Bobby Babich Staying, Promoted to DC!

[st pete gogolak]

So even though our D has been statistically very good in the regular season the last four years, good offenses have blown us up in the playoffs each of the last four years.  Is it players, schemes, injuries, or something else?  Not sure but I lean toward scheme.  I would love to see us imitate the Rams “Greatest Show on Turf” defense.  It wasn’t particularly talented but it complimented a high powered offense by being super aggressive, causing a lot of turnovers and playing well with a lead.  Do we have the personnel to blitz more, play more press coverage?  Have no idea.  Will Babich have the authority to remake the defense?  I’m guessing no.  We’re clearly going to pick a bunch of players on the defensive side in the upcoming draft so we’ll have a better idea about the direction of the defense at the end of April.

[BullBuchanan]

11 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

I agree with your positive assessment--I think they will improve slightly next year, just enough to get them over the hump..

good luck with that. Go ahead and bet the farm on the Bills next year. I'll put my money on the Chiefs or maybe SF.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

22 minutes ago, st pete gogolak said:

So even though our D has been statistically very good in the regular season the last four years, good offenses have blown us up in the playoffs each of the last four years.  Is it players, schemes, injuries, or something else?  Not sure but I lean toward scheme.  I would love to see us imitate the Rams “Greatest Show on Turf” defense.  It wasn’t particularly talented but it complimented a high powered offense by being super aggressive, causing a lot of turnovers and playing well with a lead.  Do we have the personnel to blitz more, play more press coverage?  Have no idea.  Will Babich have the authority to remake the defense?  I’m guessing no.  We’re clearly going to pick a bunch of players on the defensive side in the upcoming draft so we’ll have a better idea about the direction of the defense at the end of April.

I think part of it recently has been injuries. I know it’s an excuse but it’s also facts.

 

 

[MasterStrategist]

27 minutes ago, st pete gogolak said:

So even though our D has been statistically very good in the regular season the last four years, good offenses have blown us up in the playoffs each of the last four years.  Is it players, schemes, injuries, or something else?  Not sure but I lean toward scheme.  I would love to see us imitate the Rams “Greatest Show on Turf” defense.  It wasn’t particularly talented but it complimented a high powered offense by being super aggressive, causing a lot of turnovers and playing well with a lead.  Do we have the personnel to blitz more, play more press coverage?  Have no idea.  Will Babich have the authority to remake the defense?  I’m guessing no.  We’re clearly going to pick a bunch of players on the defensive side in the upcoming draft so we’ll have a better idea about the direction of the defense at the end of April.

I lean toward players/injuries, especially lacking any elite guys at DL and secondary:

2020-our DL wasn't near good enough

2021- our DL wasn't near good enough/Tre injured and slowing down in secondary (safeties)

2022-injuries to Von/Hyde/Daquan and a 80% Tre White

2023- way too many injuries, especially at LB to defend what Chiefs like to do with their TEs and Rbs

 

We were missing too many pieces to be aggressive VS Chiefs this year, and just too slow/banged up against Cincy.  I think our scheme works, we play these high-caliber teams in regular season (ie: Chiefs) and can win. 

 

DL and safety will likely look alot different next year (younger/faster).  Not necessarily better overall players, but it's all about staying healthy at key spots.  I'd like to see Spags coach up/use his system here, it wouldn't work....he's been fortunate with injuries.

[BringBackFlutie]

34 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I think part of it recently has been injuries. I know it’s an excuse but it’s also facts.

 

 

 

I feel like we've limped into the playoffs with major injuries every year. It's not an excuse but it's getting kind of ridiculous.

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, BringBackFlutie said:

 

I feel like we've limped into the playoffs with major injuries every year. It's not an excuse but it's getting kind of ridiculous.

I agree which makes no sense. We have THE premier training facility in the NFL and this crap keeps happening?  Sean and company need to do an honest evaluation of the training staff and what methodologies they are implementing. 

[Warcodered]

2 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I agree which makes no sense. We have THE premier training facility in the NFL and this crap keeps happening?  Sean and company need to do an honest evaluation of the training staff and what methodologies they are implementing. 

We got ***** by an awful playing surface in London, and then in the Steelers game I was worried the whole time because you know what also happens in Blizzards, no one can get to facilities for treatments like they normally do.

[Chuck Schick]

4 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I agree which makes no sense. We have THE premier training facility in the NFL and this crap keeps happening?  Sean and company need to do an honest evaluation of the training staff and what methodologies they are implementing. 

Having to win 5 straight games just to REACH the playoffs, and then playing in the Wild Card round, got us in the end. How nice would it be to rest starters week 18 and then get a bye??? Dare to dream

[BigAl2526]

The obvious assumption is that the Bills will continue to use the same defensive scheme they've had since McDermott arrived.  Under Frazier, the defense was very reluctant to blitz.  Under McDermott this past season they blitzed more, but the difference had more to do with play calling than scheme.  Babich has spent more time with a McDermott defense than he has with any other scheme.  He's done some college level position coaching, but during his NFL career the only time that he hasn't been with McDermott is the three seasons he spent with Cleveland from 2013 to 2015.  Babich will likely have some ideas for new wrinkles to the scheme, but he's not going to throw it out.

 

The players love him as a position coach, but a coordinator's job is very different.  Still, he's put time in.  He's bright and hard working, and it seems appropriate that he get his chance to move up.  

[mannc]

19 hours ago, colin said:

i dunno if im missing something here, but brady was OC in the nfl before, and babbich has been dc on two different teams before coming here.

 

neither of these guys are rookies at their new job.  i'd contrast this to the start of 2023, where dorsey really was a rookie OC, and our hc was also our DC.

You’re missing something here

[GunnerBill]

9 hours ago, BigAl2526 said:

The obvious assumption is that the Bills will continue to use the same defensive scheme they've had since McDermott arrived.  Under Frazier, the defense was very reluctant to blitz.  Under McDermott this past season they blitzed more, but the difference had more to do with play calling than scheme.  Babich has spent more time with a McDermott defense than he has with any other scheme.  He's done some college level position coaching, but during his NFL career the only time that he hasn't been with McDermott is the three seasons he spent with Cleveland from 2013 to 2015.  Babich will likely have some ideas for new wrinkles to the scheme, but he's not going to throw it out.

 

The players love him as a position coach, but a coordinator's job is very different.  Still, he's put time in.  He's bright and hard working, and it seems appropriate that he get his chance to move up.  

 

Oh yea, they are still going to run McDermott's scheme even if Babich takes on playcalling (which I don't think has been clarified yet either way).

[Warriorspikes51]

since Babich seems to be an ace at player development....there's no need to spend premium picks on Defense

only exception would be if Texas DT Sweat made it to our 2nd round pick.  Him with Oliver would be amazing 

[DrDawkinstein]

16 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I agree which makes no sense. We have THE premier training facility in the NFL and this crap keeps happening?  Sean and company need to do an honest evaluation of the training staff and what methodologies they are implementing. 

 

14 hours ago, Warcodered said:

We got ***** by an awful playing surface in London, and then in the Steelers game I was worried the whole time because you know what also happens in Blizzards, no one can get to facilities for treatments like they normally do.

 

Our biggest injuries have been Hyde breaking his neck last year, Milano breaking his leg this year, and Tre White's bad luck on horrible turf surfaces.

 

No training team is going to prevent broken bones, and I'm not sure what more they could have done for White.

 

The rest of our injuries were just regular old football injuries and the cost of doing business.

 

It sucks because for McD's first few years here (2017 to like 2021) the Bills were on the opposite end of the Injury spectrum and skated through with almost no major injuries.

 

We've been VERY lucky in one area that I dont even want to mention at the risk of speaking it into existence. So I'll just say we've done better than Cincy with Burrow, and keep the prayer candles lit for our boy.

58 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

since Babich seems to be an ace at player development....there's no need to spend premium picks on Defense

only exception would be if Texas DT Sweat made it to our 2nd round pick.  Him with Oliver would be amazing 

 

hahaha, I love your "spend all early picks on WRs" crusade.

 

But unfortunately, we are no longer in a place where the roster is stocked with vets and we can afford to draft developmental players. That was 2019-2022, but no longer.

 

The fact that every Defensive player we draft will most likely have to start right away unfortunately knocks out your argument. We need to spend premium picks on the guys who will be playing a lot of snaps in 2024, not the guy who will come in as our 5th offensive option. (I am in favor of drafting a WR in the 1st)

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

1 hour ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

since Babich seems to be an ace at player development....there's no need to spend premium picks on Defense

only exception would be if Texas DT Sweat made it to our 2nd round pick.  Him with Oliver would be amazing 

I would not necessarily plan our 2023 starters on rookies, but our depth took a beating and other than a year left of Poyer we have nothing at safety.

 

My philosophy for the modern NFL defense is that you build to baseline with journeyman and hope your draft picks become splash players

[DrDawkinstein]

7 minutes ago, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

I would not necessarily plan our 2023 starters on rookies, but our depth took a beating and other than a year left of Poyer we have nothing at safety.

 

My philosophy for the modern NFL defense is that you build to baseline with journeyman and hope your draft picks become splash players

 

I would. Just like Kincaid and Torrence (the latter having played EVERY offensive snap this year) this year.

 

We will need immediate starter contributions from our first 3-4 defensive draft picks.

[Heitz]

18 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I agree which makes no sense. We have THE premier training facility in the NFL and this crap keeps happening?  Sean and company need to do an honest evaluation of the training staff and what methodologies they are implementing. 

Do ya watch football?  Even the BEST athletes get hurt on random stuff all the time, silly to blame the training staff, IMO...  

 

M

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Heitz said:

Do ya watch football?  Even the BEST athletes get hurt on random stuff all the time, silly to blame the training staff, IMO...  

 

M

 

As we know, human beings were not meant to play football.  It’s as simple as that!  

[HappyDays]

 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo619 said:

With how undersized this D is, we’re going to have injuries everyyear. It’s definitely an excuse by design. 

Thats a pretty bad take.

[Warcodered]