Offseason Breaking non-news

[SBBlue]

7 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

 that defense played soft as hell throughout the year.

When you're outmanned, you don't play man.  We didn't have the manpower to play tight coverage.  We do now.  

[panthers55]

7 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Sorry folks, I'm not sold on our DC yet. We might have been undermanned out there, but that defense played soft as hell throughout the year. We couldn't get people off the field on third down. We were vulnerable underneath, over the top and all over the middle of the field.

While there were some good individual performances, that defense was lucky to walk out at 5-11. 

Snow, whether they say it or not, is on the hot seat. He'd better not melt this year. The guy coached like an old lady with a division III team. That's just not going to cut it in the NFL.

I have said that I am going to be positive and look to the future and not focus on the past. It is too depressing. All I will say is that you aren't wrong and the scheme was awful. I have faith that since Snow has experience in the NFL as a DC now and has seen some great defensive units and has had time to make changes to better utilize the talent that he has, he will have a more aggressive scheme and put more pressure on opposing offenses. I surely hope he has retired the 3-5-3 prevent defense and will mix up the rushes and scheme to be more deceptive and harder to scheme against. He is going to see a traditionally very aggressive defense when we scrimmage Baltimore. I hope he is taking notes during the scrimmages. That is the kind of defense I hope we can grow into.

[ladypanther]

8 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Sorry folks, I'm not sold on our DC yet. We might have been undermanned out there, but that defense played soft as hell throughout the year. We couldn't get people off the field on third down. We were vulnerable underneath, over the top and all over the middle of the field.

While there were some good individual performances, that defense was lucky to walk out at 5-11. 

Snow, whether they say it or not, is on the hot seat. He'd better not melt this year. The guy coached like an old lady with a division III team. That's just not going to cut it in the NFL.

Remember what the D did to the league MVP last year.  

[SBBlue]

10 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

Darnold’s old coach is on the rebound…

 

 

 

 

[TheMostInterestingMan]

10 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Sorry folks, I'm not sold on our DC yet. We might have been undermanned out there, but that defense played soft as hell throughout the year. We couldn't get people off the field on third down. We were vulnerable underneath, over the top and all over the middle of the field.

While there were some good individual performances, that defense was lucky to walk out at 5-11. 

Snow, whether they say it or not, is on the hot seat. He'd better not melt this year. The guy coached like an old lady with a division III team. That's just not going to cut it in the NFL.

Man, I could not disagree here more. Yes you are correct in saying the defense was terrible on 3rd down. But we all expected that. We regularly started 4 rookies on defense for most of the season. We had a backup caliber MLB who could not cover anyone in the middle of the field and poor safeties covering down field to help our CBs. That problem has been thoroughly addressed this offseason. But I feel our defense tremendously overperformed for what we had. I expected us to have a decent offense last year but one of the worst defenses in the entire league. Snow REALLY impressed me last year. I figured our only shot of winning games would be outscoring our opponents. At least that side of the ball had established talent where our defense had virtually none heading into last season. 

[Khyber53]

15 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

I get what you are saying, but he had no other option than to try to keep everything in front of our young guys and hope for a turnover or missed play by the other team. At one time we had SO3, Franklin, Pride, Roy, YGM, Brown, and Chinn all on the field as rookies plus Whitehead in the middle and Boston whiffing on tackles. When DJax was hurt that defense had no business stopping an NFL offense from a talent standpoint.

The one game where they played all out on defense and were super aggressive was against the Lions. We shut them out and won the game. Not every opponent we faced was the Lions, but quite a few were of that level... our wins were too close and our losses were even closer. Just a bit more aggression and faith in his players would have made a huge difference is all I am really saying. 

[Khyber53]

15 hours ago, SBBlue said:

When you're outmanned, you don't play man.  We didn't have the manpower to play tight coverage.  We do now.  

They played soft across the entire defense. We weren't exactly stopping the running games either...

They were soft. The defensive game plan was soft. We had multiple games where the opposing team never had to make their punter get off the bench. 

[Khyber53]

13 hours ago, ladypanther said:

Remember what the D did to the league MVP last year.  

Got five sacks, but gave up 145 on the ground to Aaron Jones? They made that day tough on Rodgers, but he still grabbed the win. In truth, it was one of our better defensive outings against a top notch opponent. We lost it because Joey Slye ended up being our highest scorer when we couldn't keep moving in the opponent's side of the field. That rests squarely on the offense.

 

[Khyber53]

12 hours ago, TheMostInterestingMan said:

Man, I could not disagree here more. Yes you are correct in saying the defense was terrible on 3rd down. But we all expected that. We regularly started 4 rookies on defense for most of the season. We had a backup caliber MLB who could not cover anyone in the middle of the field and poor safeties covering down field to help our CBs. That problem has been thoroughly addressed this offseason. But I feel our defense tremendously overperformed for what we had. I expected us to have a decent offense last year but one of the worst defenses in the entire league. Snow REALLY impressed me last year. I figured our only shot of winning games would be outscoring our opponents. At least that side of the ball had established talent where our defense had virtually none heading into last season. 

I get you, but whatever the reason, playing timid loses you games. And they really don't accept excuses before the game and spot points to the team with the underperforming players.

I hope Snow has the guys, has the plan and has the success this season, I really do. I see the potential is there for certain, and there are some future stars out there, but you and I both know that if they come out soft again this year, Snow is going to be asked to fall on his sword. He really has to go out and make his team fight for it. He won't make it another year if they're just deployed as speed bumps again.

[ladypanther]

2 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Got five sacks, but gave up 145 on the ground to Aaron Jones? They made that day tough on Rodgers, but he still grabbed the win. In truth, it was one of our better defensive outings against a top notch opponent. We lost it because Joey Slye ended up being our highest scorer when we couldn't keep moving in the opponent's side of the field. That rests squarely on the offense.

 

Yep...offense lost that one. (Loved the way Rogers looked at the end of that game.)  I am just saying, the defense had some flashes with a very young roster.  I think any DC would have had quite the challenge last year. Considering what he had to work with, I think Snow had to be creative at times and did ok.  This year we will see what he can do.  I tend to be a glass half full person.   There is more talent, last years rookies have experience...I am expecting some good things from this defense.

[Khyber53]

1 minute ago, ladypanther said:

Yep...offense lost that one. (Loved the way Rogers looked at the end of that game.)  I am just saying, the defense had some flashes with a very young roster.  I think any DC would have had quite the challenge last year. Considering what he had to work with, I think Snow had to be creative at times and did ok.  This year we will see what he can do.  I tend to be a glass half full person.   There is more talent, last years rookies have experience...I am expecting some good things from this defense.

I think you're right and I want the season to prove that's the case. Sure would be nice to be the defensive force in the NFCSouth once again.

[SBBlue]

29 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

We weren't exactly stopping the running games either...

I agree.  As bad as we were against the run, it improved from 2019, even after the loss of Luke, Bradberry and loading up the the D with rookies.

Quote

 We had multiple games where the opposing team never had to make their punter get off the bench. 

 It was bad, but once again we improved from 2019 in this category as well.  

We declined against the passing game, whether you measure by  yards, tds or 1st downs.  Considering our secondary was a bunch a rookies with Boston at safety, in a division with TB, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees 2x  and Matt Stafford on the schedule, it is amazing we weren't dead last.

Expecting the D to do better with rookies replacing Luke and Bradberry is a very high bar, I was expecting it to be worse, but in key categories like rushing yards and 1st downs we actually IMPROVED with rookies.  

People seem to forget how bad the 2019 RR run defense sucked.

Edited July 2, 2021 by SBBlue

[SBBlue]

20 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

 but you and I both know that if they come out soft again this year, Snow is going to be asked to fall on his sword.

They aren't going soft this year again.  Horn , Bouye and even Taylor are man/press corners.  Adding Reddick, Fox, Jones and Dixon is going to help get to the QB.   Its clear from what he has said and from what we have acquired that we are going to tighten up, probably on 3rd and 4th downs.

 Perryman will help with the run D problem....he needs to stay healthy though, he has an injury history and we have a deep drop off in talent when he's out.

Quote

He won't make it another year if they're just deployed as speed bumps again.

That would shock me.  The D played far beyond expectations last year, shutting out Stafford and limiting Rogers.   Improving in key metrics with rookies after loss of some of our best vets.

Rhule has carried Snow everywhere with him and he turned around those teams with great D's.  Baylor and Temple were not offensive powerhouses.

I would be surprised if Snow goes soft again this year.

Even if the D doesn't perform, I'd be surprised if Rhule let him go.

 

[bigdavis]

1 hour ago, SBBlue said:

I would be surprised if Snow goes soft again this year.

Even if the D doesn't perform, I'd be surprised if Rhule let him go.

There is NO CHANCE of either of these 2 things happening.

Our weaknesses were identified and addressed, in the Draft and in FA.

Our run defense will be vastly improved with the DT rotation we've now got, and the exponentially better Perryman in the middle, compared to that toreador we put out there last year (you could hear him yell, "Ole!", as the RBs ran by.)

As for PD, the new version will in no way resemble last year's.  Our pass rush will be fearsome, from every angle of attack, forcing quicker releases to WRs who will now be bumped off their routes.  This leads to tipped passes, INTs, and -- most of all -- far fewer of those long drives and frustrating 3rd conversions that our prevent defenses were bound to surrender.

This year, there will be no surrender.  By season's end, our D will be the talk of the league.  Our average PPG allowed will be <20.