Why can't the defense get off the field on third down?

An unsettling trend has been going on for the better part of two years now and that is giving up third and mediums/long to opposing offenses.

We had 3rd and 23 and we somehow let them convert it? Whats with all these long conversions?

Discuss. Curious to see what people think.

When Bennett and Kam get back it should improve. I'd say there's definitely fatigue from the lack of a consistent offense to give these guys some rest.

Actually, the big problem to me tonight was 1st down. When you give up 7, 8, 9 yds on 1st down, it leads to a lot of easy 2d and 3d and short situations.

sutz":35hoes0f said:

Actually, the big problem to me tonight was 1st down. When you give up 7, 8, 9 yds on 1st down, it leads to a lot of easy 2d and 3d and short situations.

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Very true, but the 3rd down and longs epsecialy when you only rush 3 and give the opposing QB 8 years to throw he ball is severely irritating. My old highschool football coach used to say the QB cannot throw the ball if he is laying on the ground.

It's like they've never played "the ground is lava".

Bigpumpkin":1xxgaqra said:

IMHO....fatigue was clearly a factor tonight. The TOP was 2-1 in the Bills favor at one point late in the game. Without an adequate running game, our Offence is unable to "pound the ball" eating up the clock ....which gives the Defense some rest. Our O-line does need some guidance on moving the opponent backwards.

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While fatigue may very well be a factor, it cannot be the blame of the first drive of the game (not counting the 1 play TD after the punt block). It was a 10 minute drive that resulted in a TD.

Injuries to high-priced-high-performance players. It happens.

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Besides, 3rd down is the best down. Everyone want's to be apart of it!

pcbball12":3ilp518a said:

Bigpumpkin":3ilp518a said:

IMHO....fatigue was clearly a factor tonight. The TOP was 2-1 in the Bills favor at one point late in the game. Without an adequate running game, our Offence is unable to "pound the ball" eating up the clock ....which gives the Defense some rest. Our O-line does need some guidance on moving the opponent backwards.

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While fatigue may very well be a factor, it cannot be the blame of the first drive of the game (not counting the 1 play TD after the punt block). It was a 10 minute drive that resulted in a TD.

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Any fatigue last night was 100% on the defense. Get off the field.

#20

It just seems like the last 3 weeks we haven't been able to get teams in 3rd and long, for the most part and especially tonight teams are getting positive play on first down, making 3rd down very manageable.

Too much zone.
Looks like a D strategy when up a couple scores trying to run out the clock.
Richard?

Too much zone for my liking. We didn't disguise the defense very much at all, there's usually a lot of motion at the LOS. I only noticed a few blitzes throughout the game and on the last drive,;one got home, the other was a second away from another. Jeremy Lane got beaten once again on that play. He is starting to become an actual liability.

Nobody was wrapping up. Every Bills player was getting by two or three defenders before being tackled. At least it seemed that way. That and Lane getting beaten like a red headed step child.

Arm tackling! That was some of the worse attempts at tackling I have seen from the Hawks in a long while. We won the super bowl largely on our tackling. We used to to keep YAC to less then 2-3 yards. Now guys are making a catch and making 5-10 yards.

I know. Giving up 3rd and 20+ on the finally drive of the game was just shocking, but for the fact they had been doing it all game. How does a supposed elite defense give up 3rd and 20+ when the game is on the line? Pathetic.

I'd like to see a list of the down-and-distance for all the third downs Buffalo and NO converted over the past few weeks. The third and long conversions really, really hurt a defense and stick out in our minds.

But I think we'll find our team is in 3rd and 2, 3rd and 3, etc. far too often. Giving up the yards on first and second down is creating this inability to get off the field on third down - as it's third and short in many instances.

Also, sack figures can be deceiving when judging a pass rush. I feel like our overall sack totals are fine by the end of the game, but there are also long stretches where the opposing team's QB is getting too much time.

sutz":394gegwn said:

Actually, the big problem to me tonight was 1st down. When you give up 7, 8, 9 yds on 1st down, it leads to a lot of easy 2d and 3d and short situations.

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This right here. Sure, it sucked to give up a 3rd and 21, and a 3rd and 16 to Tyrod Taylor, but we got killed on 1st and 2nd down.

That and Tyrod Taylor gave us the Russell Wilson treatment. We had DE"s rushing straight up field and not containing, and Taylor quickly obliged them by running outside for 10-12 yards.

I feel like there is lack of agression from guys like shead and lane and sometimes sherman. They seem content with letting the WR catch the pass sometimes and making the tackle after. They make no effort to undercut routes or make a play on the ball anymore. I dont even remember the last time anyone other CB than sherman got a pick.