From: paladin@leland.Stanford.EDU (Jason Gische)
Subject: Re: Bruce.
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 21:31:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.053450.904@morrow.stanford.edu> GC.JAB@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tony Bechtold) writes:

>
>Last time I checked, the Bills defense was ranked 27th last year
>in defense. They gave up 5458 yards to the opposing opposition.
>The 49ers, recovering from the shocking sudden loss of Lott, two
>starting CB's going down before the season really even got under
>way, Haley playing hurt most of the season, Fagan missing the last 5
>or so games, the Niner defense was ranked sixth, giving up 4554 in
>total yards.  They have only improved their defense this year.
>From the looks of things, the Bills defense hasn't had any
>improvments at all. If anything, the are worse off.
>I'm not trying to deny the Bills credit on being a good team.
>Everybody knows that they are.  But as long as the Bills defense
>is subject, they aren't going to be able to cut it when matched up
>against well balanced teams such as the Eagles, 49ers, Redskins,
>Oilers, to name a few. The only reason why the Bills/Giants Super
>Bowl was close was because of the fact that New York didn't have
>as powerful an offense as Buffalo. They relied on their defense to
>keep them in it.  And that it did!
>

How can I say this nicely?  The Bills defense is not that bad.  Yes, yes, I
know they were rated 27th among 28 NFL teams last year in total yardage
allowed.  That does not, in this case, mean that they are a bad unit.
To blindly assume that ignores one very important facet of Buffalo's
game-plan.  The run a no-huddle offense every play from scrimmage.  They
score early, often, and very quickly.  Because of this, their defense is
on the field for an incredibly large percentage of the game.  As a matter
of fact, I know that the Bills were among the last in the league in
time of possession (anybody have the numbers?)  How many of you would argue
that their offense, therefore, is terrible?  A defense which is on the field
a lot is going to give up lots of yards.  This is not such a bad defense.
They have several pro-bowl players, including Bruce Smith, Cornelius
Bennet, Shane Conlan, Darryl Talley (I believe he was a pro-bowler).  
If this defense were so bad, the Bills would never have done so well last
year.

How can you so flatly state that the Niners have improved their defense
this year?  They traded away Haley, their best pass rusher, for next to
nothing.  They gambled on Daryl Pollard in the secondary and he was 
claimed in plan B so they now have an inexperienced secondary with little
depth (and I know all about 1981 with Lott and the other rookies 
starting and leading them to a super bowl but you lost that db coach
to Green Bay.)  Keith DeLong, the starting middle linebacker of a year 
ago, missed training camp because of a contract dispute.  This defense
has not proven itself to be better than last year just because it beat
the Giants and their dullest offense on earth.

The Bills, on the other hand, have a renewed Bruce Smith anchoring their
defensive line.  If he is back to his old self, then you will soon see
why he was regarded as the best defensive player in the game only a few
years ago.  That plus the continued development of Cornelius Bennet, who
came into his own last year as he was expected to lead the defense in the
absence of Smith.  With all their parts healthy, the Bills may be bound
for the Super Bowl yet again.  With a better kicker, they may even win one.

Jason Gische
Go Jets


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