Our defense now vs the 2019 D

[sb1]

The Boogeymen never looked like this except maybe in Sam Darnold's head. That team was the definition of pretender.

They were kinda soft I think. Not this defense. This team enjoys getting punched in the mouth and punching back a lot harder. I don't think the Ravens debacle happens against us now. That team never KO'ed quarterbacks out of the game very often either and I think we're now going on 4 in a row? Gilmore in 2019 was obviously excellent but I think this secondary put together is really good too and JC is on his way to becoming Gilmore.

I can see why they'd be compared - we are still waiting for that signature dominating performance against a really good team. Hopefully the Titans and the Bills games will showcase how special this defense might be.

 

[farn]

Really liked 2019 Gilmore. HT & KVN being two years younger helps as well.

But I’d still give the nod to this D.

 

[holyredeemer]

What? No stats, no analysis? Just opinion, and commentary on how many qb’s they’ve knocked out? So disappointed.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The difference is Judon. 2019 needed trickery Rex Ryan had to do with his front 7’s. Teams caught on and that was the 2019 downfall.

 

[bormio]

Judon is great, but Barmore is becoming a game wrecker. The attention he commands frees up guys like Judon.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Judon is great, but Barmore is becoming a game wrecker. The attention he commands frees up guys like Judon.

Yeah their front 7 was weak with no inside pass rush in 2019 and Barmore is filling that void.

 

[Nikolai]

If I recall, the 2019 D really relied on those cover-0 blitzes, where this year's D is getting pressure out of cover-2/zone with a lot less blitzes.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

2019 was all defensive backs. They couldn't stop the run. Very soft up front

 

[bormio]

We have not had a talent at DT like Barmore since Seymour

 

[RobertWeathers]

We have not had a talent at DT like Barmore since Seymour

Wilfork says hi

 

[TheRainMaker]

Wilfork says hi

I’m sure bormio means inside pass rusher.

 

[TheRainMaker]

We have not had a talent at DT like Barmore since Seymour

He’s not at Seymour’s level yet, but I agree.

 

[sb1]

Tale of the tape:
2019 Boogeymen (all through 16 games):
225 points allowed
4.7 yards per play allowed
4.2 yards per rush allowed
5.0 net yards per pass allowed
Sacks: 47
Hurries: 58
Pressures: 146
QB Hits:102
Passer Rating allowed: 62.8
Tackles for loss: 58
Takeaways: 36


2021 defense through 10 weeks (projected to 16 games):
177 points allowed through 11 weeks (257)
5.1 yards per play allowed
4.1 yards per rush allowed
5.7 net yards per pass allowed
Sacks: 28 (45)
Hurries: 51 (82)
Pressures: 111 (177)
QB Hits: 68 (109)
Passer Rating allowed: 71.2
Tackles for loss: 45 (72)
Takeaways: 21 (34)

edit: my bad, PFR does not update their stats for TNF until the following week so I updated this to reflect 10 games not 11. Except for the points, we already know it's 177 through 11 weeks.

Keeping in mind that the defense this year has already faced Dak and a much better Cowboys team than the 2019 team faced plus Brady, Mayfield, Ryan, Herbert. The 2019 Pats at least in the first half were not exactly facing top notch QB competition.

2019 defense was good, but I think this defense is way better suited for a physical game.

 

[nabwong]

The eye test says this defense is better. The D line is much better than 2019. There’s a bit more pressure for the D to perform because we have a rookie QB.

 

[bormio]

Wilfork says hi

I think Barmore may end up a more impactful player than Wilfork, which would be amazing

 

[RobertWeathers]

I’m sure bormio means inside pass rusher.

He might.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think Barmore may end up a more impactful player than Wilfork, which would be amazing

We'll see. Lofty company.

 

[stinkypete]

Comparing the two defenses brings me back to the question of which is more vital to a championship level defense, the front 7 vs. pass coverage. If you have both you have an elite defense. If one of the two units is elite it can usually cover up deficiencies in the other, but it leaves you vulnerable.

Looking back at 2019, we had our best secondary since 2003, a group that was just a notch below historically good. The rest of the defense was smoke and mirrors. Rather than being used as the versatile chess pieces they are best suited to be, Hightower, KVN and Collins were relied upon to supply the pass rush. Edge setting and midfield coverage were sacrificed, but a weak early schedule disguised those deficiencies. Thus the thrashings at the hands of Baltimore, Houston and Tennessee.

The presence of Judon and Barmore as defensive game wreckers frees up the group of Hightower, KVN and Collins (when healthy) to be used more versatilely. It opens up the defensive playbook, helps cover deficiencies in the games of the front 3.

It is also worth noting that the secondary might not actually be that much worse in 2021 than it was in 2019. What we are missing at CB, we have gained at safety. The 2019 version of Patrick Chung was running on fumes, while Phillips and Dugger have been absolutely electric of late.

I will say, though, that I am not yet 100% convinced that we can consistently stop the run. We held McCaffery to a pedestrian game, but have managed to avoid Chubb/Hunt and Henry so far. I have my eye on the Indy game to see if this defense is truly elite.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Tale of the tape:
2019 Boogeymen (all through 16 games):
225 points allowed
4.7 yards per play allowed
4.2 yards per rush allowed
5.0 net yards per pass allowed
Sacks: 47
Hurries: 58
Pressures: 146
QB Hits:102
Passer Rating allowed: 62.8
Tackles for loss: 58
Takeaways: 36


2021 defense through 10 weeks (projected to 16 games):
177 points allowed (283)
5.1 yards per play allowed
4.1 yards per rush allowed
5.7 net yards per pass allowed
Sacks: 28 (45)
Hurries: 51 (82)
Pressures: 111 (177)
QB Hits: 68 (109)
Passer Rating allowed: 71.2
Tackles for loss: 45 (72)
Takeaways: 21 (34)

edit: my bad, PFR does not update their stats for TNF until the following week so I updated this to reflect 10 games not 11.

Keeping in mind that the defense this year has already faced Dak and a much better Cowboys team than the 2019 team faced, Brady, Mayfield, Ryan, Herbert. The 2019 Pats at least in the first half were not exactly facing top notch QB competition.

2019 defense was good, but I think this defense is way better suited for a physical game.

Nice work SB1.

With the way they are playing i'll take 2021 D.

I think the 2019 D got tired. Last 9 games (BAL and onward) they allowed 18.6ppg.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Comparing the two defenses brings me back to the question of which is more vital to a championship level defense, the front 7 vs. pass coverage. If you have both you have an elite defense. If one of the two units is elite it can usually cover up deficiencies in the other, but it leaves you vulnerable.

Looking back at 2019, we had our best secondary since 2003, a group that was just a notch below historically good. The rest of the defense was smoke and mirrors. Rather than being used as the versatile chess pieces they are best suited to be, Hightower, KVN and Collins were relied upon to supply the pass rush. Edge setting and midfield coverage were sacrificed, but a weak early schedule disguised those deficiencies. Thus the thrashings at the hands of Baltimore, Houston and Tennessee.

The presence of Judon and Barmore as defensive game wreckers frees up the group of Hightower, KVN and Collins (when healthy) to be used more versatilely. It opens up the defensive playbook, helps cover deficiencies in the games of the front 3.

It is also worth noting that the secondary might not actually be that much worse in 2021 than it was in 2019. What we are missing at CB, we have gained at safety. The 2019 version of Patrick Chung was running on fumes, while Phillips and Dugger have been absolutely electric of late.

I will say, though, that I am not yet 100% convinced that we can consistently stop the run. We held McCaffery to a pedestrian game, but have managed to avoid Chubb/Hunt and Henry so far. I have my eye on the Indy game to see if this defense is truly elite.

Front 7 every day of the week