Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1150629]So yeah rush defense is a problem, but im not gonna diminish the team for being top 5 defense forcing turnovers. That's a great skills to have and needs to be mentioned.[/quote]

I agree, if we can keep that up we should be around 8 or 9 wins again..

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

You can tell they are coached to rip at the ball as much as humanly possible. That's a good thing. Bad side is that they don't appear to be coached on wrapping up, like at all.

The big personnel need at the moment is definitely DL. If I can get my hands on an athletic middle linebacker in the draft, I'll take it.

You do your 'needs' shopping in free agency, and you take BPA in the draft. We should spend on DL, for sure, no questions asked. The MLBs, if we're at our 2nd or 3rd rounder and one is BPA, then I'm all for it.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;1150631]You can tell they are coached to rip at the ball as much as humanly possible. That's a good thing. Bad side is that they don't appear to be coached on wrapping up, like at all.

The big personnel need at the moment is definitely DL. If I can get my hands on an athletic middle linebacker in the draft, I'll take it.

You do your 'needs' shopping in free agency, and you take BPA in the draft. We should spend on DL, for sure, no questions asked. The MLBs, if we're at our 2nd or 3rd rounder and one is BPA, then I'm all for it.[/quote]

If you look at Seattle and how they were built "up the middle"...SS Chancellor, MLB Bobby Wagner and DTs who are run pluggers first. They took that DT Reed from Alabama who was regarded as the strongest DT versus the run in the draft as an example to philosophy. Bobby Wagner is just an athletic, volume tackler...Chancellor is big hitter, big tackler.

I called for it in the offseason...we need that up the middle presence to stop the run.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

Alabama or Ohio state could probably get rushing yards on our defense. Watching the Browns just gash our defense is painful to watch. It's going to be like this all year long. The draft alone will not fix this. SM is going to have to dip into free agency come March.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[QUOTE=skinsfan69;1150638]Alabama or Ohio state could probably get rushing yards on our defense. Watching the Browns just gash our defense is painful to watch. It's going to be like this all year long. The draft alone will not fix this. SM is going to have to dip into free agency come March.[/QUOTE]
Luckily Baltimore doesn't run it as much but I'm sure they will Sunday

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1150612]Any ideas or adjustments on stopping the run?

Outside of Baker, we are doing horrible against the run with our front seven. Compton and Foster have been just ok vs the run, but the play in front of them really affects their ability. So Im not gonna put it on them.

Bruton and the SS position in general is usually a spot which helps clean up running backs when they may get to the second level. Usually because they play off they are not impeded by the blocking scheme, they can get to a spot to A)make the tackle or B) make the runner turn back inside to pursuit. Bruton has been extremely ineffective in doing either. Maybe Barry is saying to sit back...I don't know. But Strong Safety play is not doing us any favors in run support.

We really need someone else along the line to step up versus the run...Bruton or someone else at Strong Safety needs to provide better support at the second level and we need to tackle better.

Thoughts, ideas? Baltimore is gonna run the rock, we need to play better[/quote]

Start with better tackling...

I said I was concerned with missed tackles last week... this week was even worse.

Mason Foster and Norman seemed to be the only ones able to tackle consistently...

I would like to see the yards we allowed after contact, that has to be awful...

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

Concerning the rushing defense:

“Well, we have to definitely look at ways to stop the run and find out where the holes are, I think,” Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said. [B](No shit, Sherlock!)[/B] “A lot of it has to do with Cleveland, man. [Joel] Bitonio and Joe Thomas had a good running game. [Isaiah] Crowell and Duke Johnson [Jr.] had a good scheme over there, so you’ve got to give credit to them, but then we have to figure out where we’re coming up short. Is it missing tackles at the second level [B](Yes!)[/B], is it getting off blocks [B](Yes!)[/B], is it getting pushed back too much on the double teams [B](Yes!)[/B]? We have to figure it out and figure out the answer and try to come up with some solutions.”

Our run defense is simply atrocious. It's very doubtful that we can improve it very much with our current personnel and a DC who couldn't find his own ass using both hands.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1150634]If you look at Seattle and how they were built "up the middle"...SS Chancellor, MLB Bobby Wagner and DTs who are run pluggers first. They took that DT Reed from Alabama who was regarded as the strongest DT versus the run in the draft as an example to philosophy. Bobby Wagner is just an athletic, volume tackler...Chancellor is big hitter, big tackler.

I called for it in the offseason...we need that up the middle presence to stop the run.[/quote]

This is an excellent point. It's more than the DL. Compton is a heady player and is fine for now but Super Bowl caliber defenses so often have a Bobby Wagner or a Luke Kuechly. And a Chancellor.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

It's our Wagner or Kuechly that we're missing. With the exception of the Steelers game, I feel like our DTs aren't getting pushed back as often as we think. It seems like it's the second level that's failing.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;1150647]It's our Wagner or Kuechly that we're missing. With the exception of the Steelers game, I feel like our DTs aren't getting pushed back as often as we think. It seems like it's the second level that's failing.[/quote]

Our DE/DT outside of Baker are constantly getting turned and moved out the way with relative ease...making matter worse P. Smith and Kerrigan are not doing much on the outside to set edge. They are so focused on getting to the QB...which is fine, but when you inside guys cant stop the run and your DE are just going for the QB...its kinda setting us up to get run over

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;1150647]It's our Wagner or Kuechly that we're missing. With the exception of the Steelers game, I feel like our DTs aren't getting pushed back as often as we think. It seems like it's the second level that's failing.[/quote]

They've got to get off the blocks, that's the part that's not happening. They may be holding the line OK but if they can't disengage and hit the ball carrier, they might as well be 5 yards downfield.

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

[quote=Chico23231;1150650]Our DE/DT outside of Baker are constantly getting turned and moved out the way with relative ease...making matter worse P. Smith and Kerrigan are not doing much on the outside to set edge. They are so focused on getting to the QB...which is fine, but when you inside guys cant stop the run and your DE are just going for the QB...its kinda setting us up to get run over[/quote]

most of the runs killing us are right up the gut . . . NT/DT's and ILBs are the biggest reason IMO

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

BTW, let's not forget -- Cleveland is actually leading the league in rushing right now. And Dallas isn't far behind. We have played very good rushing teams with excellent Olines. Not every team will have that (although I do not discount that our run D has been dreadful).

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

I actually think with better tackling our run D would be much much better. Guys are in position to make TFL and it ends up being a first down...

What I don't know is how quick you can coach better tackling... I mean they must have been taught that at some point in their football careers, so a reminder should be enough... right?

And I'm not talking about huge badass tackles, just using your arms and bringing guys down. A gator roll would be great, give them a yard or two but at least make 'em fall !

Re: The Defense Only Thread
 

The front 7 is just not up to snuff. Better tackling of course is needed, but we just don't have the bodies, IMO. Fingers crossed that Danny stays back and lets McC do another couple of drafts. And targeted FAs. Not sure we can do much at present, beyond the obvious tackling things.

TOs are saving us, but they tend to come in streaks, and against less-good teams. Hope the O can put up some big numbers for us!