What's our greatest need now?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Someone on the DL is going to have to have a career year to keep us competitive there (I'm looking at you Griffin). However, you are correct, there is little that can be done to improve the DL anymore right now. We have good depth, lets let the players go out at play there, and make sure to address it next offseason (finally).

We definately can make strides in the depth department at LB.

I'm just curious as to why you think that?

My thinking is if they just repeat last year, we'll be fine. You could argue that last year was a career year (or close) for Andre Carter. But other than him, nobody really played out of their shoes, so to speak. And we ranked 8th in defense and were very stout against the run.

Certainly if Griffin dominates like he did in 2004, we'll be beast. If Montgomery continues his ascension and goes from quality starter to upper echelon DT, then we'll be beast. But all we need is a repeat of last year. We need Carter to keep up the 10+ sack pace, we need Wilson/Washington/Daniels/James/Evans/whoever to combine for 10 sacks again on the other side. And we need Griffin, Monty, and Golston to play like they did last year. If all that happens, I don't see why we can't be a top 10 D again.

If the line plays like it did last season, they won't be the reason if our D drops off.

It's just hard for me to ask much more from the D line position than what we got last year. I see them as pulling their weight. Other positions and units are the ones that need to step up in order for us to go from pretty good playoff team to championship contender. Namely the offensive line (love our chances with the guys all healthy) the wide receivers (who the hell knows) and the LBs (do we have enough of them).

And needless to say, QB.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I'm just curious as to why you think that?

My thinking is if they just repeat last year, we'll be fine. You could argue that last year was a career year (or close) for Andre Carter. But other than him, nobody really played out of their shoes, so to speak. And we ranked 8th in defense and were very stout against the run.

Certainly if Griffin dominates like he did in 2004, we'll be beast. If Montgomery continues his ascension and goes from quality starter to upper echelon DT, then we'll be beast. But all we need is a repeat of last year. We need Carter to keep up the 10+ sack pace, we need Wilson/Washington/Daniels/James/Evans/whoever to combine for 10 sacks again on the other side. And we need Griffin, Monty, and Golston to play like they did last year. If all that happens, I don't see why we can't be a top 10 D again.

If the line plays like it did last season, they won't be the reason if our D drops off.

It's just hard for me to ask much more from the D line position than what we got last year. I see them as pulling their weight. Other positions and units are the ones that need to step up in order for us to go from pretty good playoff team to championship contender. Namely the offensive line (love our chances with the guys all healthy) the wide receivers (who the hell knows) and the LBs (do we have enough of them).

And needless to say, QB.

Actually, I do argue that it was a career year for Andre Carter.

And that is my entire argument.

It's not really fair to go to Carter in training camp and go, "Great season guy! Better than anyone could have expected out of you based on your prior career. Now, if you don't mind, you are going to have to do that again this year -- improve on it in fact, or we are going to blame you for the regression of the entire defensive line. Good luck!"

You do say yourself, that we need to rely on Carter for another 10+ sacks to sustain production. And I mean, he's proven it's certainly possible.

What if 10+ is unreasonable for Carter? Then someone else is going to have to have a career year to pick up the slack, or the production is going to fall off. That's all I'm really asserting here.