Defensive issues not a personnel problem

[NAS]

Thursday night was the worst performance I have ever seen from a Panthers defense since inception. We have the personnel to be a top 10 defense in the league.

A defense doesn’t get annihilated like that unless there is an issue with lack of confidence in the coaching staff, specifically the coordinator and the gameplan he asks them to buy into. You can tell this defense has not bought into whatever Washington is selling and, if they don’t  fire him, it will not get better.

 

[Seltzer]

Hard to argue that point...  a defense giving up 52 points (and let's be honest, it could have been more had they not called off the dogs) is a complete failure, and it starts with coaching.

I'll second that this individual defensive performance is the worst I've ever seen by the Panthers, and that play where we rushed 2 was the individual worst defensive call I've ever seen by the Panthers.

The Panthers defensive personnel may be getting older in spots and not dominant like they once were, but they looked like the worst defensive unit to ever take a NFL field on Thursday.  The defensive personnel didn't just forget how to play football.

It is truly them not buying in to the gameplan

[BIGH2001]

I know we complained that Wilks blitzed too much, but the blitzes that washington calls (when he does it) are totally ineffective.   

He has been completely ineffective at covering up his unit's weakness, which is the front four.  Contrast that with Norv who has taken a pretty lackluster offensive line and made them very serviceable with play calls that work to their strength.

[CPF4LIFE]

Loved Washington as a position coach be he gotta go as a DC. 

 

 

[4Corners]

36 minutes ago, NAS said:

Thursday night was the worst performance I have ever seen from a Panthers defense since inception. We have the personnel to be a top 10 defense in the league.

A defense doesn’t get annihilated like that unless there is an issue with lack of confidence in the coaching staff, specifically the coordinator and the gameplan he asks them to buy into. You can tell this defense has not bought into whatever Washington is selling and, if they don’t  fire him, it will not get better.

 

Agree. It’s coaching and schemes. 

[Fright]

Agree for the most part, but it doesn’t help that our DL doesn’t get much pressure, our LB’s are terrible at blitzing, and Adams is a slow dinosaur strolling in the secondary. 

[Daddy_Uncle]

Think Rivera has to bring in a great proven defensive coordinator from outside the organization. Like he did with Norv. Can't always promote from within and hope it works out

[raleigh-panther]

30 minutes ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

Think Rivera has to bring in a great proven defensive coordinator from outside the organization. Like he did with Norv. Can't always promote from within and hope it works out

That ship has sailed for this season 

He should have brought a Coordinator from the start 

he didn’t so he needs to take over the defense. This is his specialty right?

there is a window closing rapidly for a lot of players because he had his buddies be the DC and DB  coaches 

plus Brady hoke as a nfl dL coach, come on

 

[bigdog10]

Let me first preface what I’m about to say by agreeing that coaching is a major issue on the defense. 

With that said, I’m not 100% sure our personnel is as good as many on here think. 

-peppers, Davis and Adams are all well last the age that they should be asked to be major players on defense. At their ages, they should be situational players. The problem is, even at their age, they are better than anything we have behind them. 

-which brings me to my next point, this team is devoid of defensive depth. Vernon Butler is bad, Shaq just isn’t worth his draft position, Gaulden is raw, Mayo is no Klein, Obada is a great story but is raw, and Horton is one dimensional. 

-Luke is great, however he is overcompensating for the lack of coaching and talent which is making him look foolish. 

-KK Short is being schemed out by other offenses because they know they don’t have anything to worry about from the other DT position with respect to pass rush. Poe isn’t getting it done. With Star, you had to double him because if you didn’t he would collapse the pocket into the qbs lap. We don’t have anybody to do that now. 

-Addison is a great pass rusher but he is kept completely silent by a good tackle. He feasts on bad tackle play.

-Donte Jackson is the 2nd best player on this defense and Bradberry has his moments of great corner play. Probably our best group right now. 

-Reid is a thumper but I’m not sure he wouldn’t be better taking Adams spot. 

[Mr. Scot]

3 minutes ago, bigdog10 said:

Let me first preface what I’m about to say by agreeing that coaching is a major issue on the defense. 

With that said, I’m not 100% sure our personnel is as good as many on here think. 

-peppers, Davis and Adams are all well last the age that they should be asked to be major players on defense. At their ages, they should be situational players. The problem is, even at their age, they are better than anything we have behind them. 

-which brings me to my next point, this team is devoid of defensive depth. Vernon Butler is bad, Shaq just isn’t worth his draft position, Gaulden is raw, Mayo is no Klein, Obada is a great story but is raw, and Horton is one dimensional. 

-Luke is great, however he is overcompensating for the lack of coaching and talent which is making him look foolish. 

-KK Short is being schemed out by other offenses because they know they don’t have anything to worry about from the other DT position with respect to pass rush. Poe isn’t getting it done. With Star, you had to double him because if you didn’t he would collapse the pocket into the qbs lap. We don’t have anybody to do that now. 

-Addison is a great pass rusher but he is kept completely silent by a good tackle. He feasts on bad tackle play.

-Donte Jackson is the 2nd best player on this defense and Bradberry has his moments of great corner play. Probably our best group right now. 

-Reid is a thumper but I’m not sure he wouldn’t be better taking Adams spot. 

All correct.

Yes, Washington has deficiencies but our personnel do indeed have some issues also.

[Seltzer]

47 minutes ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

Think Rivera has to bring in a great proven defensive coordinator from outside the organization. Like he did with Norv. Can't always promote from within and hope it works out

Exactly... I understand the desire and appeal to develop your own guys (both for the head coach and the coaches trying to climb the ladder), but you can't be blind to the fact this defense ought to be a lot better than they have been giving the investment in personnel. 

There are guys that could be brought in even now that could help the team, and if Rivera has to take over the defensive playcalling in the interim, so be it

[Ja Rhule]

1 hour ago, Fright said:

Agree for the most part, but it doesn’t help that our DL doesn’t get much pressure, our LB’s are terrible at blitzing, and Adams is a slow dinosaur strolling in the secondary. 

We were amazing at blitzing the last few years...  Washington comes in and we instantly become terrible.  What are the odds?

[PandaPancake]

Nathan Peterman said he could hang 30+ on that defense

[Snake]

There are some people that are great at what they do and some that are great at everything they do. Washington and Wilks were awesome position coaches hands down. McDermott was a awesome DC. Both McDermott and Wilks suck at being head coaches and Washington sucks at being a DC. What Rivera should have done was fill our DC position with a experienced guy. He didn't have to be great just average with the talent we have. This season will be a bust simply because we don't have a good enough DC. Just like the many years we busted because Shula wasn't a OC.