We're in trouble if we don't fix this Pass Rush

[Toruk_Makto]

The only help for the pass rush comes in the form of Demarcus Lawrence coming back.

We knew this going in. It's what some of us were talking about when we spent the #4 overall on a RB we didn't need and the #34 on a MIKE who won't see the field this year, if ever.

Shhh.

 

[AzorAhai]

Noah Spence?
He has 1 tackle (a sack) in three games.

Plus he is a 250lb DE who may be better suited for a OLB in the 3-4 role.
I don't think we want another player with a drug background playing DE. We already have enough.

But I agree about Gregory. Just not sure Spence will prove out to be better than Smith at the end of the story.

Maybe Smith ends up being better, but if I'm taking the risk on a player that early, I'll pick the pass rusher every time over a 4-3 LB. The pick was obviously about the future, but Spence could also help some this year and at least be working towards the future at the same time. Many thought he was the best pass rusher in the class. I agreed with that.

Now I'm usually a bit hesitant to take players with drug problems, but from all reports he had actually got the message and cleaned up his act. I was completely against the Gregory pick though. Any player who fails a drug test at the combine is way too big of a risk for me. And now they will go completely opposite of Gregory and stay far away from those kinds of risks. Each situation is different and they need to be evaluated as such. I personally thought Spence was worth the risk at that spot with this teams dire need of pass rushers both now and in the future.

 

[Dale]

I don't understand how they can be so bad for literally the entire game. Even when we forced them in passing situations (entire 2nd half), we still could not sniff the QB. I really thought they'd have a decent game vs the Bears but they actually looked worse than Week 1/2.

If I'm McClay, I have a dozen guys come workout this week b/c we're in for a rude awakening vs our next four opponents if we don't fix this. I'd gladly take the 2015 pass rush right now at this point.

Not to be trite, but our DEs aren't very good. We crossed our fingers and hoped these guys could exceed expectations, but the reality is we don't currently have a good pass rusher on the active roster.

Getting Demarcus Lawrence back at least gives us one legitimate starting defensive end again. Perhaps Tapper returns at some point and we can get some sort of rotation going that gives us occasional pressure.

 

[Kaiser]

Zeke looks to be a solid back, but was he worth the #4 overall?

140 yards rushing from a rookie doesn't move the needle for you?

 

[Idgit]

I feel like they've taken the steps to put something competent in place, but it just hasn't panned out. I suppose you could say we should have expected Gregory to f up, but if Tyrone was playin up to his contract and Lawrence and Gregory were playing, it'd be a different discussion altogether. Resources are finite.

Maybe. I don't fault them for the trade for Mo, for example. We got good value there, he's just taking a long time to develop. Crawford has played well, but was hurt last year. It's he Gregory and Smith picks that bother me most.

We've addressed the front 7 with 2nd and 3rd rounders, for the most part. I'd just like to see us have added a couple more higher round picks there in the draft this year.

 

[Rogerthat12]

I think most teams put us in situations like the Giants put us in. There aren't that many that are going to be able to really get us over a barrel offensively. It'll be interesting to see how our offense fares against that MIN defense when we play them. So far, we've been able to move the ball against everybody, at least.

Yes, the offense is our saving grace thus far, the GB game will be interesting as well.

 

[gmoney112]

140 yards rushing from a rookie doesn't move the needle for you?

From good to great? Not really. He's solid, and obviously he's going to be pretty good. 4.7ypc is a good game, but I wouldn't say there was a whole lot that made me say "wow!", and his yards after contact weren't that great.

The barometer for me lies on, how much better than Morris is he? Worthy of a top 5 pick better? I don't think you can say that right now. But it seems like he's improving week to week and i have confidence in him.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Simple, our DE's can't stay clean.

That's it. When you lose your starting DE's and you're not a blitzing team...that presents some big issues. Now you have DT's playing DE and that's how you get a lack of a pass rush.

I think looking down the road we probably need to look at DT. QB's use so much shotgun these days and get the ball off so quickly that unless you're Von Miller, it's tough to get a lot of pressure off the edge. But if you have some really good DT's that can get up the middle, things start to change a bit. That might mean finding a 3-tech stud in the draft and having Crawford move to DE with McClain and Collins playing a pass rushing 1-tech. Or that may mean finding a real MIKE as well.

I don't blame Marinelli too much outside of not getting creative enough. Even still, he's got a real lack of talent with both starting DE's and the MIKE out.







YR

 

[Rogerthat12]

DLaw coming back will be a big impact, also Tyrone Crawford looked (in this game anyway) like LDE is his best position.

Also Mayowa didn't show up in the stat sheet but he did get some pressure, he and Irving will play better when they are healthy and only playing in spots as backups. This DL isn't going to be great, but it could be good enough for what we need. Remember that we went 12-4 two years ago starting Selvie, Nick Hayden, Henry Melton and Jeremy Mincey.

I think Collins will keep getting better and that they best keep T Crawford at LDE going forward.

Start McClain, rotate Thornton and when Lawrence gets back move him to RDE.

Hopefully you can get something from Davis eventually since he is new, hope Mayowa gets better and Irving improves health wise.

The back on Tapper seems to be an issue and you just do not know yet what you have until he plays in real games.

 

[Dallas_Cowboys50]

I keep gettin excited over D Law's retunr and then I mentally B slap myself.....I mean, he's gonna make it better no doubt, but not magically better enough to make a real difference......now D Law plus a surprise starte from Tapper could change the tune.........

 

[Blackspider214]

Well we will get a guy who commands double teams and is probably a top 10 player on our team back fresh soon, so that could help!

*edit* not really double teams, but chips and attention, same diff.

Lawrence doesn't command a double team.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We're in trouble if we don't fix this Pass Rush

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[Beast_from_East]

The problem is simply a lack of talent..............you cant march a bunch of JAGs out there and expect a fearsome foursome.

Just aint going to happen.............unfortunately, not a lot a team can do to increase the talent level in season so we are going to have to work with what we got with the only boost being DLaw coming back.

Is one guy going to make that much difference? Probably not.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Browns allowed 8 sacks in the previous 2 games, and using my abacus that comes to an avg of 4 per game.
We got 0. That is disturbing.

We gave Tyrone Crawford a contract for 5 years 45 million with 25 million guaranteed. He's not going anywhere. The thought of having him play left end at 9 mill a year is ridiculous. He would be making more than guys like Michael Bennit, Cliff Avril, Cameron wake, Carlos Dunlap ect

All we can do now is hope that the unit will get a bit stronger with increased reps and with the return of tank Lawrence.

 

[Hoofbite]

I agree. This strategy has to change in the offseason. But right now this is the only alternative we have. McCay needs to go back to 2014 and try to get new guys in here every week. An offense like the Eagles or Packers that plays with pace, has a solid oline, pass/rush balance is going to humiliate this defense if we don't change something now. Heck Chip Kelly is going to have fun with us if Gabbert gets 4+ seconds on every play.

Meh, rotating in street guys just for the sake of rotating street guys and hoping one of them is better than your current batch of former street guys isn't really a plan, IMO. It's a desperation move. If getting production from nobody's was easy there wouldn't be a team that would spend big in free agency. McClay needs to go back to being viewed as just another member of the front office rather than being viewed as some hidden talent savant. If he's even half as good at picking talent as he's credited for then he needs to have a greater voice when it comes to player acquisition via premium resources.

The way I see it, he either signed off on the misses the team has had and therefore isn't the savior he's been made out to be, or he didn't sign off on those misses and his input was largely ignored. Doesn't seem like there's many alternatives. He cannot be the guy who will make something out of nothing while also being the guy who would make nothing out of something if he were allowed more pull.

 

[CowboyChris]

yes Lawrence is coming back, but he's not a RDE...he will look like a jag over there.

 

[Donhyphen]

We're fine. Let's roll.

 

[BAT]

Maybe Smith ends up being better, but if I'm taking the risk on a player that early, I'll pick the pass rusher every time over a 4-3 LB. The pick was obviously about the future, but Spence could also help some this year and at least be working towards the future at the same time. Many thought he was the best pass rusher in the class. I agreed with that.

Now I'm usually a bit hesitant to take players with drug problems, but from all reports he had actually got the message and cleaned up his act. I was completely against the Gregory pick though. Any player who fails a drug test at the combine is way too big of a risk for me. And now they will go completely opposite of Gregory and stay far away from those kinds of risks. Each situation is different and they need to be evaluated as such. I personally thought Spence was worth the risk at that spot with this teams dire need of pass rushers both now and in the future.

Not a Spence fan. The D2 player who out produced him was Tyrone Holmes. Similar size to Spence but much faster, more explosive and much more productive (18 sacks his last season in college).

 

[Hawkeye19]

This DL (when DLaw returns) is better than what we had in 2014-- particularly at DT.

I realize this is a mediocre unit overall, but the plan all year long has been to control the clock, dominate teams on the ground-- and utlize a rested, opportunistic defense that can force some turnovers.

After 3 games, despite the lack of pressure, we are +3 on turnovers. I will take it and when Romo gets back, our offense will be even more efficient and deadly.

 

[Setackin]

I don't understand how they can be so bad for literally the entire game. Even when we forced them in passing situations (entire 2nd half), we still could not sniff the QB. I really thought they'd have a decent game vs the Bears but they actually looked worse than Week 1/2.

If I'm McClay, I have a dozen guys come workout this week b/c we're in for a rude awakening vs our next four opponents if we don't fix this. I'd gladly take the 2015 pass rush right now at this point.

L.P. LaDouceur is a DE