Spencer is just gravy to me...but if the team is relying on him to be productive, I think they will be very unhappy...I am looking forward to seeing Lawrence whenever he can get in there (isn't he gone until game 9?)
I would be highly doubtful that anyone connected to the organization is expecting Spencer to play 40 snaps a game this season.
However is 15 or 20 out of the question? Probably not.
And I would bet that Spencer (even with his micro-fracture repaired knee) is still the best pure pass rusher on the team.
that is why he is gravy...he'll never be the meat & potatoes any more, but hopefully, he can bring his own little secret sauce to the plate (enough food analogies)
BTW, the team has given up 69 points, the defense has only given up 55. The offense gave up 2 TDs. and one of the TDs the defense gave up was on a 2 yd drive after an INT was returned from midfield to the 2.
Yesterday was another stark reminder that this defense is just not good.
Another heretofore nobody quarterback has a career passing day against this defense, and a mediocre offense has a field day, doing whatever they wanted.
The Rams completed a large percentage of their third downs and in all honesty, how many times did they punt?
We should have no illusions that this defense is even OK, and they sure won't be when they get lit up by Brees and the Saints on national television.
LOL -- I'll be stocking up on beer to get myself properly sedated by the time that New Orleans game comes on.
The mere anticipation of Brees completing pass after pass on our accomodating secondary makes me cringe.
But the defense has been in a favorable position so far. They haven't faced a single quality pocket passer yet and the best QB they have faced was in shut down mode the entire 2nd half of a game they already had won.
They are every bit as bad as last year. That's what happens when you lose Ware, Hatcher and Lee to an already bad defense.
I wonder what the goal for 1st down allowed will be. Hopefully less than 40.
Our 5 best front-7 players are currently hurt (Lee, Melton, Spencer, McClain, Durant).... and people wonder why the D struggles?
Our D could be middle-of-the-pack if they weren't snake-bitten every season.
So far this season
Defense is giving up 360 yards per game for 11th most in the league
69 points given up for 13th in the league (and that is with a 3 way tie for 10th)
23 points per game average which is 13th worse in the league (and this is with a 3 way tie for 10th)
24 penalties on defense which is tied for 7th worst in the league
Total yards of penalties 227 which is 5th worst in the league
Of course it is probably an improvement from last year...but it is clear that it is not that good.
The offense (minus the turn overs) is good enough to win us games even if the defense is bad that day.
I don't think the defense is good enough to win us games if the offense is bad that day.
Last year we were going through Dlinemen all year. We still have not had our Dline completely healthy yet.
This year it seems like we are going through LBs.
Our defense has 24 penalties? Is that right? Pretty sure the whole team doesn't have 24 penalties.
Our defense has 24 penalties? Is that right? Pretty sure the whole team doesn't have 24 penalties.
You are correct. The team has committed 17 penalties. Twelve of those have been by the offense, four by the defense and one on special teams.
Some sites (such as NFL.com) list the opponent's penalties with all of the defensive stats, so people mistakenly think that the penalties listed there are those committed by that team's defense. So our opponents -- not our defense -- have committed 24 penalties.