Would Bills front 4 be better with Edwards

[buffalo mike]

Edwards, Adams, Williams, Shobel ? I'd have to give it a try on a couple of series, I'm sorry they just don't get enough pressure on third downs. Every time the Bills have gotten stung bad are on third and long late in the game. They always seem to blitz thier linebackers or safety to get pressure leaving the middle of the field open. Just a frustrating observation. I can still see 3rd and 27 and the Raiders scoring late in the fourth......

[UConn James]

How about at RE? Ogden has over 100 pounds advantage on Shobel.

 

Maybe just run it once as a surprise/stunt; might get Boller to burn an early time-out.

[jarthur31]

It's obvious our pass rush doesn't work. We need to stop doing that late in the 4th quarter.

[seq004]

It's obvious our pass rush doesn't work.  We need to stop doing that late in the 4th quarter.

81779[/snapback]

I agree. Are pass rush always seems to be an arm away from a sack or pressure. It's a glaring weakness on defense and it does get frustrating to watch. Even when we blitz we still can't get to the QB. To be succesful in the NFL you must pressure the QB. We need a DE with a real pass rush (not Schoebel.) Offensive line then DE in the offseason.

[Mike in Syracuse]

Edwards, Adams, Williams, Shobel ? I'd have to give it a try on a couple of series, I'm sorry they just don't get enough pressure on third downs. Every time the Bills have gotten stung bad are on third and long late in the game. They always seem to blitz thier linebackers or safety to get pressure leaving the middle of the field open. Just a frustrating observation. I can still see 3rd and 27 and the Raiders scoring late in the fourth......

81770[/snapback]

 

I've been saying this for years. I believe Edwards has could play LDE in much the same way Reggie White did. Your LDE should be all about the bull rush. I like Kelsay but he isn't bulling anyone.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

I've been saying this for years.  I believe Edwards has could play LDE in much the same way Reggie White did.  Your LDE should be all about the bull rush.  I like Kelsay but he isn't bulling anyone.

81822[/snapback]

 

 

Edwards might well come agaimst Ogden or the left side of the Ravens line on a stunt where a DT loops around to the outside and the LDE loops to the inside but I highly doubt that Edwards would line up at LDE or be used there consistently for several reasons:

 

1. A key to implementation and scheme of the Bills D is the run blitz where the DEs are required to do pass coverage in short zones or man to man on releasing RBs. Denny at least has a large enough wingspan and he and Schobel have the athleticism for this role, but there is no way the 320 or so pound Edwards can peovide this pass coverage. In order for Edwards to play LDE it would mean redoing our whole D scheme or telegraphing exactly what he will be doing each play.

2. 320 pounds may be a great weight for bullrushing or plugging the middle but simply is too high a weight for the outside speed rushes traditionally done by the LDE (by choice) or to contain outside runs which is a job the DE is forced into if that is the way the O initiates a play. As an example of how body size tends to relate to LDE duties consider Bruce Smith (he is not an example of what an LDE should do because almost LDEs do not compare at all to Bruce). he was headed toward 300 pounds when he came into the league, but quickly realized that he would be a more effective player at a lighter weight and generally his sculpted body played the position at about 265 pounds.

3. Just as many fans simply want to shuffle the OL players as though they were tinkertoys and try to view G,C, and T positions as interchangeable they aren't on the DL either. Its more flexible as there are only four players and genrally there is both an inside and an outside gap the players are covering or attacking so they can do both types of jobs, there is such huge difference between the pursuit responsibilities and capabilites of DTs and DEs they generally are no interchangeable positions.

 

The idea of moving Edwards outside permanently is understandable as his good play last week has made him the flavor of the week, but generally such a move makes no sense given the type of D the Bills run and the demographics of Edwards.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

No simply put because Edwards is not de material. It's a lot easier to push the pocket for a 320 lb dt right up the middle or stunting than it is to swim, rip, speed rush from the outside for a 320lb defensive end. Edwards is not de material, but I want to get to another thing. Theres a simple reason why our d is the way it is.

 

THE SPEED OF OUR LINEBACKERS/ the lack of a true pass rushing de.

 

Because our linebackers posessing the quickness that they do, and the lack of a true pass rusher from the de spot our d is almost handicapped and it's something they hide pretty well, but it's also the only thing thats keeping us from getting turnovers on a consistent basis. We have Big Pat and Fat Sam to clog up the middle and I agree with that. You got dt's who are that big you ask them to play to their size simply clog the lanes and let our linebackers gap blitz or we zone blitz. It's the only way we're ever gonna get sacks. Sure it's not always pretty, but it's our only true shot. I doubt highly regarding sam adams comments that we would get a lot more sacks if we allowed our dts to collapse the pocket. Doing this would also weaken our run defense, as evidenced in the 1st half against the dolphins last week. A true pass rushing de would simply give us the added benefit of not having to rely on zone blitz's on 3rd and long exposing gaps in our secondary and giving up 1st downs. Nothing against Kelsay Denney or even Schobel they don't have the ability to be a true difference maker at the de position. Lacking a 1st rd pick makes this tough, but if he's not franchsied The 1st person Tom Donahoe should target in free agency is John Abraham.