http://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/gnnsports_story_161225837.html?keyword=topstory NFL: Bills plotting new defensive scheme? Defensive system won’t be overhauled, coordinator says By Jonah Bronstein TheAmherstRecord.com ORCHARD PARK — There’s perception, and then there’s reality regarding the Buffalo Bills defense. After ranking second in the NFL in total yards allowed two years in a row, the Bills perceived themselves to be one of the best defenses of all-time heading into 2005. Linebacker Takeo Spikes even predicted that the unit would play to the level of the legendary ’85 Bears. In reality, Buffalo was 29th in the league in yards allowed last season. With and without Spikes — who tore his Achilles tendon in September — the Bills defense struggled to get off the field and keep teams out of the end zone. Going into this offseason, most observers thought the team needed to acquire a mammoth interior lineman to replace the departed Pat Williams and improve a run defense that was second-worst in the league, statistically, in ’05. This school of thought led to mock drafts predicting that Buffalo would select a defensive tackle, Haloti Ngata in most cases, with the eighth pick in the draft. Yet on draft day, the Bills selected a safety, Donte Whitner, with their first pick, and then traded back into the bottom of the first round to draft John McCargo, a quick, penetrating defensive tackle. His skill set is similar to Larry Tripplet, the Bills biggest free-agency signing. Coupled with the subtraction of two slowing veterans — Sam Adams and Lawyer Milloy — these additions signal that the Bills are putting together a roster suited to play the Cover 2 defense variation known as the Tampa 2. New defensive coordinator Perry Fewell last worked in Chicago under Lovie Smith, a disciple of the Tampa 2’s originator, Tony Dungy. Most assume Fewell will install this defensive scheme in Buffalo. But, according to Fewell: “That’s perception more than reality.” Speaking on Thursday after the Bills concluded their last organized team activity of the spring, Fewell indicated that his defensive game plans this season will not exclusively employ the Tampa 2. He said the Bills will use a variety of coverages in ’06. In the Tampa 2 scheme, the defensive backs and linebackers play mostly zone in passing situations. “It comes down to how we teach our concepts and technique,” Fewell said. Head coach Dick Jauron shared Wednesday on Sirius NFL Radio the sentiment that the recent success of Tampa 2 defenses like the Bears, Buccaneers and Colts can’t be imitated by merely copying their play books. “Whatever your scheme is, if you’re disciplined enough in your coaching of it ... and you’ve got players that are good enough, you’re going to win,” he said. Cornerback Terrence McGee said Thursday that Fewell’s principles aren’t much different than those of previous defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. “To me, [the scheme] is really the same, besides the terminology,” McGee said. Gray was known to employ heavy blitzing and man coverage in his game plans. But McGee said that wasn’t always the case. “We did a lot of the same stuff last year that we’re going to do this year” he said. According to McGee, the Bills played Cover 2 often last season — notably in trying to slow down Carolina’s Steve Smith in Week 12. Despite the fact that the Bills have acquired pieces that fit well in the Tampa 2 puzzle, McGee said the Bills’ play book won’t look like it was created by Dungy. “We’re not running as much 2 as you think,” he said. Fewell and McGee could be indicating that the Bills won’t be playing a Tampa 2 system this season — when in fact they will do just that — in order not to tip their hand to opponents. If that’s the case, then the newest Bill, linebacker Courtney Watson, acquired this week in a trade with New Orleans, hasn’t been briefed on the strategy. “From what I've seen here so far, it's going to be a lot more zone, read and react, and get a chance to make plays on the ball,” Watson said Thursday. “ I definitely like this. I've always been a big proponent of zone defenses like Tampa and Chicago, with Cover 3 and Cover 2.” • • • TAMPA 2 DEFENSE What is it? A variation of the Cover 2 defense developed in the mid-’90s by Tampa Bay head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Who does what? All four defensive linemen are expected to penetrate their assigned gaps, putting pressure on the quarterback on pass plays and forcing running plays to the outside. Linebackers must be fast in the Tampa 2, in order to chase and tackle ball carriers and cover their assigned zones on passing plays. Generally, the middle linebacker runs back to cover the deep middle on passes. Safeties in the Tampa 2 cover the deep sideline zones and are expected to quickly get to the ball on running plays. Cornerbacks cover the short sideline zones and try to redirect receivers to the safeties covering the deep zone. Strengths and weaknesses Speed is a premium in this defense, which is why it’s very effective against the pass. But faster players are often smaller, and thus less suited to stop power running attacks.
Didn't their D suck last year? How can they change it when they were terrible and made two terrible picks in the first round of the draft?
Yes, the Bills D sucked last year, which is why they are changing it. Out with the large but slow and tempermental Sam Adams. Out with the expensive, aging, and less-than-fleet Lawyer Milloy. In with younger, faster guys (albeit somewhat smaller linemen)! :grin: It should be similar to the Tampa 2 defense since DC Percy Fewell is a Tony Dungy disciple. :up: No, the Bills did not make "two terrible picks in the first round" unless you're a draftnik and they screwed up your mock draft shit by passing on Matt Leinart. They drafted for need, and concentrated on D to get the most "bang for their buck". Whitner might be starting SS on opening day and in contention for defensive ROY. McCargo is expected to be in the DT rotation from the beginning of the season, although probably not a starter. The Bills signed Larry Triplett (DT) and Matt Bowen (S), and traded an extra TE for MLB Courtney Watson to back up London Fletcher (and perhaps be his replacement down the road). Hopefully, Takeo Spikes comes back 100%, but Angelo Crowell proved he belongs on the field. If Takeo is good to go, the LBs will probably Spikes, Fletcher, and Crowell with Posey being a designated pass-rusher playing a combo OLB/DE role in some situations. Did I mention CBs Nate Clements and Terrence McGee? It may take a while for this defense, especially the DTs, to get rolling because there's going to be a learning curve, particularly for the young guys, but they're not going to resemble Jerry Gray's weak sisters that never could stop game-winning drives, especially late in the game. :up:
The bills are terrible, just deal with it. The Whitner pick was a horrendous pick and the McCargo was even worse. The fact is that the Bills o-line is STILL their number 1 concern and was not even addressed till the 5th round.
I'm sorry if the Bills messed up your mock draft, but "value" and "best player available" are only important to draftniks who aren't charged with putting together a winning football team. Well, only the season will settle this, but the fact is that Whitner and McCargo are exactly what the Bills needed: a safety and a defensive tackle. The fact is that the Bills couldn't stop the run last year, couldn't get off the field, and then couldn't stop the pass either. The defensive failures stemmed from lack of talent, poor attitude, older players losing speed, and poor coaching (ie, trying to fit players into a system that didn't suit them). The Bills are working on remedying that, and they started with the draft. The oline was a problem last season, but it was addressed mostly through free agency. First, subtractions: Mike Williams is gone, and more recently, another slow, large body hit the road: Bennie Anderson. Teague was okay, but he was over-matched too often, so the Jets are welcome to him. Newcomers Reyes and Fowler, vets Gandy and Villarial, and the young linemen like Peters and Preston are starting to assert themselves. Is this an all-pro bunch? No way, not yet, but they're better than last year being faster and quicker and more explosive (which is what you need to get that extra half yard near the goal line). The Bills and Jets will split, I think, each team winning at home. :grin:
Trust me you will see a very different Bills offense this year. I gaurentee you we will put alot of points on the board this year
Look for the Bills to emphasize speed on offense. They've swapped out their huge, slow olinemen like Mike Williams and Bennie Anderson for "smaller", quicker players like Tutan Reyes and Mel Fowler. They've added a blocking TE in Robert Royal. They already had a stable of speedy WRs, but added a couple more. Willis McGahee came into minicamp yesterday noticeably lighter than he played last season, and he's aiming to shed a little more by TC. This ain't gonna be Mike Mularkey's old offense, folks! That's moved down to Finland!
Lee Evans is the only threat on that offense and when Losman is throwing the ball 10 yards over his head or underthrowing him by 10 yards, he won't be a threat at all. Also, I think it's about time for Bills fans to realize that McGahee will never have his breakaway speed again that he had at Miami.
First off, the Bills have a bunch of fast, young receivers, mostly unknown, as well as a couple of decent vets in Peerless Price and Josh Reed, both of whom have a lot to prove to the rest of the NLF. Second, Losman hooked up with Evans frequently last year. When he lights up the Jets' secondary in late September, don't say you weren't warned! :grin: Third, McGahee hasn't shown as much speed as he did in college, but he also wasn't used in the best ways. Besides, he doesn't have to be as fast as he was in college. Even at a step slower, he's still a dangerous back, and the best RB currently in the AFC East.
Yeah, but they didn't. You guys are going to see a new Bills team this season ... and you aren't going to find it easy pickin's, either! :grin:
I question anyone that thinks having Josh Reed and Peerless Price on the roster is a positive. Marv Levy overpaid for both these bums when there were 0 interests in Price and most likley would have been little interest for Reed. Losman did not hook up with Evans frequently last year. The only decent day they had was against Miami. The balls were poorly thrown and Evans made great plays on the ball. The only reason McGahee was the best runningback in the AFC East last year was due to aging runningbacks that had injury problems and the fact the Dolphins had a platoon backfield. 3.8 ypc doesn't impress anyone.
