I just saw we lead the NFL in redzone defense. This will pay dividends if we can keep it up next year. It's also why I'm for resigning Starks and even Smith. No need to create more holes. I also want another elite passrusher with our first pick in the draft.
starks--yeah, smith, i dont know, but what i do agree with is that elite-ish pass rusher coming from the first will help the team on multiple levels.... near immediate impact, and the rest of the draft has fairly decent depth on some of the other holes we have. Although, I wish some of those shiney WRs and TEs i've been looking at would drop to our 2nd pick, but i doubt it I'm happy with how the red zone D played..ecstatic really, but it can't make you overlook glaring holes and issues they have in the other phases of the game.
How many over 20 yard TD's were there compared to the rest of the league? Also how many redzone TD's were given up on run vs pass, and how many times are teams throwing vs running against them in the redzone? Just food for thought.
I think we have more holes on the offensive side of the ball. Might want to use our 1st pick on that side of the ball. I love another pass rusher? But more concerned that the player turns out to be a studd for year's to come. We can not afford to blow this pick.
Losing Smith creates a hole, but we probably have enough already on the team to replace Starks w/o much of an impact on the D. I agree that a pass rusher in the 1st makes the most sense. The talent in this draft just isn't there in the top half of the first. If you want to minimize the chances of blowing that first pick, don't reach for an offensive need there.
Caveat is, we did play some really poor passing offenses this yr, couple that with a good Run D it makes our numbers look a bit better than our actual talent level imo. As an example, did we create a single red zone turnover?
Jones interception late in the 2nd Bills game comes to mind. Also Clemons at home against the Jets. Clemons again in the away Jets game.
