Could Center be our Biggest problem??

[Bmwolf21]

So they improve the Sack total then, but what does that do? They don't get points for Sacks in the NFL, andthe biggest weakness on this team is that the offence struggled to score in more then half their games. They were never a threat to score when they would get the ball. Unless the defence is going to do all their scoring, theres noway that improving the offence is not the #1 and #2 concern this season. With an improved offence, the defence will look better.

 

It would be great to improve the defence, but that is going to do nothing at this time to make the Bills a playoff team next year. The Bills D was not a"dominating" defence this year, but they were good enough to make this team a playoff team, if only the offence was better then Sub Par

The Ravens won a Super Bowl with a dominating defense and a pop-gun offense. And you know damn well that an improved pass rush is much more than sack totals. It helps take the pressure off the LBs and secondary, and actually helps the defense get off the field on third down, potentially giving the offense better field position and more possessions.

 

Your original point, however, was not that "it would be great to improve the defense." You said that improving the DE's was a luxury and that the DE's would improve with a 32-year-old Schobel coming back next year after a season shortened to injury and possibly needing surgery.

 

But no matter what your argument is for improving the offense, the reply that ends the debate is this: Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney. That's it. Those two should be nothing more than depth players or reserves, and yet they were our DE's all year long and will likely be "key players" on the D-line next season if we don't do something to improve that position.

 

Going into the next season counting on either of them automatically bumps DE draft picks and/or FA signings from "luxury" to "necessity."

[ans4e64]

I appreciate the comparison, thanks.

 

A couple follow-up questions because I don't know and you have seem to have watched both of the prospects.

 

Has Mack taken on big, college DTs right in his face (i.e. has he been tested in that situation in college)? Was he blown off the ball (or otherwise miserable against them)? Could he be good against the real big guys? If he can get to the second line and is very intelligent with respect to line calls he sounds great, but if he can't hold his own on the line against 3-4 NTs, we could be looking at Trey Teague II.

 

Mack is good at sealing off the DT, meaning when there is one on either side of him and they run up the middle, he's good at laterally keeping him from closing the hole, but he's not good with someone directly over him. Personally, I don't have faith he can handle Wilfork, Jenkins or Ferguson. IMO, using a 1st round pick on someone who you aren't sure can handle the job isn't a wise idea, especially when there's centers later on in the draft that are more sound in that area (i.e Caldwell and Unger).

 

 

You seem to be advocating sticking with Preston for a year or two. Do you think Preston could be a decent center on the BIlls line, given our divisional opponents? I saw an inconsistent player who alternated good games with bad. As a 5th year vet who couldn't beat out Fowler, thats not good.

 

I'm not necessarily advocating us starting Preston next year, but I think he's far from horrible. He has made stupid plays, such as snapping the ball up his ass crack and picking the fight in the New England game, but I can't argue with his blocking when the line was fully healthy over the last 7 weeks of the season. He handled the best DT's in the game, in Vince Wilfork, Shaun Rogers, Jammal Williams and Kris Jenkins, and more than held is own. As I said in an earlier post, we averaged nearly 150 rushing yards per game over that span, and I believe we have greater needs to address with our 1st round pick than spending it on a center.

 

I think the inconsistencies you saw was in the beginning of the year when Preston had Jason Whittle and Kirk Chambers playing next to him. When the line was completely healthy, they were dominant in the run game. I think he is more than a decent center for our team. On a team that doesn't face many 3-4's, he probably is an unacceptable starter, but for what we need, he is better than decent.

 

I really like Caldwell and Unger, and they will be available with our 2nd and possibly 3rd round picks if the Bills feel Preston isn't adequate enough.

[apuszczalowski]

The Ravens won a Super Bowl with a dominating defense and a pop-gun offense. And you know damn well that an improved pass rush is much more than sack totals. It helps take the pressure off the LBs and secondary, and actually helps the defense get off the field on third down, potentially giving the offense better field position and more possessions.

 

Your original point, however, was not that "it would be great to improve the defense." You said that improving the DE's was a luxury and that the DE's would improve with a 32-year-old Schobel coming back next year after a season shortened to injury and possibly needing surgery.

 

But no matter what your argument is for improving the offense, the reply that ends the debate is this: Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney. That's it. Those two should be nothing more than depth players or reserves, and yet they were our DE's all year long and will likely be "key players" on the D-line next season if we don't do something to improve that position.

 

Going into the next season counting on either of them automatically bumps DE draft picks and/or FA signings from "luxury" to "necessity."

Its going to take the Bills alot morethen a couple DE and an offseason to build a defence comparable to what the Ravens won a SB with (or have now). Giving the offence better field possition hasn't helped, the offence is just not good enough to score more then a FG when given the ball, and normally end up giving the ball back to the defence soon after the defencegetsthem the ball back. Schobel coming back improves the current DE's, and because Schobel got hurt, Kelsay and Denney needed to do what backups do in case of injury, step up and start. No team has dominating backups to sit behind their starters and most teams would see a drop in play when a starter goes down.

 

Like I have said before, don't seriously improve the offence this offseason, and it won't matter what defence the Bills have they will miss the playoffs. This defence was good enought to take them to the playoffs this year, the offencewasn't anywhere near able to take them to the playoffs

[Bmwolf21]

So many strawmen in this post I don't know where to start.

Its going to take the Bills alot morethen a couple DE and an offseason to build a defence comparable to what the Ravens won a SB with (or have now).

Never said that a couple DE and an offseason would build defense comparable to one of the best in NFL history. But an improved pass rush would push the defense from a middle-of-the-road/"average" defense to a good to very good defense that will keep the Bills in games they have no business being in.

Giving the offence better field possition hasn't helped, the offence is just not good enough to score more then a FG when given the ball, and normally end up giving the ball back to the defence soon after the defencegetsthem the ball back.

Do you have anything to back up that they had better field position this year?

Schobel coming back improves the current DE's, and because Schobel got hurt, Kelsay and Denney needed to do what backups do in case of injury, step up and start.

Again, we have no idea what Schobel is going to do when he comes back. His play has declined the last couple years, he had a season-ending injury, may need surgery, and is on the wrong side of 30. Pointing to his return as proof that we don't need to improve the DE's is just ridiculous.

No team has dominating backups to sit behind their starters and most teams would see a drop in play when a starter goes down.

Another strawman. Who said anything about having dominating backups? Hoping to have capable, competent backups isn't asking too much. But we went into the season with Kelsay as the starter. That alone demands an upgrade.

Like I have said before, don't seriously improve the offence this offseason, and it won't matter what defence the Bills have they will miss the playoffs. This defence was good enought to take them to the playoffs this year, the offencewasn't anywhere near able to take them to the playoffs

Who is saying not to improve the offense? The defense, save the Arizona game, was pretty good for most of the year, but needs some help to keep the P*ts QB's on their heels. An improved pass rush can cover a lot of liabilities and weaknesses, and can lead to more takeaways, which is a good thing, since the Bills were 28th in INT's. A good pass rush would force more errant throws and QBs trying to force throws into coverage.

 

There are pieces in place to improve the offense. Another offseason of development for the WR's (Hardy might be further behind due to the knee injury, but Steve Johnson looks like the real deal) a solid, veteran backup QB, and a FA center and/or guard and the offense will be much improved. But again, I NEVER SAID not to improve the offense. Just said that I see DE as a bigger need than center right now, and that improving the DE's is a helluva long way from a "luxury."