No Surprise: The Defense Is Awful Early

[zimmy]

We haven't been good on 3rd down, I think we all realise that. However, I do think there have been a number of occasions where the defence has stepped up in important situations to stop 3rd down conversions - Baltimore being the most obvious example, but also Minnesota.

I also think we have let up some long drives but managed to stiffen and hold teams to field goals. I don't know what the stats say but our red zone defence looks to have imporved from the last couple of years. I also recall a number of garbage time drives by Miami, Cincinnatti where they went up and down the field when the game was long over. They are included in these stats but ultimately they didn't matter.

Bill's philosophy at the minute is to not give up big plays - bend but don't break, as we always repeat. I think we have only let up a couple of 40+ plays this year. Force a team to go 10-12 plays to get points and sooner or later you make a play to get off the field. I really think we are closer than some think to being able to achieve this, but in our system its not a quick fix solution. It takes good coordinated play across the defence to make it work and once everyone knows their roles and responsibilites it should get better.

Will it be brilliant by December? No I don't think so. I think we need to get a more consistent pass rush and Leigh Bodden back/another good corner for it to be a top unit, but it may be good enough coupled with an improvement in the offence for us to give the playoffs a go.

 

[dhamz]

We knew there would be games where the opponents ran for 200 yards.

We did? Didn't I read the run D hadn't had a game like last week in 8 years?

 

[sbpatfan]

I think Hillis might have been the first running back all year to go over 100 yards on us. Although, the combo of Tomlinson + Green did it in week 2. And not surprisingly those are the games we lost. I believe the Patriots are 6-0 when out they out rush their opponent.