Halfway to the answer

[Mr. Scot]

it all goes back to the black glove award.

the guys were hitting hard trying to win it and when they took it away they got soft.

it needs to be brought back. screw the pansies worrying about people getting hurt.

It does make you wonder why that went away.

It's also worth discussing whether Davis propensity for hard hits dropped with his switch in positions.

They play nasty. They don't show unsportsmanlike conduct on the field.. But they still play nasty.

Glad you mentioned that. Some folks thought sportsmanship was the problem. I disagree with that. You can be intimidating and hit hard while remaining a good sport.

[manwithcake]

They play nasty. They don't show unsportsmanlike conduct on the field.. But they still play nasty.

Steelers yes, Ravens no. Watch the Ravens on D. They take cheap shots after the whistle where the ref can't see. I have zero respect for their defense. They are thugs.

[rayzor]

It does make you wonder why that went away.

It's also worth discussing whether Davis propensity for hard hits dropped with his switch in positions.

Glad you mentioned that. Some folks thought sportsmanship was the problem. I disagree with that. You can be intimidating and hit hard while remaining a good sport.

i can't remember who it was that reported it going away but whoever it was asked the players about it and it was because the league was cracking down big time on big hits (wussy league officials) and they thought that it might be seen as an unfavorable thing to be doing.

i thought it was a great motivator.

[rayzor]

Our linebackers were great this year, Davis included, any opinion to the contrary is flat out wrong.

they were great but the constant level of ferocity went down quite a bit. they weren't as intimidating as they had been.

[thefuzz]

He doesn't get the chances because he isn't as athletic, so ya I agree.

Reed is on my mancrush list as well.:biggrinjester:

Yup, not saying that he can't hit as hard, or harder, just not as consistently. That just comes from them being super athletic, and fast, while also having enough ass to half kill someone. Very few are as fast as Ed, and also can hit that hard.

[mountainpantherfan]

I think having that "nasty" defense is a way to be successful so in that I agree with you but I don't think you have to be that to be a successful defense.

Maybe its just me but when I think of the Tampa defense and even the New England defense I don't think about a team that plays with a nasty demenour. I think of defenses that are smart, oppurtuntistic and cunging.

A friend (a Steelers fan) and I were having a conversation about the New England defense just the other day. It really is amazing that they have a good defense at all. The players on that team throughout their run have never been what I would consider to be the ideal players. Most of the players on that team have benefited more from their mind and ability to run the scheme than from their natural physical talents. I'm not saying they don't have players with physical talents but they not rely simply on those physical talents to be successful.

Maybe what this team needs is that nasty demoure that Baltimore and Pittsburgh has. Maybe this team needs a scheme (for lack of a better word) that will allow them to be "quite techniquians". Now that Meeks has been hired and his style would be more of the Tampa and Indy defenses, let him do what he does best. I'd love to have a Pittburgh or Baltimore type defense but at the same time I'd take a New England or Tampa type defense as well if the result is a championship.

[Snake]

We have guys on the Defence to get everyone fired up. Beason and Harris are two that just demand respect and are just natural born leaders. We just need a guy on the line that has the fire to get everyone's motors going. As for coaches im sure im gonna get bashed for this but Fox is if anything good at getting his D fired up and not letting them quit. Thats what I like the most out of him he knows how to keep them playing hard even when the chips are down.

[The Link]

The only feared tackler on the D for us is Harris, and he is nowhere near a Troy or Ed type hitter.

The rest are good tacklers, but not big hitters. I personally like those who wrap up, and maybe miss the big hit. At the end of the day, the Safety is a more important position than most give it credit for, and we have good S's but not great.

I'd rather get tackled by Harris than Davis. Davis is a BEAST.

[Mr. Scot]

I think having that "nasty" defense is a way to be successful so in that I agree with you but I don't think you have to be that to be a successful defense.

Maybe its just me but when I think of the Tampa defense and even the New England defense I don't think about a team that plays with a nasty demenour. I think of defenses that are smart, oppurtuntistic and cunging.

A friend (a Steelers fan) and I were having a conversation about the New England defense just the other day. It really is amazing that they have a good defense at all. The players on that team throughout their run have never been what I would consider to be the ideal players. Most of the players on that team have benefited more from their mind and ability to run the scheme than from their natural physical talents. I'm not saying they don't have players with physical talents but they not rely simply on those physical talents to be successful.

Maybe what this team needs is that nasty demoure that Baltimore and Pittsburgh has. Maybe this team needs a scheme (for lack of a better word) that will allow them to be "quite techniquians". Now that Meeks has been hired and his style would be more of the Tampa and Indy defenses, let him do what he does best. I'd love to have a Pittburgh or Baltimore type defense but at the same time I'd take a New England or Tampa type defense as well if the result is a championship.

The Patriots always go for smart players on defense, which is a good strategy.

The fact that we had to simplify our scheme to be effective doesn't speak well, honestly

[PhillyB]

fantastic article. I agree whole-heartedly... if Meeks' strong point is providing the schemes, we need the positional coaches to inspire the anger, the heart. If we can pull that off we'll be in good shape.

[guyinchesapeake]

"We could call it "Heart". But I don't think that's it. I think it's playing with a killer mentality. In the Arizona game, we were helping the other team get up off the ground... When we should have been licking our chops to put them on the ground again.

Within those 60 minutes, we have no friends. We lend no humanitarian aide. It's an all out war and every time the other team's offense gets on the field, we take that as an insult because we didn't hurt them enough to give up.

It's the line of thinking that counts. That's what Dan Morgan brought. He played old school football and use his body as a lethal weapon. (Unfortunately, thats the same reason he can't play now)

But regardless, our Defense just isn't nasty. We need to get mean on that side of the ball."

Right on! Well said!! As good of a call as I've seen on these threads about ANYTHING.

I believe we still have the talent on defense to have a darned good one, a good one being something beyond just stats, but denotes an attitude as well. One that opponents don't want to have to face, regardless of how the team's over all record is. I think we established that in '96, but couldn't maintain it. Our schemes and playcalling for the defense are often much more frustrating than our offensive mind set and execution are. Not to mention special teams. We need to be able to give the other side something beyond the usual to think about. I've said it before, if games were only 3 quarters long, we're probably a dynasty! But they play 4 quarters, and it's usually in the 4th quarter that we let teams back in. That has to stop.

I don't know if Cowher is an answer, or the answer, or what. BUT, his record when leading at any point in the game by 11 points or more was 102-1-1 as of the end of the 2005 season, per several sources I searched. That's impressive. Anyways, I hope Meeks brings some fire and 'tude' to our guys. We're overdue to have some...

[Steel Panther]

I agree with a lot of these posts, guys. What we need is an intimidating, bone-crushing defense. I don't care if you give up a big play downfield...if you hit the receiver so hard his legs wobble when he gets up, you own him...game over!

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

Great post. Jay Glazer, of Fox Sports News and NFL insider,was interviewed and was asked about Meeks hiring and why the Panthers brought in another Tampa 2 style D-Coordinator..

He said something to the sort of John Fox runs the Defense....Meeks will bring in fresh ideas and will command the room and run meetings....but it will come down to being Fox's Defense. This rush 4 and play zone is a FOX thang as we all suspect. Meeks I think will make them more efficient and fly all over the place.

Glazer is a longtime friend of Fox so I give him a little more credibility when discussing Fox.

I think we are better by 50 % on defense just have Meeks in here. No ones running through a wall for Turgovac.....and it showed. Hopefully it will show next season.

[frash.exe]

Great post. Jay Glazer, of Fox Sports News and NFL insider,was interviewed and was asked about Meeks hiring and why the Panthers brought in another Tampa 2 style D-Coordinator..

He said something to the sort of John Fox runs the Defense....Meeks will bring in fresh ideas and will command the room and run meetings....but it will come down to being Fox's Defense. This rush 4 and play zone is a FOX thang as we all suspect. Meeks I think will make them more efficient and fly all over the place.

Glazer is a longtime friend of Fox so I give him a little more credibility when discussing Fox.

I think we are better by 50 % on defense just have Meeks in here. No ones running through a wall for Turgovac.....and it showed. Hopefully it will show next season.

I don't care if they play zone as long as they play it like a zone's supposed to be played, aggressive, ball-hawk, hard-hitting style. Not soft, cuddly, sunshine bear zone defense.