Since we're all playing the blame game...

[EPL0c0]

The one thing we can't blame for much is injuries.

With the exception of Greg Ellis, the team has managed to remain surprisingly healthy. I can't think of any significant injuries or laundry-list injury reports in quite a while now.

So unlike the Giants or Eagles...we can't say "oh it's because..." It really is on the players on the field. And not just Terrell Owens...though some would like to put it all on him.

Owens is not calliing the plays. Owens is not missing tackles. Owens is not getting burned deep. Owens isn't giving up 4 75+yd and/or 3 7:00+ drives in a game. Owens isn't getting push and not opening up holes for the run game. Owens hasn't missed his blocking assignments on FG attempts. Owens hasn't missed makable FGs.

The only thing on Owens is the drops and part of me thinks it's due to his hand injury. I also believe we're better off with an injured Terrell Owens than him sitting on IR because he elected to have surgery on his hand.

There's 11 guys on the field at any one time (hopefully no more/less than that) and it's those 11 guys as a WHOLE that deserve the blame for the crappy effort we've seen in the last 3 weeks. Even of the plays are conservative (and i'm guilting of blaming coaches), its still up to them to execute whatever play is put out there.

But That's where the finger pointing should end. Pull back and point it at the whole team. It's a team...they're only as strong as their weakest link. And if nothing is done to fix it, then it's on all of them.

 

[theogt]

Eh...losing Greg Ellis hurt big. I'm going through and watching all of the Ellis games to get an idea of how he was playing. He was having a great year -- getting almost as much pressure as Ware. Several of the INTs in the first few games were because of Ellis. I can't overstate how different this defense looks without him.

 

[Dale]

Eh...losing Greg Ellis hurt big. I'm going through and watching all of the Ellis games to get an idea of how he was playing. He was having a great year -- getting almost as much pressure as Ware. Several of the INTs in the first few games were because of Ellis. I can't overstate how different this defense looks without him.

No doubt Ellis' injury was big.

But, in the grand scheme of thing, losing one non-Pro Bowl player usually doesn't single-handedly destruct too many teams or units.

I mean, the Giants seemingly lost half their team and still aren't too far behind the Cowboys in the standings.

 

[smarta5150]

The one thing we can't blame for much is injuries.

With the exception of Greg Ellis, the team has managed to remain surprisingly healthy. I can't think of any significant injuries or laundry-list injury reports in quite a while now.

So unlike the Giants or Eagles...we can't say "oh it's because..." It really is on the players on the field. And not just Terrell Owens...though some would like to put it all on him.

Owens is not calliing the plays. Owens is not missing tackles. Owens is not getting burned deep. Owens isn't giving up 4 75+yd and/or 3 7:00+ drives in a game. Owens isn't getting push and not opening up holes for the run game. Owens hasn't missed his blocking assignments on FG attempts. Owens hasn't missed makable FGs.

The only thing on Owens is the drops and part of me thinks it's due to his hand injury. I also believe we're better off with an injured Terrell Owens than him sitting on IR because he elected to have surgery on his hand.

There's 11 guys on the field at any one time (hopefully no more/less than that) and it's those 11 guys as a WHOLE that deserve the blame for the crappy effort we've seen in the last 3 weeks. Even of the plays are conservative (and i'm guilting of blaming coaches), its still up to them to execute whatever play is put out there.

But That's where the finger pointing should end. Pull back and point it at the whole team. It's a team...they're only as strong as their weakest link. And if nothing is done to fix it, then it's on all of them.

POST of the night.

With that crazy thread going on about changes and the blame game in full force is driving me aboslutely nuts.

 

[theogt]

No doubt Ellis' injury was big.

But, in the grand scheme of thing, losing one non-Pro Bowl player usually doesn't single-handedly destruct too many teams or units.

I mean, the Giants seemingly lost half their team and still aren't too far behind the Cowboys in the standings.

The problem is that there was no one to replace him. Singleton and Carpenter together aren't half of what Ellis was. That makes a huge difference. When you're able to get consistent pressure like we were with Ware and Ellis, it masks a lot of problems.

 

[AdamJT13]

I mean, the Giants seemingly lost half their team and still aren't too far behind the Cowboys in the standings.

That's because the Giants were 6-2 when we were 4-4. We've gone 5-2 since then, and they've gone 1-6.

 

[CF74]

Lack of pass rush, ie.. Ellis out is why our Defense crumbled. We had no replacement of the pressure...

 

[CaptainQuint]

Lack of pass rush, ie.. Ellis out is why our Defense crumbled. We had no replacement of the pressure...

San Diego lost Olshansky, Castillo, and Merriman for 4 weeks, and Shaun Phillips for a couple of weeks, too, they got pressure from Stephen Cooper, Marques Harris, and Jacques Cesaire.

I think Phillips was a 2nd round pick, but not all of those guys could have been high picks. Burnett and Spears are a 2nd and 1st who never seem to be able to pressure at all.
Maybe Junior Glymph needs a chance.

 

[the kid 05]

Owens is not calliing the plays. Owens is not missing tackles. Owens is not getting burned deep. Owens isn't giving up 4 75+yd and/or 3 7:00+ drives in a game.

well owens is missing the ball...so that is kinda like giving the other team a td in a sense(NYG 1st game...4th and 2). and owens IS giving up 4 75+ yards...hes droped at least 4 that he could have taken to the house.

 

[magic-sword]

Eh...losing Greg Ellis hurt big. I'm going through and watching all of the Ellis games to get an idea of how he was playing. He was having a great year -- getting almost as much pressure as Ware. Several of the INTs in the first few games were because of Ellis. I can't overstate how different this defense looks without him.

Eagles Do not have Jevon Kearse or McNabb - how do they manage?

 

[Bleu Star]

So unlike the Giants or Eagles...we can't say "oh it's because..." It really is on the players on the field. And not just Terrell Owens...though some would like to put it all on him.

Owens is not calliing the plays. Owens is not missing tackles. Owens is not getting burned deep. Owens isn't giving up 4 75+yd and/or 3 7:00+ drives in a game. Owens isn't getting push and not opening up holes for the run game. Owens hasn't missed his blocking assignments on FG attempts. Owens hasn't missed makable FGs.

The only thing on Owens is the drops and part of me thinks it's due to his hand injury. I also believe we're better off with an injured Terrell Owens than him sitting on IR because he elected to have surgery on his hand.

There's 11 guys on the field at any one time (hopefully no more/less than that) and it's those 11 guys as a WHOLE that deserve the blame for the crappy effort we've seen in the last 3 weeks. Even of the plays are conservative (and i'm guilting of blaming coaches), its still up to them to execute whatever play is put out there.

But That's where the finger pointing should end. Pull back and point it at the whole team. It's a team...they're only as strong as their weakest link. And if nothing is done to fix it, then it's on all of them.

This is the most cerebral thing I have read in the last few days. You're clearly not a hater and obviously someone that sees from an objective point of view. Spot on.

 

[Sarge]

That's because the Giants were 6-2 when we were 4-4. We've gone 5-2 since then, and they've gone 1-6.

Exactly........

 

[EPL0c0]

I agree that in the 6 weeks since Ellis went down, nobody has stepped up. But not just to fill his position, across the defense. You lose somebody like Ellis, the other LBs have to step up. The DLine MUST step up, ESPECIALY the interior (Canty/Spears/Fergi). The 2ndary MUST step up and give the Dline extra help by not givng up big plays. It's like the whole defense sat back and figured any poor play can be pinned on losing Ellis.

I see no real leadership on the defense. There's no fire. Roy has been quiet.

Dat Nguyen always provided that fire....nobody has stepped up to do it this year.