Shula always said to build a team to win the division, how would you?

[zach attach]

It makes perfect sense. Win the division, get an automatic playoff birth. To do this the coaches need to make the right gameplan and the GM needs to select the right players.
So if that is the plan, win the AFCE, how would you do it?

I'd say to beat the Pats we need more than a fast rush to Brady. Innovation comes to mind. When we spanked them with the wildcat, BB wasn't ready. When we beat them this syear, we had a new offense. A fresh approach to each game next year against them, along with solid play gets us 2 wins.

Against Buffalo, I'd first say o-line. But to aid in that we need a big target. Not so much a fast player like Wallace, but a big athletic receiver that can go up for it and produce yac. as Ryan struggles to not be sacked.

Against the jets, I don't know. They seem to beat us once a year, when we clearly (On paper) should be able to blow them out. Making Geno a perfect passer is beyond me, but I couldn't watch the game. Also, they will have a new GM, HC, and players next year.

 

[Dolph N.Fan]

Maybe the "Miami is built to beat New England" stuff can be laid to rest. Miami needs personnel for a fast attacking type of defense. And the offense is too finesse. Not aggressive enough.

 

[dabeastdabone]

I actually think they have been built that way. They have just had set backs while New England always seems to find a way to get more out of less.

 

[LANGER72]

The team needs to be able to utilize different styles and win in different ways to beat our division foes.

You need an oline that can zone block and play man to man equally well.
You need a defensive line that can sack the QB while pressuring the QB with 4 rushers.
You need a running back that averages 4+ yards per carry - check
You need a QB that can make plays in the red zone. - check
You need a coach that is intelligent, innovative, and demands performance, accountability, and respect.
You need an owner that can see the forest from the trees

We have a lot of work to do.

 

[phinasota]

The team needs to be able to utilize different styles and win in different ways to beat our division foes.

You need an oline that can zone block and play man to man equally well.
You need a defensive line that can sack the QB while pressuring the QB with 4 rushers.
You need a running back that averages 4+ yards per carry - check
You need a QB that can make plays in the red zone. - check
You need a coach that is intelligent, innovative, and demands performance, accountability, and respect.
You need an owner that can see the forest from the trees

We have a lot of work to do.

I wouldn't put a check behind a qb that makes plays in the red zone. We were almost dead last if not dead last in scoring in the red zone homie

 

[Jehuty13]

We have the QB. We have the WR's. We have the RB's (If Moreno comes back), we have the D-line, and we certainly have the secondary. O-line and LB's this offseason and I promise you we'll be 10-6 minimum.

If Philbin somehow grows a spine, the division is ours. He won't though

 

[NBP81]

It doesnt really apply when your confronted to a team like the Pats in your division... I mean, is there a team that has a winning record against them since Brady got there? I like the strategy aspect of your thread and all, but the thruth is, you either need to get a QB close to Tom Brady skill wise, or wait till he retires... HOF QBs are a bitch to defeat consistently...

 

[Coach_Rob]

We have the QB. We have the WR's. We have the RB's (If Moreno comes back), we have the D-line, and we certainly have the secondary. O-line and LB's this offseason and I promise you we'll be 10-6 minimum.

If Philbin somehow grows a spine, the division is ours. He won't though

we don't have very good dt's. need a stout dt to help. and no we don't have the wrs. we need a big athletic hand catching wr

 

[zach attach]

It doesnt really apply when your confronted to a team like the Pats in your division... I mean, is there a team that has a winning record against them since Brady got there? I like the strategy aspect of your thread and all, but the thruth is, you either need to get a QB close to Tom Brady skill wise, or wait till he retires... HOF QBs are a bitch to defeat consistently...

I cringe at the thought of having to wait for a player to retire to beat his team. I was happy to see us go to a 4-3 because the Giants let Brady have it in the Super Bowls. Maybe it was part scheme and part players, but it's a great formula for defeating the pats. An innovative pressuring defense can get us 2 wins against them. Aggression!

 

[Sons Of Shula]

You need an oline that can zone block and play man to man equally well.

You either have ZBS lineman with agility and technical skills or down blocking power guys. There's really not too much in between. Other positions may be able to offer a hybrid player within a certain position but asking for 5 hybrid type players within an entire unit is not reasonable.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

I wouldn't put a check behind a qb that makes plays in the red zone. We were almost dead last if not dead last in scoring in the red zone homie

CHECK

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/quarterback-rating-in-red-zone/2014/

Quarterback Rating In Opponent 20 Yards

1 Denver Broncos 110.8
2 Atlanta Falcons 109.4
3 Kansas City Chiefs 108.3
4 Cincinnati Bengals 107.8
5 San Francisco 49ers 106.1
6 Minnesota Vikings 102.4
7 Miami Dolphins 101.8
8 Carolina Panthers 101.7
9 St. Louis Rams 101.6
10 Oakland Raiders 100.8
11 New Orleans Saints 98.7
12 New England Patriots 97.6
13 Dallas Cowboys 97.5
14 Indianapolis Colts 97.2
15 Green Bay Packers 94.3
16 New York Jets 92.5
17 Houston Texans 91.5
18 Seattle Seahawks 90.8
19 Pittsburgh Steelers 89.9
20 Tennessee Titans 87.7
21 Baltimore Ravens 85.6
22 San Diego Chargers 85.3
23 Philadelphia Eagles 84.4
24 Washington Redskins 82.3
25 Detroit Lions 82.0
26 Arizona Cardinals 81.9
27 Chicago Bears 81.4
28 New York Giants 80.2
29 Buffalo Bills 78.9
30 Cleveland Browns 66.1
31 Jacksonville Jaguars 65.0
32 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 62.7

 

[andyahs]

CHECK

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/quarterback-rating-in-red-zone/2014/

Quarterback Rating In Opponent 20 Yards

1Denver Broncos 110.8
2Atlanta Falcons 109.4
3Kansas City Chiefs108.3
4Cincinnati Bengals107.8
5San Francisco 49ers106.1
6Minnesota Vikings102.4
7Miami Dolphins 101.8
8Carolina Panthers101.7
9St. Louis Rams 101.6
10Oakland Raiders100.8
11New Orleans Saints98.7
12New England Patriots97.6
13Dallas Cowboys97.5
14Indianapolis Colts97.2
15Green Bay Packers94.3
16New York Jets92.5
17Houston Texans91.5
18Seattle Seahawks90.8
19Pittsburgh Steelers89.9
20Tennessee Titans87.7
21Baltimore Ravens85.6
22San Diego Chargers85.3
23Philadelphia Eagles84.4
24Washington Redskins82.3
25Detroit Lions82.0
26Arizona Cardinals81.9
27Chicago Bears81.4
28New York Giants80.2
29Buffalo Bills78.9
30Cleveland Browns66.1
31Jacksonville Jaguars65.0
32Tampa Bay Buccaneers62.7

Owned.

 

[SoCal Finatic]

We beat them in week one because they didn't have game tape on us. This is why the Pats usually start the year slow. To beat the Pats you have to have the talent synchronized on both sides of the ball (Our Offense is never playing as good as our Defense and vice versa ) and imaginative enough in the play calling to confuse Bellicheat. The game plan has to be continually changing. How often have we seen the Fins dominating a game against the Pats until halftime (when BB "figures out" what we're doing) only to see adjustments made and then suddenly we suck. This is not an accident.

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Well, you need different things to beat the Patriots than you need to beat the Bills and Jets. Granted, any time that you have great quarterback play, all bets are off, but here's how I see it:

To really beat the Patriots, you need a great pass rush and a strong running game. You need to beat Tom Brady.

To beat the Bills and Jets, you need a good offensive line and a good rush defense. You need to beat their defensive fronts.

For what it's worth, we are catching a huge break with Kyle Orton retiring. Orton is not great, but he was much better than EJ Manuel down the stretch for the Bills. Buffalo's defense is outstanding, and if they can get good QB play, they will be fearsome.

 

[SoCal Finatic]

Well, you need different things to beat the Patriots than you need to beat the Bills and Jets. Granted, any time that you have great quarterback play, all bets are off, but here's how I see it:

To really beat the Patriots, you need a great pass rush and a strong running game. You need to beat Tom Brady.

To beat the Bills and Jets, you need a good offensive line and a good rush defense. You need to beat their defensive fronts.

For what it's worth, we are catching a huge break with Kyle Orton retiring. Orton is not great, but he was much better than EJ Manuel down the stretch for the Bills. Buffalo's defense is outstanding, and if they can get good QB play, they will be fearsome.

Agreed. maybe they'll pick up another lousy QB like Geno Sm....oh wait....damn.