Anyone else worried about the 4th Quarter Defense?

[Cbz40]

I posted in an earlier thread my concerns.

If this were only one game, then I'd not be concerned.

But San Diego, Washington, NY Giants, and to an extent the Niners (until the INT by Dat) were all able to drive late in the fourth against our defense.

This isn't an anomaly (or however you spell it). It appears to be a trend. With all the close games we're likely to be in, this is very alaming. We cannot continue to allow teams to push the ball down the field with ease.

I'm hoping this is a correctable problem. Not one that is a fatal flaw with our personnel.

Naw! couldn't be that FS we are in desperate need of could it?

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I'm looking at the replay right now. You are right, they only rushed 4. On the final play, you can see Roy asking for that the play... right before the play was snapped, you see him look at glen and raise his hands asking what the play is. They were really confused in the secondary on that play. Should have called a time out there.

Yeah, Roy seemed like he was way off of Shockey so I figured he got lost in the zone or he just didnt know the defense.

I think the main reason we struggle in zones, is that they dont do a good enough job of getting a good crack on a receiver/te before releasing them to the next level. Take a look at that 63 yarder Shockey caught on Fujita. He was running free in the zone and I think Fujita himself was the only one that got a hand on him.

I dont mind mixing it up, heck, I like that defense, but it SHOULD NOT be our base defense when trying to protect a lead. Now I know they wanted to call something they were comfortable with because of the hurry up, but they should practice being able to run zone blitzes and man on man with safties playing deep zones when the offense is in hurry up.

- Mike G.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I posted in an earlier thread my concerns.

If this were only one game, then I'd not be concerned.

But San Diego, Washington, NY Giants, and to an extent the Niners (until the INT by Dat) were all able to drive late in the fourth against our defense.

This isn't an anomaly (or however you spell it). It appears to be a trend. With all the close games we're likely to be in, this is very alaming. We cannot continue to allow teams to push the ball down the field with ease.

I'm hoping this is a correctable problem. Not one that is a fatal flaw with our personnel.

Very correctable.

Zimmer has to look at it like he is going toe to toe with someone in a fist fight. You dont let up and take the defensive until your opponent is on the ground and down for the count.

So in the fourth quarter with a lead, you got to keep playing the same defense that got you to the point where you were holding them to 2 field goals in the game.

I love the playmakers we have on defense and we should allow them to take risks in the 4th quarter.

This passive cover 2 and cover 4 defenses in the 4th quarter will hurt us against stronger competition.

I remember the announcer talking about how Manning seemed confused throught the first 3 quarters and could not figure out this defense. But in the fourth quarter, we play soft zone/prevent style defenses, he starts to pull a Staubach and keep the Cowboys fans on their toes until the very end .

 

[Bizwah]

We allowed 13 points to the highest scoring offense in the league. And 6 of those were off turnovers.

We got 4 turnovers, and didn't score off any of them.

Nope - it isn't the defense that worries me.

True, our defense played well today. They've played well every game with the exception of the San Francisco game.

But we have a potentially big-time problem with our defense closing out games.

What good is it for our defense to dominate for 50+ minutes, if only to fold for the last 5?

You can say that our offense should score more, but against a top defense like the Commanders, our offense can't be expected to score a bunch of points.

We're going to be in a TON of close games this year. We have a tough, tough schedule, and if we have a lead late in the fourth, we HAVE to keep it.

How can we not be concerned about this?

 

[Maikeru-sama]

We allowed 13 points to the highest scoring offense in the league. And 6 of those were off turnovers.

We got 4 turnovers, and didn't score off any of them.

Nope - it isn't the defense that worries me.

Im talking 4th Quarter defensive playcalling, not the Defense as a whole

- Mike G.

 

[AdamJT13]

If we hadn't blitzed Newman, Shockey probably wouldn't have scored. Because Newman blitzed, the safety had to cover his receiver. Both receivers on that side ran vertical routes, opening up the field for Shockey's drag route under the zone. If Newman hadn't blitzed, Pile probably would have been in position to tackle Shockey as he came across the field.

 

[Bizwah]

If we hadn't blitzed Newman, Shockey probably wouldn't have scored. Because Newman blitzed, the safety had to cover his receiver. Both receivers on that side ran vertical routes, opening up the field for Shockey's drag route under the zone. If Newman hadn't blitzed, Pile probably would have been in position to tackle Shockey as he came across the field.

True, and Newman was an eyelash away from getting to Manning.

 

[Crown Royal]

True, our defense played well today. They've played well every game with the exception of the San Francisco game.

But we have a potentially big-time problem with our defense closing out games.

What good is it for our defense to dominate for 50+ minutes, if only to fold for the last 5?

You can say that our offense should score more, but against a top defense like the Commanders, our offense can't be expected to score a bunch of points.

We're going to be in a TON of close games this year. We have a tough, tough schedule, and if we have a lead late in the fourth, we HAVE to keep it.

How can we not be concerned about this?

You can't ask your defense to keep an opponent under 14 points every game. Whether those points come in the first or fourth - it is just not fair. 14 points here, 17 there, that is what you strive for. Today we allowed 13 points. To me, that is good defense.

I have already said it once- has anyone noticed that, before last week's game, we lost our games where the defense held them below 17 and won the ones where we allowed 30+.

Defense just isn't what is concerning me right now.

 

[Bizwah]

You can't ask your defense to keep an opponent under 14 points every game. Whether those points come in the first or fourth - it is just not fair. 14 points here, 17 there, that is what you strive for. Today we allowed 13 points. To me, that is good defense.

I have already said it once- has anyone noticed that, before last week's game, we lost our games where the defense held them below 17 and won the ones where we allowed 30+.

Defense just isn't what is concerning me right now.

I'm not saying we don't have a good defense.

But our defense at the end of the game has been poor. Our defense should not allow teams to drive the length of the field at the end of the game.

It doesn't matter how "good" we played all game, if they don't stop a team during crunch time.

 

[Crown Royal]

I would rather believe that my offense can ice the game if my defense only allows 13 points. Not my defense having to get into 2 minute drill situations in a 13-6 game. It just isn't fair to the defense.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'm more worried about our offense not capitalizing and putting our defense in the position to win the game for us. Our offense needs to start putting opponents away.

 

[AdamJT13]

If Newman hadn't blitzed, Pile probably would have been in position to tackle Shockey as he came across the field.

After re-watching Shockey's fourth-and-10 catch, that's exactly what happened. Pile was right there to make the tackle.