Seahawks Week: With Bernard suspended, Bills should run often
Welcome to "Seahawks Week", Rumblers! In an effort to learn all that we can about the Buffalo Bills' season opening opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, we'll be joined once per day by John Morgan of Field Gulls throughout this week. John is a superbly knowledgeable blogger when it comes to the X's and O's of the game, and he'll give us some excellent perspective on the Seahawks as a team heading into Sunday's tilt. To see all posts related to Seahawks Week, click here.
We all know that the Seattle Seahawks have a top-flight defensive unit. Their defensive backs and linebackers are active playmakers, and their pass rush is top notch. However, once a position of strength along the line, the Seahawks are suddenly beat up at defensive tackle heading into Week 1. The star of the unit, Rocky Bernard, is serving a one-game suspension, and veteran Larry Tripplett was released on cut-down day. (OK... maybe that's addition by subtraction).
John Morgan drops by once again to discuss the situation on the inside as the Buffalo Bills prepare to release Marshawn Lynch at Seattle's (slightly weakened?) defense...
Buffalo Rumblings: What sort of effect does the suspension of Rocky Bernard have on the Seahawks' defensive plans for Sunday?
John Morgan, Field Gulls: Losing Bernard sucks, and for the Seahawks, exacerbates their run defense's worst weakness. Seattle will use Craig Terrill and rookie Red Bryant in a rotation at left defensive tackle. Terrill is a quick, penetrative one gap tackle that excels at disrupting rush lanes and pressuring the quarterback. For that, I've long held him in a high regard. He's the kind of second string player that makes a rotation work. Effective when played to his strengths, over an entire game, Terrill is a bit like a LOOGY forced into the rotation: possessing only half the skills needed to succeed. Seattle needs defensive tackles capable of rushing the passer, yes, but moreover capable of keeping blockers out of the second level.
For two years straight, Seattle has been susceptible to allowing long runs. In 2006, Seattle started the season with a healthy Marcus Tubbs. Through those first five games, Seattle allowed a run of 10 or more yards on only 7% of all plays. By season's end, that number had jumped to a staggering 29% of all plays. In 2007, the team rebounded a bit, allowing runs of 10 or more yards on 24% of all plays – still bad. But the Bernard, Brandon Mebane duo was stout. It was the Terrill, Howard Green second team unit that allowed embarrassing touchdown runs to Steven Jackson, DeAngelo Williams and Cedric Benson.
Bryant has the potential to keep blockers off Seattle's linemen, but as my recent review of his tape reveals, Bryant is a long, long way from being a consistent, capable defensive tackle. Still, I don't expect a change in strategy, only results.
***
Sounds good to me. If Seattle's not changing anything in the way of strategy, then Buffalo should be able to run fairly well on Sunday, Jason Peters or no Jason Peters. Even with Bernard, I considered DT to be the weakness of Seattle's defense, and John's thoughts/data back that up. Unless the Seahawks take a commanding lead in this one - and the chances of that seem unlikely, as the Bills almost always play teams close at home - the Bills should maintain quality offensive balance against the Seahawks' weakened defense.
Still, it's not all sunshine and butterflies. Bernard may be out, but the Seahawks still have a fast and disruptive defense. It's going to take an above average effort by Buffalo's interior linemen to get to the second level when blocking, because Seattle's linemen are so disruptive and their linebackers so active. Running isn't going to be easy simply because Seattle is weak up the middle. The Bills will most certainly need to be on their game.
0 recs |
21 comments
Comments
I like our running game in this match up, and hope that Barnes can spear head Lynch into the second level by lowing down Tatupu and the LB corps
The Bills CAN win every game
by killascript on Sep 4, 2008 2:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Very good point
I think what’s lost in a lot of this is the presence of a true fullback in Barnes. He truly is another lineman out there. He is bigger than any of Seattle’s LB’s, and he will be getting to the second level all day. If that is the concern (as it sounds like it is) Lynch should have a huge day. I am so pumped about the Bills finally putting the true fullback back into the offensive system. It adds a whole different dimension to the running game.
by jizdouble83 on Sep 4, 2008 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Barnes is 6’2’’, 240
Julian Peterson is 6’3’’, 240
Lofa Tatupu is 6’0’’, 242
LeRoy Hill is 6’1’’, 238
To say that Barnes is bigger than any of Seattle’s LBs is pretty uninformed. C’mon guys, check your facts before posting them on this site.
by kaisertown on Sep 5, 2008 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
To be fair
Barnes LOOKS bigger than 240 lbs….
~K
by Kurupt on Sep 5, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And to be even more fair, I had been drinking when I posted that and it came out meaner than I intended. My bad.
by kaisertown on Sep 5, 2008 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
relax
if its not exactly the truth, he was really close. Whats a few lbs here or there?
by BuffaloSuperBills on Sep 5, 2008 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah its my bad. I went too far with the post. Apologies to all.
I’m just a numbers oriented person. I largely see the world in black and white (In a philosophic way, not a rascist way) and numbers are just plain fact to me.
The truth is Barnes isn’t really bigger than any of Seattle’s linebackers and I don’t expect him to look anything like an extra lineman out there, unless by extra lineman he meant slow and awkward in space. It just came out in a poorly worded, alcohol induced way. My bad.
by kaisertown on Sep 5, 2008 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here comes the Seahawks fans talking about their stud LB’s!!!!
Haha
I love that they are missing Bernard up front. If the OL can open holes up, I’ll take my chances with Barnes and Lynch against LB’s. The key remains opening the holes on the line and getting to the second level. We have the advantage there, so let’s hope we take can follow through on that…
~K
by Kurupt on Sep 4, 2008 2:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Name a better linebacking corp?
Just because we have our #1 DT on board, doesn’t mean holes will be opened up left and right. We are missing our two cloggers in the middle (Tubbs and now Bernard), but our defensive style does promote aggressive reads by the linebackers. The advantage is your team not needing to go up against our number 1A DT. Mebane is very very much 1B.
Someone play me in Madden 09. XBOX live gamertag: BANE509
by Christian on Sep 4, 2008 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
2nd level
Generally, the Bills get linemen to the 2nd level one of two ways. The first is Fowler shooting out at the snap between the DTs. The problem is that Fowler isn’t terribly effective in space. The second way is to pull a guard (usually Butler) and have him lead the parade. This tends to work out better.
As for the DTs, it really doesn’t matter who Seattle is playing—Fowler will still be overmatched.
by Ron From NM on Sep 4, 2008 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Trent hands off to Marshawn
He breaks out into the open field, Lynch is to the 20, the 10, the 5, touchdown Buffalo!
Get the Bills back to the big game!
by Blitz on Sep 4, 2008 4:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Brandon Mebane is a beast.
Craig Terrill and Red Bryant are not.
by redwolf75 on Sep 4, 2008 4:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't forget if we have Green in that rotation, thats another wide body.
Bryant I think will be more fired up for this game.
XBOX live gamertag: BANE509...I would die tonight for my beliefs.
by Christian on Sep 4, 2008 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Red better be.
JM says that Green isn’t much of a run stopper, though.
by redwolf75 on Sep 4, 2008 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't say a stopper, but another body that can cause some disruption.
With the way our LB’s play, we need our DT’s to take up bodies. Lofa and whomever the weak side LB is at the time can help fill the gaps. Attacking of the holes is our bread and butter.
XBOX live gamertag: BANE509...I would die tonight for my beliefs.
by Christian on Sep 4, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is a team that can be out-muscled in the run game. In the pre-season game against San Diego, Darren Sproles racked up 89 yards in the first quarter! I’m not saying our running game is as good as San Diego’s, but it definitely shows a weakness.
by billsfan1970 on Sep 4, 2008 7:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't put too much stock into preseason statistics.
by BrianL on Sep 5, 2008 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep, I seem to remember the 'hawks were number 1 in many offensive categories
during the preseason. Do I take stock in them? No.
by redwolf75 on Sep 5, 2008 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

by 























