Well, Jerry, did you notice the DLine this time?

[Rajveer]

You've been claiming that our DLine is fine/great/whatever since Joe Ferguson left, and yet we keep losing at key times because we're weak up the middle. Is there any chance you noticed this one? Or is it more CB's and LB's in the draft so we can beat up on the Buccaneers?

We really did not beat up on the Bucs either. We scraped by.

 

[kskboys]

I'm personally persuaded by the story that the Rams offense knew what our defensive line was going to do.

I know you'll always be lobbying for more dline, but that performance wasn't characteristic of what they've done for most of the year, and doesn't make for an argument for more dline. It makes for an argument to make disguising our defensive calls a priority.

Disagree. We have DLaw and a pile of decent players. No one else is a consistent threat. When you hit the playoffs, you'll see better OL's, and those guys who were able to disrupt against lesser OL's get owned.

There were gaping holes to run through. That means people were getting owned.

The disguising D calls sounds like a copout to me, Buybuy. Our DLine got owned, pushed aside, pushed back. That's not about calls, we were physically dominated.

 

[kskboys]

NFL Network stated that we need a stellar DT and suggested we add Antonio Brown with Cooper. (yes!). Our OL needs to greatly improve and we also need a TE. Then get a real HC who can take us where we need to go. Everything then will fall into place.

A Brown is not a FA.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

There is a 6’4” 350 lb dt from Clemson coming out this year.

He will be long gone by the time we pick.

 

[buybuydandavis]

The disguising D calls sounds like a copout to me, Buybuy. Our DLine got owned, pushed aside, pushed back. That's not about calls, we were physically dominated.

If the other team knows your calls, you're at a huge disadvantage. You will get owned. They will attack where you are not, and the oline only has to *help* you go where you're trying to go.

It was reported that they knew our calls. What was reported clearly accounts for what was observed.

I don't think it's credible that all of a sudden our dline became the worst in the league. Another stat that came out. The dline generated the 3rd worst game of the year in terms of pressure on a QB. They're just not that bad.

 

[kskboys]

If the other team knows your calls, you're at a huge disadvantage. You will get owned. They will attack where you are not, and the oline only has to *help* you go where you're trying to go.

It was reported that they knew our calls. What was reported clearly accounts for what was observed.

I don't think it's credible that all of a sudden our dline became the worst in the league. Another stat that came out. The dline generated the 3rd worst game of the year in terms of pressure on a QB. They're just not that bad.

Even w/ them knowing our calls we should've gotten some pressure.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Even w/ them knowing our calls we should've gotten some pressure.

Better argument for the lack of quality on the dline was Seattle. No confounding variable. We only got 1 sack from Collins, and that was when he went totally unblocked. Crawford, Lawrence, and Gregory combined for a total of 2 QB hits against Seattle. At least they did stop the run.

Against the Rams, our total pressure was one QB hit by Jaylon. And we gave up 273 yards rushing.

I don't see the news getting better next year. We don't have a first. Aren't planning to make a splash in free agency. May not even keep Lawrence. Taco seems like a putz. Lawrence has hit his ceiling. Crawford is unlikely to improve. We will probably get more out of Gregory, if he shows.

The whiff on Taco and Irving this year leaves us in a hole.

 

[Blackrain]

I think Woods and Collins are good players but were wore down by the end . David Irving Screwed this team if he was here rotating in it would have made a difference . He cost us over 2 mil this year

Poe played for panthers for 800K , Nagta for eagles 1 Mil Bennett for eagles 1.6 mil with 9 sacks . Any combination of these 3 guys could have helped us cheap but we let them get away .
Its just like what happened in the Atlanta game but on the other side of the freaking line . We waited till we were totally embarrassed then added Oline depth and as expected we needed it this year .

Now we were totally embarrassed and bulldozed over for 270 yrds in a playoff game directly causing a loss . So again after disaster we will address the problem for next year when we could have had that depth in FA and not broke the bank this year SHEESH!!!!!

 

[LittleD]

Word is that the Rams used the Colts blueprint in killing our defense with the run. I also read on several sites that the Rams offense knew
what our defensive front 7 were going to do on most every play. You would think our coaches would modify their signals and schemes in
playoff situations but, alas!

 

[McKDaddy]

Great defense starts with DTs

Rams already had the best DT in Donald but signed Suh in FA

Eagles already had the second best DT in Cox but signed Jernigan last year and Ngata this year

We think average players like woods and Collins will do it for us

Stupid stupid decisions by our FO

If we want a chance, have to get better in the middle. No doubt.

I think Woods & Collins are above average for what they are. They are just simply not human roadblocks. We need to add those kind of guys to our rotation. Between cap space, the draft & Rod retiring we should be able to start addressing this.

 

[Rayman70]

his silence after the game should answer the question for you guys.

 

[Setackin]

How do we go about upgrading the DT position? Honest question. Collins was solid, woods was solid. Is hankins an upgrade? Do you give Irving another shot?

I feel like we are good enough at the position that without a 1st round pick a true upgrade is near impossible .

Rod uses a rotation, so Collins and Woods aren’t always on the field and not always on the field together.

 

[kskboys]

Better argument for the lack of quality on the dline was Seattle. No confounding variable. We only got 1 sack from Collins, and that was when he went totally unblocked. Crawford, Lawrence, and Gregory combined for a total of 2 QB hits against Seattle. At least they did stop the run.

Against the Rams, our total pressure was one QB hit by Jaylon. And we gave up 273 yards rushing.

I don't see the news getting better next year. We don't have a first. Aren't planning to make a splash in free agency. May not even keep Lawrence. Taco seems like a putz. Lawrence has hit his ceiling. Crawford is unlikely to improve. We will probably get more out of Gregory, if he shows.

The whiff on Taco and Irving this year leaves us in a hole.

Ouch.

Just too many JAG's. We pinned our pass rush on a druggie, a kook, and a project player.

 

[kskboys]

If we want a chance, have to get better in the middle. No doubt.

I think Woods & Collins are above average for what they are. They are just simply not human roadblocks. We need to add those kind of guys to our rotation. Between cap space, the draft & Rod retiring we should be able to start addressing this.

They are above average at a position in which you desperately need dominant. When you get to the playoffs, if you can't disrupt the LOS, you lose. Jerry builds his team for the regular season and does not comprehend that those Cb's making plays in the playoffs mostly do not make plays if your Dline doesn't disrupt. He thinks as so many others do here, that our DLine is good enough. You need a 1 tech and at least 2 more disruptors. 3 players.

What we have works OK in the regular season. That's why you always see us losing in the 1st or 2nd round. We're just not built to beat playoff QB's w/ any consistency.

 

[LatinMind]

You've been claiming that our DLine is fine/great/whatever since Joe Ferguson left, and yet we keep losing at key times because we're weak up the middle. Is there any chance you noticed this one? Or is it more CB's and LB's in the draft so we can beat up on the Buccaneers?

How many team did what the rams did to the Cowboys? Rams exploited the defensive scheme. They were running a DL tat was set wide with a zone in the backend. That leaves the defense with a big gapping hole in the middle of the field. Any other team would adjust to load the box. Watch the bears game vs the rams. Watch the Eagles game.

I hate the narrative we as fans get that the team fooled us for 16 games because 2 teams ran all over them. If it was easy to do Teams would've been doing it all season.

 

[Blackrain]

They are above average at a position in which you desperately need dominant. When you get to the playoffs, if you can't disrupt the LOS, you lose. Jerry builds his team for the regular season and does not comprehend that those Cb's making plays in the playoffs mostly do not make plays if your Dline doesn't disrupt. He thinks as so many others do here, that our DLine is good enough. You need a 1 tech and at least 2 more disruptors. 3 players.

What we have works OK in the regular season. That's why you always see us losing in the 1st or 2nd round. We're just not built to beat playoff QB's w/ any consistency.

Agreed brother and I realize finding DOMINANT in this position is dear as hens teeth . Not a ton of strong agile 350lb guys on the planet but when we pay 2.2 mill to a guy we need more than 57 snaps . Irving cost us this year . We are not asking him to fly space craft to Mars . Just try and kill the guy our opponent snaps the ball to for 3 hrs on Sunday and go back to your dysfunctional life

Heck most stupid guys could bumble there way through custody and women issues with 2.2 mil I have seen many handle it better with much less LOL

Nagta played 368 snaps for the Eagles and Poe played 515 for the Panthers at a total cost for both of 1.8 . How was this not a no brainer . Ok these guys are not in there absolute dominant prime but I believe they would have been 100% improvement over Irving and given our above average players enough rest to stay above average instead of falling into the abyss like happened against the Rams .

 

[buybuydandavis]

They are above average at a position in which you desperately need dominant. When you get to the playoffs, if you can't disrupt the LOS, you lose. Jerry builds his team for the regular season and does not comprehend that those Cb's making plays in the playoffs mostly do not make plays if your Dline doesn't disrupt. He thinks as so many others do here, that our DLine is good enough. You need a 1 tech and at least 2 more disruptors. 3 players.

What we have works OK in the regular season. That's why you always see us losing in the 1st or 2nd round. We're just not built to beat playoff QB's w/ any consistency.

Good point. In a lot of ways, our defense is built for the regular season, and not the playoffs.

Relying on "try hard" to overcome a lack of talent is a problem when the playoffs start and everyone is trying hard.

Our big hitter, DeMarcus Lawrence, has faded in the back half of the last two seasons. 4 sacks last 8 regular season games. 0 sacks in the playoffs. He had real health issues. Back issues two seasons in a row, as a young player. Bad news. Fading again was the red flag to look for this year with him. But we'll sign him for big money anyway.

Marinelli's scheme is regular season too. He counts on QBs to beat themselves. It goes far during the regular season against the general population of QBs. It doesn't stress the good QBs enough, and those are the guys you'll be seeing if you make it to the playoffs.

I liked Ryan's philosophy better. Attack and confuse. That at least gives you a chance against the good QBs.

 

[buybuydandavis]

How many team did what the rams did to the Cowboys? Rams exploited the defensive scheme. They were running a DL tat was set wide with a zone in the backend. That leaves the defense with a big gapping hole in the middle of the field. Any other team would adjust to load the box. Watch the bears game vs the rams. Watch the Eagles game.

I hate the narrative we as fans get that the team fooled us for 16 games because 2 teams ran all over them. If it was easy to do Teams would've been doing it all season.

That's my take as well. We weren't as bad as we showed, particularly against the run. Getting schemed is the more reasonable explanation.

Then again, there are reasons why we don't look as good in the playoffs. A dline based on try hard doesn't get it done in the playoffs. I'm not surprised that Lawrence was a non-factor. He faded in the back half of the last two seasons. I was surprised that Gregory was a non-factor.

The complete collapse was getting schemed, but we really don't have the horses on the dline for a playoff run.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Need play makers/pocket collapsers. Just solid players are fine during the season, not in the playoffs.

Play makers!

 

[armadillooutlaw]

We need somebody like Poe or Hankins at 1T to plug the middle (sorry Marinelli) & a dominant 3T IMO (think along the lines of a Cox, Atkins, McCoy).
Likely too much to accomplish in one offseason and they will probably sit on their laurels, but the fact remains.