Inability to get any legitimate upgrades on defense will hurt

[Galian Beast]

Going into this year with the same defensive roster as last year is starting to scream of idiocy.

We all want to go back to 2009, but we're in 2011. Players drop off, and that's exactly what we're looking at, wide scale drop off.

Our defensive line gets ZERO push. I don't know if it's how bad our offensive line is our how bad our defensive line is, but the contrast other teams QBs get is absolutely stunning.

We can't cover ANYTHING in the flats... to save our lives... RBs and TEs are having a field day with us. Huge gaps there all preseason.

I wonder if getting Newman and Jenkins is going to make the defense and special teams more capable of tackling. Unless we get a ton of coverage pressure on the qb, this is going to be a long season. We hear talk about how camp was more physical, yet these guys have regressed even more when it comes to tackling. Don't blame it on the lockout either, didn't seem to effect the Vikings.

Quite frankly I don't think our offense is going to be good enough to offset the defense as it currently stands. I'm not the return of Miles Austin is going to be the difference maker either. We had 0 ability to throw down field, I'm praying that will change with Miles back in the lineup.

The defense needs so much help it isn't even funny. I'm not talking about scheme, I'm talking about ability.

Sean Lee? Where has this guy been the last 3 games? Completely invisible. I hope Brooking has something left in his tank to help in run defense.

 

[Bluestang]

I am huge supporter of Ratliff but from what I have seen so far he is getting blown up on double teams. It starts with the NT for a 3-4 and when that guy is getting pushed around and some cases flattened by double teams, the opponent can pretty much push you around. I think with Spears out too we see another problem, our backup DEs are scrubs. Well we knew Igor was going down the tube. I'm sure we will scour the waiver wire.

I am now on the bandwagon to move Rat to DE. Screw that he doesn't want to play there, it's a move that is better for the team. No I in team Jay. We also need to sign another big NT. I like Brent but sometimes he doesn't play with good technique and other times he dominates.

The 3 big uglies are like the 3 big softies and our backers are getting dominated.

 

[Galian Beast]

I have to blame Jerry and Stephen. This team screams of gross cap mismanagement.

We have so much money tied into players who don't make a big enough difference, and we just did it again with that extension to Scandrick.

 

[landroverking]

I think when we hit the Jets game we may see more on a four man front. Maybe even some of the old 46 defense.

 

[newlander]

I think when we hit the Jets game we may see more on a four man front. Maybe even some of the old 46 defense.

...Jets are DROOLING at prospect of running on this D. We straight up suck right now. Beyond disappointing IMO.:bang2:

 

[casmith07]

Galian Beast - I think you should show up for camp next year ready to show them how it's done.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Galian Beast - I think you should show up for camp next year ready to show them how it's done.

are you sacrastically saying that they haven't?

lol

and add another lol @ scandrick 27 mil extension.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Galian Beast - I think you should show up for camp next year ready to show them how it's done.

That's the biggest cop out from fans. "Go show them how it's done"
No one here is saying they can show them how it's done.
It seems JG has made JJ re-think his strategies by not going after
the big names weather they can play or not but we are in the shape we
are in because the people who should know how it's done didn't, or didn't
do it.

I think Ryan can take the same personnel that Phillips had and make them better. But Galian is right, we have done nothing to help the process from a personnel point.

 

[ZeroClub]

Sure, if they added 2 or 3 superstars to the defense, the defense would likely be better.

 

[tomson75]

Preseason - fooling dimwits since 1978.

 

[Alexander]

Preseason - fooling dimwits since 1978.

So, since you claim it is all preseason, is there a reason why our front seven appeared to deliberately allow themselves to be steamrolled by a Minnesota offensive line that is far from the league's best? That was not just Adrian Peterson out there. He enjoyed magnificent blocking.

 

[tomson75]

So, since you claim it is all preseason, is there a reason why our front seven appeared to deliberately allow themselves to be steamrolled by a Minnesota offensive line that is far from the league's best? That was not just Adrian Peterson out there. He enjoyed magnificent blocking.

I claimed it was ALL preseason?

I see your reading too much into things isn't limited to preseason football games.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I thought Rob was the only upgrade we needed...

But really, I wouldn't get too worked up about much of anything in preseason. Not stopping the run is sort of concerning, but you can usually scheme to stop the run if you really want to.

 

[cowboys2233]

So, since you claim it is all preseason, is there a reason why our front seven appeared to deliberately allow themselves to be steamrolled by a Minnesota offensive line that is far from the league's best? That was not just Adrian Peterson out there. He enjoyed magnificent blocking.

Hey, it could be worse. We could be Patriots fans. I realize this was the "dress rehearsal" but even the first couple of weeks into the regular season are not always indicative of how the team is going to look later in the season.

 

[Falcon554]

I thought Rob was the only upgrade we needed...

But really, I wouldn't get too worked up about much of anything in preseason. Not stopping the run is sort of concerning, but you can usually scheme to stop the run if you really want to.

I would think last year would of taught people, dont worry about the score but watch how they play. Right now this D is in bad bad shape.

Same D as last year, maybe even worse results?

 

[ZeroClub]

With Rob Ryan's aggressive defense, the defense isn't going to be a steady model of consistency. ... it's going to be hit and miss. That's the nature of risk taking. The goal is to have enough good disruptive defensive plays to prevent a drive from becoming a long scoring drive. In the process of trying to make those high impact plays, sometimes they'll guess wrong and will look horrible.

Might as well get used to that, because it is going to happen several times each game.

 

[Alexander]

I claimed it was ALL preseason?

I see your reading too much into things isn't limited to preseason football games.

That is basically what your snarky comment was all about, but how about you indulge everyone and provide your real assessment of the situation on defense then.

 

[Hostile]

2009 Defense or 2010 Defense, which one more closely correlates to what we have right now?



In 2009 we allowed 15.6 points per game. Decent, very decent.

In 2010 we allowed an average of 27.3 points per game. Horrible.


So far in the 2011 pre-season we are allowing 15.7 points per game.


Maybe, just maybe, we should start realizing that teams can look good on a drive, but that one drive does not define everything. Because from where I sit the people talking about the 2009 Defense look like they have a more solid point than those still worrying about the one that made us all vomit last year.

 

[Hostile]

With Rob Ryan's aggressive defense, the defense isn't going to be a steady model of consistency. ... it's going to be hit and miss. That's the nature of risk taking. The goal is to have enough good disruptive defensive plays to prevent a drive from becoming a long scoring drive. In the process of trying to make those high impact plays, sometimes they'll guess wrong and will look horrible.

Might as well get used to that, because it is going to happen several times each game.

Good post Zero. So true.

 

[Flinger]

The front office made a strategic decision for this year - to change the coaching, not the players.

With the cba affect on the off-season, it is simply not realistic to expect the Defense to perform at its peak efficiency in the 3 pre-season game and after 4 weeks of training camp.

It will be mid-year, maybe the end of year, until we know if the strategy worked.