Bills Defense needs to start hot!

[Desert Bills Fan]

Looking at the roster, the schedule, etc. The team needs to win early and often.
Realistically with all the new WR’s & newish coordinator - I don’t see the offense carrying the team early. It may take a while to find the right pieces and to evolve an identity. I can see lots of 2 TE sets, passing in the middle, running the ball and grinding it out - while missing on long shots down the field (timing, familiarity, scheme fit).
the defense will need to be ahead of the O and keep points off the board!

After 6 or so games, things should start clicking on O and by then we are in the tough parts of the schedule and need that to stay in the playoff hunt.

 

if Von looks the same, Milano is still recovering form, the safeties are meh, etc it will be a bad start, and in a hole by mid season. Needing Josh to go hero mode to save the season again. He will be banged up come end of the schedule, playoffs.

 

what do you guys think about the start of season defense?

[SoonerBillsFan]

As long as they are hot in November,Decamber,January and hopefully a particular weekend in February... we will be fine.

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

I think we'll lean on the run game and 2 TE sets until Josh has chemistry with his new receivers. I think Shakir will be his go-to target over the first half of the season.

[NewEra]

I’m worried about our pass rush.  It’ll be up to Babich/McD to manufacture pressure if the line can’t win their one on ones 

 

Stay healthy 

12 minutes ago, Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD said:

I think we'll lean on the run game and 2 TE sets until Josh has chemistry with his new receivers. I think Shakir will be his go-to target over the first half of the season.

Agree, but I think it’ll be 86 as his safety blanket

[Chandler#81]

I don’t think the Cardinals are a good testing board. They were terrible last year and have tried a complete house cleaning. We’ll have a much better understanding of the Bills after week 2.

[SCBills]

4 hours ago, NewEra said:

I’m worried about our pass rush.  It’ll be up to Babich/McD to manufacture pressure if the line can’t win their one on ones 

 

Stay healthy 

Agree, but I think it’ll be 86 as his safety blanket

I think we have a strong DT rotation, but share your concern about DE. 
 

A lot seems to hinge on Von and a 5th Round Draft Pick. 
 

That being said, the Bills signed Leonard Floyd last summer, and if they need to do something similar again.. I’m sure they will once we get past 6/1. 
 

Wouldn’t be shocked if we went into the season with this Defense plus Micah Hyde and another FA pass rusher. 

[transient]

I think it's going to take time on both sides of the ball. I wouldn't expect a defense that swapped out both safeties, lost their CB depth to FA, turned over most of their defensive line and lost their best pass rusher to FA to suddenly light the world on fire at the beginning of the season, either. While they were obviously feeling the wear and tear, you can't replace the experience and communication of Poyer and Hyde on the back end overnight.

[Don Otreply]

Good points made here, but I think we will be pleasantly surprised by the offense, it’s not just us fans that don’t know what to expect on offense, it’s our opponents as well, food for thought…, 

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

I think we have a strong DT rotation, but share your concern about DE. 
 

A lot seems to hinge on Von and a 5th Round Draft Pick. 
 

That being said, the Bills signed Leonard Floyd last summer, and if they need to do something similar again.. I’m sure they will once we get past 6/1. 
 

Wouldn’t be shocked if we went into the season with this Defense plus Micah Hyde and another FA pass rusher. 

👍🏻 

 

I think Micah is a backup plan midseason.  If Edwards can’t handle FS the way McD wants him to and Micah has an itch, I could see it.  I don’t think he’ll start the season with the club.  
 

let’s hope we can add another pass rusher, but I don’t see it happening.  

[Toyo321]

The big pink elephant in the room is going to be Von.  What do we realistically get out of him this year.  Is he still just a shell of what he once was, like all of last year or does he put a concerted effort in on the field this year.  I am not saying it's not possible for him to turn the corner this year but he has a lot to prove to this team and this fanbase that he still has something left in the tank.  He has had almost two years of healing and rehab time on his knee injury.  It's time for him to step it up big time.

 

I just don't know where his head is at this point of his career.  He all but likely will be done in the NFL after this season, at least as a Bill,  so I guess we wait and see.

 

Edited May 19 by Toyo321

[Buffalo Boy]

9 hours ago, Desert Bills Fan said:

if Von looks the same, Milano is still recovering form, the safeties are meh, etc it will be a bad start, and in a hole by mid season.

Exactly how I read the schedule, with us being in a deep hole and only managing 8-9 wins.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, transient said:

I think it's going to take time on both sides of the ball. I wouldn't expect a defense that swapped out both safeties, lost their CB depth to FA, turned over most of their defensive line and lost their best pass rusher to FA to suddenly light the world on fire at the beginning of the season, either. While they were obviously feeling the wear and tear, you can't replace the experience and communication of Poyer and Hyde on the back end overnight.

 

I agree completely on the "going to take time". 

 

We didn't turn over most of our DL though.  Starters last season were Floyd, Oliver, Jones, and Rousseau with Von Miller and Epenesa playing about 1/3 of the snaps.

 

Point about turning over the safeties and losing the seamless communication and interchangeability of Poyer and Hyde is valid and is why I believe that it will take time.

It should help that Rapp played about 40% of the snaps.  And Edwards has 5 years of experience, with 30 games and 17 starts in the last two seasons, so he's not without experience.

[GolfandBills]

23 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Exactly how I read the schedule, with us being in a deep hole and only managing 8-9 wins.

If this team can only muster 8-9 wins with Josh Allen at QB then this HC/GM aren’t it.  No excuse

Edited May 19 by GolfandBills

[Warcodered]

It's certainly better than starting cold.

[Buffalo Boy]

47 minutes ago, GolfandBills said:

If this team can only muster 8-9 wins with Josh Allen at QB then this HC/GM aren’t it.  No excuse

Josh isn’t a panacea….yet many seem to think he is, including McBeane by the looks of the “Talent” they surround him with.

[Eastport bills]

22 hours ago, Desert Bills Fan said:

Looking at the roster, the schedule, etc. The team needs to win early and often.
Realistically with all the new WR’s & newish coordinator - I don’t see the offense carrying the team early. It may take a while to find the right pieces and to evolve an identity. I can see lots of 2 TE sets, passing in the middle, running the ball and grinding it out - while missing on long shots down the field (timing, familiarity, scheme fit).
the defense will need to be ahead of the O and keep points off the board!

After 6 or so games, things should start clicking on O and by then we are in the tough parts of the schedule and need that to stay in the playoff hunt.

 

if Von looks the same, Milano is still recovering form, the safeties are meh, etc it will be a bad start, and in a hole by mid season. Needing Josh to go hero mode to save the season again. He will be banged up come end of the schedule, playoffs.

 

what do you guys think about the start of season defense?

You’re panicking without knowing what both units will look like. Just remember our receivers were MIA  at the end of last season and Josh pulled games out of his rear end.  O -line should be better with one year playing together under their belt and an improvement at center. I say the receivers and TEs are better this year and our backs led by  Cook and Davis should be improved. On defense, our safeties were old and getting dominated. The addition of Edwards and the 2nd rounder from Utah with Rapp will be better in run support and as good in Sean’s zone defense against the pass. Without a healthy White, and the addition of Douglas, our corners were effective last season until KC. If we get anything out of Elam, I see improvement. Resigning Jones, AJ and Rousseau in a walk year means our D-line if Miller is healthy, will be as good or better if the FAs and drafted guys give us anything. With Milano back LB should be our best position group on defense. The teams that line up against us early have plenty to defend against with vastly different personnel and a highly motivated #17. I like our chances.

[TBBills Fan]

I trust McDermott on getting the defense ready.  Hopefully we don't have the defensive I juries like we have had the last 2 years. We have been decimated with injuries and he was patching the holes as best he could. 

[ganesh]

Give a heavy dose of Cook and Davis.  Bring the well trusted two TEs into the game.   Knox can stretch the defense and Kincaid can break tackles.  Shakir will have to step up as the true #1 WR for Josh.  We will have a dink and dunk offense with YAC.   I am pretty sure Brady has a plan to execute.

[chris heff]

If after the first six games they are 4-2 they will be in good shape.

[Jerome007]

McD has proven himself on having the D ready, but there is more new players on the D side. Unless McGovern can't cut it as a center, the OLine is steady and ready. JA, Cook, Kincaid, Knox and Shakir are also a continuity.