly hard to get the others, having to dig deep into relatively 'trick' plays that they hadn't used before, just to keep drives alive. That stat of 1 from 10 3rd down conversions, is the one that tells you how hard a time they were actually having.

 

They also used an extra lineman, a lot, which I don't think would have happened if the Bills D hadn't been standing up to them decently in the first instance.

 

Historically, with McDermott, our 'weakness' is against the run - there's no two ways about that - but all things considered, it wasn't that bad last Sunday.

 

I understand where Shaw is coming from, also. 'Bend but don't break' as a 'philosophy', isn't just black and white - i.e. if a TD is scored on you, that doesn't automatically mean you've broken - it's also about making life very difficult for the opposition to score. Which the D did do last Sunday, imho.

 

If you are limiting your opponents to around 20 points a game, when you have the sort of offense we do have, you should be winning many more games than you are losing, which for the last two seasons looks like beiing the case.

 

There are always areas for improvement, our own run blocking being one obvious one, alongside finding a regularly available, run stuffing, NT, as another fairly obvious one. That being said, this is a pretty good football team, who on their day, are capable of beating any other team in the NFL.

The problem is, it only works when the offense is humming as it was on Sunday.  If the Offense tripped up at all (a fumble or miscommunication on a pass route, a tip) and then the Bills need to depend on the defense.

6 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Yes lets not get excited here.  Instead lets pump the brakes until the Bills win a Super Bowl.  No wait that's not good enough.  Pump the brakes until they repeat.  Nope still not good enough.  Pump the brakes until they have a Pats like 10 year dynasty.

 

How about you pump the brakes trying to tell fans how to feel.  I like to enjoy victories instead of this oh woe is me crap that certain fans have every year.  I wonder how many fans here didn't bother to enjoy the season last year until the AFCCG.  Instead they came to the board every week trying to tell us all how the team is going to fall apart and why they really weren't that good.

I am excited, but I want to also have the Bills secure these last two games too.

 

But as said in another thread, I think the Bills are a much better team then NE, so yes my optimism is tempered.

[Scott7975]

2 hours ago, Billsfan1972 said:

The problem is, it only works when the offense is humming as it was on Sunday.  If the Offense tripped up at all (a fumble or miscommunication on a pass route, a tip) and then the Bills need to depend on the defense.

I am excited, but I want to also have the Bills secure these last two games too.

 

But as said in another thread, I think the Bills are a much better team then NE, so yes my optimism is tempered.

 

So why do fans need to temper themselves?  It has no effect on the game at all.  Temper yourself thats fine.  Dont tell me to temper myself.  Thats what im saying.

8 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

Not bad. Just disappointing on a couple critical drives. New England only had two meaningful drives in the 2nd half because our offense kept the ball away from them and scored TDs. I'm just saying if the offense hadn't been basically unstoppable in this game our defense was not going to win it for us. You're correct that our style of defense forced New England's TD drives to take a lot of time off the clock and that definitely played into our hands.

 

The only thing Im disappointed in is giving up all those 4th downs.  While I dont think allowing the TDs was the game plan...  I do think long drives they were ok with.  NE is not a team that is scoring in 2 minutes or less on this defense without some flag help (which I admit has killed us before too.)

[Shaw66]

5 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

The only thing Im disappointed in is giving up all those 4th downs.  While I dont think allowing the TDs was the game plan...  I do think long drives they were ok with.  NE is not a team that is scoring in 2 minutes or less on this defense without some flag help (which I admit has killed us before too.)

Well, yes, the Bills' defense makes plays that are disappointing.  I agree with you and Happy.  It's a fair point. 

 

But I've been thinking about the nature of this defense - I wrote about it to Happy yesterday.  This is a defense that will make a big play for you here and there, but it is not designed to be a big play defense.   It's designed to be a stop-the-big-offensive-play defense.   It's designed to be very consistent, to have a really good batting average over the course of the season.  It's designed to keep the Bills in every game, with the expectation that the offense will do its part.  Does McDermott want to increase their ability to make big plays?   Yes, but not at the expense of consistent excellence, game after game.  

 

You know where this defense has failed this year?   It's designed to stop the big play, and in three one-score losses, the Bills gave up one, and only one, big scoring play.  All runs.   Titans, Patriots, Bucs.   One play each game.   The Bills' objective is to give up none.  

[Scott7975]

4 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Well, yes, the Bills' defense makes plays that are disappointing.  I agree with you and Happy.  It's a fair point. 

 

But I've been thinking about the nature of this defense - I wrote about it to Happy yesterday.  This is a defense that will make a big play for you here and there, but it is not designed to be a big play defense.   It's designed to be a stop-the-big-offensive-play defense.   It's designed to be very consistent, to have a really good batting average over the course of the season.  It's designed to keep the Bills in every game, with the expectation that the offense will do its part.  Does McDermott want to increase their ability to make big plays?   Yes, but not at the expense of consistent excellence, game after game.  

 

You know where this defense has failed this year?   It's designed to stop the big play, and in three one-score losses, the Bills gave up one, and only one, big scoring play.  All runs.   Titans, Patriots, Bucs.   One play each game.   The Bills' objective is to give up none.  

 

I actually was agreeing with you.  I was just saying that I thought the defense did well but I was disappointed in giving up too many 4th down plays.

[Billsfan1972]

3 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

I actually was agreeing with you.  I was just saying that I thought the defense did well but I was disappointed in giving up too many 4th down plays.

And just not enough big plays on defense and can't remember the last fumble they forced. Ints are vs. Inexperienced qbs.

[Scott7975]

10 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

And just not enough big plays on defense and can't remember the last fumble they forced. Ints are vs. Inexperienced qbs.

 

I mean they can only play who they play.  I get what you are saying but they are #1 in the league in a lot of categories including passing defense, scoring, 3rd in INTS.  Last I looked they were somewhere in the top of the league in pressure, pressure rate, hits.  Where they lacked was run defense and actual sacks.  

Edited December 29, 2021 by Scott7975

[Shaw66]

38 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

I actually was agreeing with you.  I was just saying that I thought the defense did well but I was disappointed in giving up too many 4th down plays.

I got it and I agree.  My additional point is that giving up that many fourth downs is not surprising given the style of the defense.