Defensive Failures: Scheme or Players?

[Beemnseven]

It's all hindsight now, but I remember thinking there was legitimate debate as to whether linebacker was the bigger issue for the '06 draft or cornerback.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to say that Shawn Springs was nearing the end of his career, that Carlos Rogers was a big question mark, and one more push for top-knotch talent in the secondary was needed.

I was all for the Kenny Wright move. I thought he'd be perfect in the nickel position, and was a solid pickup after noting his 15 game starting history in Jacksonville last year. So no one could have predicted his demise after being thrust into the position of starting corner. Rumph, Vincent, and Fox were all desperation moves. At that point, the secondary was already a cluster-fornication and anyone would have been an improvement over the current lot.

Either way, the front office has to be accountable at some point. Sooner or later, some of us are going to have to stop grasping at straws to defend these people and start calling it for what it is -- a dismal failure.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

The Giants played half the season without their best defensive player (Strahan) yet they're still going to the playoffs. Blame the Gibbs/Snyder philosophy for paying above top dollar for every FA signing while trading away draft picks and letting cheaper depth players like Walt Harris walk. Harris would've been much better than Kenny Wright and Mike Rumph after Springs went down. I NEVER thought I'd appreciate Harris, but he had a hell of a year in SF.

Harris isn't twice the player Wright is (not over the span of his career) yet he's getting paid twice the money over the next two years.

[celts32]

It's players! Springs when healthy was the only DB they had this year who can cover anyone one on one...and then you got Interstate 99 giving up miles and miles of yardage on the ground.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I thought this topic was worthy of it's own thread. Some of us here feel as though our defensive woes this year could be chalked up to lack of talent, others say it's the scheme, and some believe it's a little of both.

I'm of the opinion that more than the players, it was our defensive scheme that failed us this year.

Gregg Williams fielded the third best defense during his first year, ninth ranked his second, and this year we're close to last if not very last. So there has been a regression from a statiscal standpoint. That along with a few key departures and no significant up grades have spelled disaster for the defense.

It seems like offenses have us figured us out little by little over this three year period and they know exactly where to attack, when to run play action, and how to keep us on our heels. It seems their game planning have been better than ours.

Most of the games that we've lost this year, were lost in the second half, after teams make their half-time adjustments. In simple terms, we've been out coached.

Of course the players share in this, they are the one's on the field performing. But if something isn't working, you don't have 5 weeks in the NFL to correct it.

I'm concerned that we'll go in FA and sign Nate Clements or whomever and think that's the end of it. I'm not too sure about that.

Please discuss.

I think getting Nate Clements plus a MLB would quick fix the D, and allow us to be average for a year or two, but we will not be dominant until we rebuild the D-Line. We have a porous D Line, and it's IMO by far our biggest problem. But if fix the CB and LB depth, which can be done through FA, Grilliams' biltz happy scheme can generate a pass rush for us. We NEED to start building the DL through the draft, starting this season.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I think getting Nate Clements plus a MLB would quick fix the D, and allow us to be average for a year or two, but we will not be dominant until we rebuild the D-Line. We have a porous D Line, and it's IMO by far our biggest problem. But if fix the CB and LB depth, which can be done through FA, Grilliams' biltz happy scheme can generate a pass rush for us. We NEED to start building the DL through the draft, starting this season.

ditto. not big LB signings, due to clements and a possible #6 pick, but decent LBs are extremely cheap.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

Harris isn't twice the player Wright is (not over the span of his career) yet he's getting paid twice the money over the next two years.

i agree, but wouldn't the secondary look alot better right now with Harris?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by dmek25

i agree, but wouldn't the secondary look alot better right now with Harris?

For the sake of continuity from last year perhaps. But when you consider the season both Wright and Harris had, plus the fact that Wright is bigger and younger, then you have to take Wright if you're getting him for half the price.

[12thMan]

Oh boy Walt did have another Int. for a touchdown last night.

[hurrykaine]

The defensive breakdown is all on Gregg Williams. His cockiness that he thinks the scheme will trump the loss of key players. Second, he doesn't switch from attack to a prevent defense towards the end. Its always an attacking defense that gives up the huge play. That's a problem, because you can't win close games without playing prevent at the end.