The Official Defense Has Major Issues/Fire Jim Haslett Thread

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I'm not sure how you're quantifying "worse" but I'd be interested in knowing. Of course we don't know how good the defense is going to be this year and I don't think people here are really trying to make that point. Adjustments and scheme changes are fine and expected, but no was expecting the defense to fall off the cliff to 32nd in the league, GTripp.

We don't need sixteen games to see that this ain't working and Haslett appears to be in over his head big time. It's not just a personnel issue, it's a coaching issue from what I can see. Can I prove that it's a coaching issue with stats? Hell no. Seventeen of the thirty two teams run a 3-4 scheme, yet we're making it look like algebra.

I didn't clearly lay out my argument in any one post, but I made it pretty clearly over the rest of the thread. One thing I didn't do was quantify worse, although "yards per play" is probably the stat I was using the most.

It's just a nonsensical conclusion is all I'm dealing with. A lot of us actually were frustrated with Blache at this time last year, if I recall correctly. Not ONE of us suggested that the problem was that we didn't have the personnel to play the 4-3 even though the results were frustratingly similar to what we've seen in the last three weeks.

When the evidence is the same (the defense is underachiving/was overrated), but the conclusion is instantly regarding our scheme/personnel fit, it's hard to defend that perspective, IMO. I hit the film every week, and didn't realize last year until after the seventh or eighth game that last year's team simply couldn't cover anyone in zone. I'd really like to know what people are seeing while following the ball in real time that has made them determine that the defense is schematically "out of its element."

There isn't a lot of evidence to support conclusions at this point, because mostly, there isn't a lot of evidence. Comparisons between last year and this year are completely valid for me. It's all we have at this point.