What do you guys see changing in the first six games defensively?
BTW I am not worried or doomsdaying at all. But there has to be a change in the gameplan. No?
My thoughts are below:
The Jests and Bills, Browns: I don't see that anything would be done differently. harrrison will be back for the Browns.
No worry-the Pats, even with this squad, will give them matchup nightmares anyways.
The Chargers: Seymour will not be there to be double teamed. LDT has an extra blocker. Green has to hold the edge. The line LBs will have to adapt. I could have seen Harrison with 12 assists. Will Sanders be the MAN?
Two words-Norv Turner. He may very well snatch defeat from the hands of V-IOW, it won't matter who plays or doesn't if this happens.
Cincinnati: This one looks tough. They look to be good in the air and on the ground.
They're healthy and have no suspensions on O, right? Cincy has no D-I'd favor the Pats in a shootout.
Dallas' second best player, CB Terrence Newman, has a foot injury that could make him miss 4-6 games(it's pascilar fasomething). I think he'll play throughout the season, but for the good part, he won't be 100%. And their second best pass rusher, Greg Ellis, is still recovering from a torn achilles heel. So just using logic, sans Harrison/Seymour may wash out sans Newman/Ellis.
But nonetheless, to be frank, it's NOT Romo, but it's the Oline I'm worried about myself. When Bill P was here, he (surprisingly)did a shoddy job in this area, and most of the personnel right now is 90% his, including the Oline. We made a very good upgrade with Leonard Davis at RG, but his pass blocking skills are to be desired. The OTs(Flo and Columbo) are getting older and recovering from knee surgeries. The only reason why C Andre Gurode made the Pro Bowl was b/c of that infamous head-stomping incident last year. He's very good, but sometimes he loses it mentally. And LG Kosier(and Tuna pickup) is a Lions reject. He's solid, but nothing spectacular. And on top of everything, this line didn't blitz block well under Tuna.(the guy didn't know the schemes of stunting/blitzing at all)
Pt being that the game here may be decided by the Olines. While I've been impressed so far with Phillips' philosophies, it remains to be seen whether there are any other true pass rushers other than Ware/Ellis(Tuna relied more on coverages, so he got more run stuffers like Fergy and Canty). In SD, Phillips had 4-5 true pass rushers to work with.
OTOH-we seem to play outstanding at home against AFC teams(i.e. Indy last year sans Ellis and Denver the year before)
Anyhow-just a closing thought-don't sweat the losses of Rodney/Richard for now. 90% of the NFL teams right now have more problems. Look at the Colts-they lost 1/2 of their starters, including their LT-that D will be exposed more and Peyton will run for his life.
