We are now the worst defense in the league

[HappyDays]

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

Those first weeks aren't opponent adjusted either

 

It's been worse than that even

[Rubes]

Definitely not good. At the same time, I’m eager to see how that changes once the new guys acclimate and start playing more. Maybe we’ll even see Miller start getting back to form before it’s too late.

 

Holding the Bengals to 3 points in the second half last night could be a sign of things to come.

 

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

It’s mind blowing to me to hear all the people say last night was a heroic performance by this defense considering….We got absolutely embarrassed on every 3rd or 4th down. The Bengals stopped themselves a few times by playing with their food. Guys ran wide open through the Swiss cheese zone. We never tackle, can’t cover, NEVER EVER make a big stop to give it back to our offense. Anytime ever, that McD has a shot to get a stop and get it back….NEVER do we make a stop. Zero exceptions. This defense sucks. And it puts so much pressure on the offense to be perfect.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Brianmoorman4jesus

[dorquemada]

certainly matches the eye test.  They can't stop anybody, especially when it counts.  Thank God we spent most of our draft capital on the D so we can watch opponents march up and down the field

[dave mcbride]

4 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

Just one turnover in five games will do that you ...

[Buffalo_Stampede]

McDermott is coaching the defense scared right now. It’s going to be a bend and sometimes break defense the rest of the season.

Offense better get going or we’re looking at a top 10 pick. 
 

I’ve always said you are what you’re record is but they deserve to be 4-5 right now with the hard part of the schedule coming up.

 

[DrDawkinstein]

This team really misses Milano.

[SoCal Deek]

The problem is that McDs defense is a situational disaster. Yes, they stopped Cincy most of the second half….but when they needed to get the ball back for the offense in the end, they failed miserably. I’m 100% ready to move on from McD. I’ve seen next to no growth in him as a situational coach. 

[dorquemada]

1 minute ago, Rubes said:

 

Holding the Bengals to 3 points in the second half last night could be a sign of things to come.

 

 

It's a sign that the Bengals took their foot off the gas.  It's nothing the Bills did.  They watched our geriatric secondary struggling to catch their breath and took mercy

[Rubes]

Just now, dorquemada said:

 

It's a sign that the Bengals took their foot off the gas.  It's nothing the Bills did.  They watched our geriatric secondary struggling to catch their breath and took mercy

I highly doubt that.

 

[dave mcbride]

6 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

This isn't a hot take. It's supported by analytics:

 

I understand the injuries. But we have a defensive head coach and we are literally the worst defense in the league since the Jaguars game.

 

And I get why fans are focusing on the offense, but none of that matters to our Super Bowl aspirations if the defense doesn't get back to at least the top half of the league.

Also:

 

 

[PBF81]

Our injuries are not that bad.  

 

Honestly, Milano and Jones.  White hasn't been around for the vast majority of either of the last two seasons.  

Jones simply started strong, he did nothing even approaching his play in the first few games this season against some of the worst offenses in the league, throughout the rest of his nearly decade-long career.  It wouldn't have lasted.  

 

Our starting line-up is largely the players that they themselves have drafted, and apart from Milano and Jones is what it would have been anyway.  We knew coming into the season that White hadn't played well in the few games he was in last season, so no difference there.  

 

Von Miller, yeah, a 34-year old player that got injured.  Not a problem unless you give him a 6-year $120M contract at the age of 33, with nearly half of it guaranteed.  

 

We have key injuries, but one player shouldn't explain a drop from 1st/2nd to DFL.  

 

If it does, LOL, well, then time for a new "defensively oriented" head coach.  

 

While we're at it, let's get an offensively oriented one since we haven't been able to count on our marvelous 1st or 2nd ranked Ds in the playoffs anyway.  

 

 

[LeviF]

Friendly reminder that the GOAT (yes it's Brady) has zero rings in years without a top ten defense and only one Super Bowl appearance during those years.

[dorquemada]

Just now, Rubes said:

I highly doubt that.

 

 

It's more plausible than the same D that allowed Cinci to march up and down the field all of a sudden found their inner strength and decided to start tackling

[Mikie2times]

I think the defense will get it together. I like our additions. The depth will grow with experience.

 

But we will still need to score 30 or more to do anything further. I'm honestly much less worried about the defense coming around after the Bengals game. We played physical after the first quarter. Burrow was limited. Certainly played well enough to win. 

[Process]

The offense is a much bigger issue right now 

[LeviF]

Just now, PBF81 said:

Our injuries are not that bad.  

 

Honestly, Milano and Jones.  White hasn't been around for the vast majority of either of the last two seasons.  

Jones simply started strong, he did nothing even approaching his play in the first few games this season against some of the worst offenses in the league, throughout the rest of his nearly decade-long career.  It wouldn't have lasted.  

 

Our starting line-up is largely the players that they themselves have drafted, and apart from Milano and Jones is what it would have been anyway.  We knew coming into the season that White hadn't played well in the few games he was in last season, so no difference there.  

 

Von Miller, yeah, a 34-year old player that got injured.  Not a problem unless you give him a 6-year $120M contract at the age of 33, with nearly half of it guaranteed.  

 

We have key injuries, but one player shouldn't explain a drop from 1st/2nd to DFL.  

 

If it does, LOL, well, then time for a new "defensively oriented" head coach.  

 

While we're at it, let's get an offensively oriented one since we haven't been able to count on our marvelous 1st or 2nd ranked Ds in the playoffs anyway.  

 

 

 

The problem is that you can cover up deficiencies in a secondary with talent at the first and second levels. Once you suffer key injuries in the front 7 your weaknesses in the secondary get exposed.

[LABILLBACKER]

10 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

certainly matches the eye test.  They can't stop anybody, especially when it counts.  Thank God we spent most of our draft capital on the D so we can watch opponents march up and down the field

Every F-ing year the majority of draft/fa acquisitions are on the defensive side.  In a perfect world if Von, Tre, Milano & DQ had never been injured, this would be a top 5 D.  Weeks 2-4 reflected that. But for some strange reason our conditioning staff can do nothing with slowing down the incessant injuries.  And Sean's situational decisions might be some of the worst in the NFL. 

Edited November 6, 2023 by LABILLBACKER

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, Process said:

The offense is a much bigger issue right now 

The offense has the ability to improve now. The defense doesn’t. The defense will get worse, look at the schedule.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Buffalo_Stampede