Carter, Lee, and the identity of this team

[Galian Beast]

I've been saying for a while that this team could have the combination of the colts on offense and the ravens on defense, but maybe that identity and that mix is too hard to establish.

I think we have the players, but I don't think we have the identity. And our offensive line is probably a large part of that as well (so maybe we don't have the players).

With the way Sean Lee is playing, our defense is just absolutely legit. The last team to keep the Patriots from scoring 30 points. They allowed 20, but if our offense was more consistent, I could easily have seen the Patriots only scoring 10 or so points. That screams of elite.

Carter coming into the mix, makes me absolutely delighted. I feel as though Carter is potentially a huge upgrade over Brooking/James. If Rob Ryan and Sean Lee can bring this kid along quickly, I think we're going to be absolutely stunning.

All that being said, does that make us a "Defensive Team", ala Steelers and Ravens? These teams aren't pass happy teams. Romo is my favorite player on the roster, but I don't know how well he fits in our team. In the past players would rely solely on Romo to get the W. With Kitna you actually saw the team realize they all needed to step up. I feel as though the defense has obviously stepped forward, but now the offense is suspect.

28th in the league in rushing yards per attempt
27th in the league in rushing yards per game
21st in the league in rushing attempts per game
30th in the league in rushing touchdowns
32nd in the league in rushing 1st down percentage
31st in the league in rushing 1st downs
24th in the league in rushes over 20 yards
5th in the league in fumbles

Everyone thinks that rushing doesn't matter, but that's the real reason why we've lost 3 games this year.

I can only pray that Holland is an improvement over Nagy. I'm actually willing to see if Dockery can come back and replace Kosier as a starter.

Perhaps the extra size can help us. I don't think it's any coincidence that Daniel Loper is 320 lbs.

Here is also to hoping that Murray has better vision than Felix.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The defense is improved... No question there.

Still giving up way too many points though to be considered dominate... Even with 21 of those points coming off two Romo picks and the blocked punt.

 

[Galian Beast]

The defense is improved... No question there.

Still giving up way too many points though to be considered dominate... Even with 21 of those points coming off two Romo picks and the blocked punt.

They're giving up too many points because of the offense, but not just because of those pick sixes.

Very rarely do I think teams have marched the length of the field to score touchdowns on this defense.

9 passing touchdowns allowed - 15th in the nfl
1 rushing touchdown allowed - 2nd in the nfl

The defense is getting better and better every week, which makes a lot of sense, since it took us a while to get healthy on defense.

When Hatcher comes back I think we'll be even better.

 

[CCBoy]

Give this team a pocket gulping huge nose tackle and a matched pair for DeMarcus Ware and they'll show you an unbearable version of the Raven's defense. And Pittsburgh doesn't sniff that picture.

 

[Hostile]

I am not bagging on the Defense. Please realize that up front.

In 2010 we allowed 436 points.

Right now, we are on pace to allow 387 points.

I agree we have improved, but there is still work to be done on that side of the football.

 

[Idgit]

Galian Beast, has someone taken over your user account?

Do you maybe have a younger, more hopeful brother and sometimes you forget to log out? What's gotten into you lately?

 

[Hostile]

Galian Beast, has someone taken over your user account?

Do you maybe have a younger, more hopeful brother and sometimes you forget to log out? What's gotten into you lately?

I am glad I am not the only one who has noticed.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I am not bagging on the Defense. Please realize that up front.

In 2010 we allowed 436 points.

Right now, we are on pace to allow 387 points.

I agree we have improved, but there is still work to be done on that side of the football.

I agree. I think the defense is much improved from last year but they need to get opposing teams off the field on 3rd down. I think the opponent 3rd down efficiency is 42%. That's too high.

 

[RS12]

So far this year the run game is nothing but an after thought. It seems they dont even bother trying to establish it. Dont know if it is because they dont think they can, or because the Packers won it all last year without a run game, and the coaching staff thinks they can follow suit.

 

[Galian Beast]

Galian Beast, has someone taken over your user account?

Do you maybe have a younger, more hopeful brother and sometimes you forget to log out? What's gotten into you lately?

I call it like I see it. I think this team has more potential than the 2007 and 2009 teams.

That being said I have been adamant for a few years now on upgrading this offensive line. I've been a proponent for this for a while, and I think people are seeing why.

That said, other facets of our team are doing really well, and I will praise them as deserved.

I thought getting rid of Marion Barber would open up this offense, but unfortunately the offensive line is still holding it back.

I am not bagging on the Defense. Please realize that up front.

In 2010 we allowed 436 points.

Right now, we are on pace to allow 387 points.

I agree we have improved, but there is still work to be done on that side of the football.

Hostile, what a lot of people don't see in that 436 points and the amount of points we have given up this year is that a lot of those points are because of our offense.

The offense has turned the ball over 12 times in 5 games. That makes things difficult for the defense, yet they've done a really good job of stopping teams for field goals instead of touchdowns.

 

[Galian Beast]

I agree. I think the defense is much improved from last year but they need to get opposing teams off the field on 3rd down. I think the opponent 3rd down efficiency is 42%. That's too high.

i think that will improve once Carter becomes part of the nickel defense, not to mention as a result of having all 3 nickel starting corners healthy, and as the defense continues to get comfortable in the scheme.

 

[Galian Beast]

I agree. I think the defense is much improved from last year but they need to get opposing teams off the field on 3rd down. I think the opponent 3rd down efficiency is 42%. That's too high.

i think that will improve once Carter becomes part of the nickel defense, not to mention as a result of having all 3 nickel starting corners healthy, and as the defense continues to get comfortable in the scheme.

I think we'll see fewer 3rd down conversions and fewer 3rd downs as a result.

 

[Frozen700]

Carter, and Lee?

Rush Hour Boys?

 

[Galian Beast]

So far this year the run game is nothing but an after thought. It seems they dont even bother trying to establish it. Dont know if it is because they dont think they can, or because the Packers won it all last year without a run game, and the coaching staff thinks they can follow suit.

We've been unable to run the ball well.


We're averaging 3.4 yards per carry, the Packers averaged 3.8 yards per carry. More importantly though.

The packers had 11 rushing touchdowns.

.6875 average per game

compared to us

.200 average per game

That's a huge discrepancy.

The worst team in the league finished last year with a .375 average.

Let me break it down by year.

Since Romo became a starter (counting full 2006 year)

year - rushing td average
2006 -1.3125
2007 - .875
2008 - .750
2009 - .875
2010 - .625
2011 - .200

Notice how the years we made it to the playoffs we're above .750? I would maintain that if we could even get .625 (2010) with our defense the way it is, we would be able to make a push into the playoffs.

Note: that is 3 rushing touchdowns instead of 1. And I think you could argue that if we had scored two more rushing touchdowns this year rather than field goals we would probably be at least 4-1.

 

[CCBoy]

I call it like I see it. I think this team has more potential than the 2007 and 2009 teams.

That being said I have been adamant for a few years now on upgrading this offensive line. I've been a proponent for this for a while, and I think people are seeing why.

That said, other facets of our team are doing really well, and I will praise them as deserved.

I thought getting rid of Marion Barber would open up this offense, but unfortunately the offensive line is still holding it back.



Hostile, what a lot of people don't see in that 436 points and the amount of points we have given up this year is that a lot of those points are because of our offense.

The offense has turned the ball over 12 times in 5 games. That makes things difficult for the defense, yet they've done a really good job of stopping teams for field goals instead of touchdowns.

Hey, that's a little jewel of insights...:starspin

 

[CCBoy]

i think that will improve once Carter becomes part of the nickel defense, not to mention as a result of having all 3 nickel starting corners healthy, and as the defense continues to get comfortable in the scheme.

I'm betting that Carter and Lee make New England's tight end pair much less effective...

 

[Galian Beast]

I feel as though every set takes on the personality of it's coordinator and it's star players.

It's really showing on defense, but it has REALLY showed on offense.

Drive stalling penalties/the delay of games/wasted time outs/inability to line up/know the plays/routes...

Inability to score in the redzone...

None of this in new...

 

[CCBoy]

I feel as though every set takes on the personality of it's coordinator and it's star players.

It's really showing on defense, but it has REALLY showed on offense.

Drive stalling penalties/the delay of games/wasted time outs/inability to line up/know the plays/routes...

Inability to score in the redzone...

None of this in new...

I have to disagree here. I was in the military and have witnessed leaders that while in the heat, reamined cool, and they and their men grew through the fire.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

The defense is improved... No question there.

Still giving up way too many points though to be considered dominate... Even with 21 of those points coming off two Romo picks and the blocked punt.

Those 21 points make a big, big difference.

Without them, we would rank 9th in the league with 20 points per game allowed.

With them we rank 19th.

The debacle in Detroit really screwed up our ranking in more ways than one. :bang2:

Anytime you can hold one of....Nevermind. The results of last weekend still piss me off.

 

[Hostile]

Hostile, what a lot of people don't see in that 436 points and the amount of points we have given up this year is that a lot of those points are because of our offense.

The offense has turned the ball over 12 times in 5 games. That makes things difficult for the defense, yet they've done a really good job of stopping teams for field goals instead of touchdowns.

Very true, but they have also allowed the last 2 teams we played to score game winning touchdowns in crunch time. Trust me when I say, I bet Rob Ryan is not satisfied.