Know Your Enemy: Buffalo Bills

[Reverend]

Know Your Enemy: Buffalo Defense
 

Being carried off the field is the ultimate honor for a coach, so the Buffalo Bills’ defense hoisting defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, atop their shoulders after last weekend’s victory in Detroit should indicate the high regard the unit has for their coach. Or if, as reported, Schwartz asked the players to carry him off, then maybe he’s just an @$$hole.
Either way, the Bills employ a 4-3 scheme that sees both Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes in a wide 9alignment, a concept that puts offensive tackles on an island in space and creates opportunities for big plays against the passing game. The linebacking corps is an aggressive unit led by former PatriotBrandon Spikes. This group attacks the line of scrimmage in run support, but their approach can be exploited with underneath routes and play-action. The secondary relies on confusion to generate turnovers; this unit is very adept at rolling its alignment just prior to the snap to confuse quarterbacks and receivers alike. Every member of the Patriots’ offense will need to turn in a quality performance if New England is to leave Buffalo with a victory. And if they carry Josh McDaniels off the field afterward… would anyone blame them?

 
 
Know Your Enemy: Offense
 

A quarter of the NFL’s 32 franchises brought fresh faces aboard in 2013 to lead their squads from the sidelines, with mixed results. Of the eight new coaches, three saw their teams make the postseason, with Bruce Arians’ Cardinals just missing the playoffs after a 10-6 slate. Gus Bradley’s Jaguars doubled their 2012 win total, and Marc Trestman’s Bears scored 70 more points than in 2012 despite injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler. But while offensive-minded head coaches Andy Reid of the Chiefs, Trestman, the Eagles’ Chip Kelly, and San Diego’s Mike McCoy brought dramatic improvement to their respective scoring attacks, Doug Marrone’s Buffalo Bills finished with virtually the same point total (339) as the year before (344) and an identical 6-10 record.