Guys who don’t intercept passes need to help Bills intercept passes

By Anthony Bialy  |   Thursday, June 18, 2009  |  Comments( 71 )

Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills were no good at intercepting passes last season, and some Bills can blame other Bills for that. It’s easy to call out the cornerbacks for their granite hands and diminutive stature, but those are genetic characteristics. Besides, the true culprits were the defensive linemen who let the flames spread when they didn’t attack the fire at its source. Seizing more passes starts with seizing more quarterbacks.

The defense’s 10 interceptions last season meant it finished 27th out of 32 NFL teams. The Detroit Lions finished with four, which was of course the worst; while that’s amusing, it’s only a momentary distraction from Buffalo’s skimpy amount. Plus, the Bills look rather sad by comparison to actual pro teams and not the Lions. Seven teams more than doubled Buffalo’s pass-stealing rate, including the Baltimore Ravens, who paced the league on the whole and led the Bills by a lot with 26.

Buffalo spread around the scraps. Terrence McGee led the squad with three picks, while Leodis McKelvin, Kawika Mitchell and current New Orleans Saint Jabari Greer each added a pair. Paul Posluszny picked off a lone pass, and that’s it, as five players accounted for the entire output.

Oddly, the Bills performed decently overall against the pass, coming in 13th with 204.4 air yards conceded per contest. Or maybe it’s not so odd: They essentially played competently without making spectacular plays. The fact that they also managed a lousy sack and a half per game affected the interception rate, as the defensive line didn’t pop the pocket with any regularity.

Teams with unstoppably fierce pass rushes are going to make their cornerbacks’ lives astoundingly easy, a phenomenon the league should officially refer to as the Deion Sanders Law. The goal should be to force a high percentage of interceptions thanks to quarterbacks desperately heaving the ball to avoid being murdered.

Conversely, intercepting players occasionally make great reads and break on routes. But it’s much easier to be in the right spot and hold on to a desperately errant ball. All the back seven need to do if the line does its job is pay attention to the pass’ wobbly trajectory..

Sadly for the Bills, they didn’t get the hits, which led to them not getting the takes. Buffalo failed to get to the passer in time nearly all the time. That’s partly why none of their safeties got on the interception roll, not to mention why not too many players at all didn’t, either.

The linemen need to contribute more in teamwork terms. The best hope comes thanks to the draft: Aaron Maybin should know his primary goal is to ensure the secondary’s job is easy. A draftee from last year in Chris Ellis can start over after a forgettable rookie campaign, while 2001 pick Aaron Schobel could generate numerous aerial turnovers for his companions if he can only return to form. Acquiring the pass rush they desperately need will help those dealing with the tail ends of passes, too.
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