Originally posted by NCommand:Originally posted by queretano:
Although our D looks dominating most of the time, we're giving so many air yards that are killing us
Early in the season there was an obvious lack of pressure (still is sadly at least is improving) but I dont get why our CBs give that cushion and midfield behind the Lbackers is always open unless our safeties are the ones to blame for
I like M Lewis is a hard hitter SS but his coverages skills are so so at best and Goldson even being so a promise of a playmaker at FS looks two steps behind the play almost always (He's great at run support and a sure improve over Roman)
Both of them aren't safety locks for our team but the saddest part is that Roman is still in the field in every pass D formation and as usual lettin' the WR make the play (Minn and yesterday games are examples)
We have great LBs, good Dline, reliable Cbs but for long time ago struggling at safety and one passrusher away from being a hardcore D
IMO we should Goldson play SS get a good FS (Clements if possible or a FA or Draft) and really think wich scheme works better for us 3-4 or 4-3 we're a rusher away of any of them and get him (via draft should be great)
Our defense has looked dominant? LOL. Kidding.
For the ENTIRE year, the defense has been given a pass b/c of the offense with various ignorant statements such as, "Well, if the offense was better, the defense wouldn't have to be on the field so long!" Of course these same educated fans fail to focus on the games where the defense was blown out in the first halves of games or click their mouse and note that our defense is in the middle off the pack of time on the field (31:05).
I noted that we continue to try to implement players that don't fit (square peg-round holes) and that scheme is a major issue as well poor drafting and FA off-season targets.
SQ-RH - Lawson, Spikes, both safeties, some CB's, Franklin until this year, etc. In a 3-4, all 4 of your LB's need to be able to rush the QB, drop back into coverage and disguise blitzes. CB's need to be tough and physical and play at the LOS. Your NT IS the 3-4 and needs to not only occupy two men but collapse the pocket and your safeties are supposed to be interchangeable and be able to cover, blitz, play at the LOS or off, lock up TE's and obviously, your OLB's NEED to be able to win 1-on-1 battles and produce sacks. Period. Most of these players are one-dimensional (Lawson, Spikes, Lewis, Franklin, etc.).
Drafting & FA's. Some solid picks in Franklin (finally), moving Sopoaga to DE and Smith. Lewis was sold, Bly & Harris were good, Spencer, etc. High draft picks in Lawson & Willis, etc. In short we spend a gazillion dollars in FA and in top paid draftees yet, we still have the EXACT same problems we did 7 years ago. Thsi leads me to...
Scheme: Perfect example...Tully Banta-Cain. Plays very well for the Pats, comes here, sucks ass (like Peterson did here), goes back to the Pats and lights it up again. You don't think that's scheme? And the Pats don't have half the players they used too. Our scheme sucks from it's absolute predictability, to the CB's playing 40 yards off the WR's to only ONE consistent pass rusher (Willis) out of the LB group (and who's rarely used) to TE's and below-average WR's owning us in the unbelievably soft middle we have.
At the end of the day, I do believe we are better then this but had predicted a 20's defense while others were saying top 5. I predicted this b/c the players didn't fit the defense, most of the players who were acquired were one-dimensional and the scheme did not take advantage of their strengths despite the gazillion of dollars we've spent on the defense (and attention to it).
The saddest part is that the defense has relatively been the same personnel and played under the same scheme for three years now and has NOT gotten any better. So stop with the complaining about the offense - the defense IS what it is and right now, that's a 20's ranked defense!
Nobody is complaining about the time the D is in, is more about the cushion and the personnel
We need to create constant pressure and most of all close the cover that cushion is killing us, IMO again is cuz we lack safety from the safeties