Miami Has Best Defense in AFC East - Part 1

Let's face it. The Dolphins have the most likely IMPACT DEFENSE in the division. It's not an easy argument to sell to most outsiders, but let me give it a go. Feel free to agree/disagree/add to the argument.

Part One - The Buffalo Bills

There's no denying that Buffalo has a fine set of starting defensive linemen. Kelsay, Stroud, Williams and Schobel are among the best groups of starting 4-3 linemen in the NFL. But the Bills are the only team in the division still running a 4-3 scheme. And when you have four guys on the line on every play you need extra reserves. And Buffalo's reserves are NOT good. They are small, injury prone, lack experience and let's face it, any reserve DT in a 4-3 is going to be at best, the 3rd best player at the position. As several of you tend to point out, the best reserve is someone who could be starting for any team but your starter is just a bit better. Well, in these guys' cases, they're not a shave under the first guy, they're under the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and possibly 5th guy.

In comparison, the Dolphins had plenty of competition for their starting line-up, and several of the reserves have looked very strong in the pre-season. And they're a big bunch, averaging over 6'4" and 307lbs. But besides size, they're all very athletic.

Things get worse as you move into the second level. Now, Kawika Mitchell is a very good LB, if you ask me, but his sidekick, Paul Posluszny is very over-rated, in my opinion. I'm not saying he isn't a good linebacker, but his size is suspect and his numbers could be inflated by the lack of support around him. The Bills run defense gave 312 yards to the Patriots last year. The Patriots!! On the other side of Poz, is Keith Ellison, who is just another body, and a small one at that at 6'0", 229lbs.

The Dolphins are pretty stacked at LB thanks to the overload of pass rushers kept on to allow more of a rotation to increase the level of blitzing. Only one of Buffalo's linebackers are smaller than our 7th round drafted practice squadder JD Folsom.

Then things get ugly as you move into the secondary. McKelvin is serviceable and McGee is pretty good but once again, very undersized. Their is no depth at corner, but they kept 6 on the roster. Then there's the Safety position. No one on this team would be starting on another team. Donte Whitner in 3 years in the league has more arrests than interceptions and sacks combined. I don't want to say anything bad about Bryan Scott, the strong safety because he's a classy guy, which is rare in Buffalo, not to mention the entire NFL. But he's only started 16 games once in 6 years in the league and that was the only year he had over 68 tackles in. His size, 6'1" 219lbs makes him just as big as Buffalo's linebackers. Once again, their is no depth to speak of at this position.

Miami kept nine defensive backs in comparison to Buffalo's eleven. And increased competition has helped out this unit as well. I like the idea that even though Sean Smith will start on Sunday, Vontae Davis will forever be clipping at his heels. And Jason Allen and Nate Jones both have huge incentive to play the best football of their lives this year. The only concern with the secondary is that we still don't know if Gibril Wilson is THE guy. To be honest, with Tyrone Culver and Chris Clemons in reserve, I don't see the coaching staff hesitating to make a change if necessary.