Great Blog about the D--Jason LaC

if that's all you heard, you weren't listening very well, cause people have been saying letting pierce go was a mistake right as it was happening, and i've been saying it since, but i don't think i've been the only one.

I'm on that train too. Antonio Pierce was the most significant free agent loss we've had in the last 15 years or so. His value as QB of the defense was irreplaceable.

I think a lot of what he said is spot on. Most of all I think our play makers from 04 haven't been replaced or aren't currently as good. Griffin just hasn't had the same impact the last two seasons. Joe Sal has been about the same but he wasn't a play maker then and isn't now. His injuries have kept him out too much. I am realistic with the Arch siging because he is playing a role that he wasn't supposed to play. He isn't playing the same role that Clark would have played. Clark was our running down safety who supported pretty well in the run and was adequate in pass coeverage. Arch is having to play all four downs because Priloeau is gone and has been exposed on passing downs. I do wish we had kept Clark because he was serviceable and Arch isn't much better for the money. But he hasn't been an 'abject' failure since he can't be blamed for being relied on to do things no one expected to to do.

At DE they took a gamble on a guy just like they gambled on Griffin and this time we haven't had the same impact results. He isn't any worse than what we had though. I now agree that losing Pierce was the biggest deal. Lemar is serviceable but Pierce was a player. We haven't had a decent weak side LB since Lavar was good which was before 04 but somehow we hid it better then. Maybe Pierce was the reason.

I think our biggest problems have been, and I hate to say it, that our two 1st round draft picks on D have not brought play making to our team. Rogers is not a play maker at this point and some would even say he isn't very good. I can't argue since he hasn't shown much. I would have expected him to be better against WR1s. Maybe not lights out but he should be making his share of plays. He is making no palys at all. Even more disappointing has been the failure of Taylor to grow as a playmaker. Let's be honest, the guy can hit and he knows it. The problem is that basically all he ever tries to do is hit someone. He isn't ball hawking, or shutting down the TE or anything. If Rogers and Taylor made some plays we'd be talking about a much better defense.

I wish he was like he was last year against Arizona. He COULD have killed the receiver, and I'm talking decapitated him, but instead read the ball perfectly and came down with the pick.

Is Pierce the better player? Yes. But was replacing him with Marshall some sort of huge blunder? I really don't think so.

Marshall hasn't had a good season that's for sure, but neither has anyone on the entire D.

Based on what's happened this year I'm not ready to go back on what I've said. I still don't think it was a giant mistake in letting Pierce go. Marshall proved last year that he is capable of doing a very solid job. I believe he will rebound when the rest of the D does as well.

I really wish we'd made a run at Will Witherspoon in the offseason. He is a STUD for St. Louis.

Is Pierce the better player? Yes. But was replacing him with Marshall some sort of huge blunder? I really don't think so.

Marshall hasn't had a good season that's for sure, but neither has anyone on the entire D.

Based on what's happened this year I'm not ready to go back on what I've said. I still don't think it was a giant mistake in letting Pierce go. Marshall proved last year that he is capable of doing a very solid job. I believe he will rebound when the rest of the D does as well.

letting pierce go put holdman in the lineup, and he SUCKS. so it was a huge downgrade because of that.

I really wish we'd made a run at Will Witherspoon in the offseason. He is a STUD for St. Louis.

Yeah I hear you there, I was actually very surprised that we didn't get him. I wonder if we were even tried.

letting pierce go put holdman in the lineup, at he SUCKS. so it was a huge downgrade because of that.

I do agree there, Holdman is a stop gap. It's gotta make you wonder when McIntosh will see the field. We have to do something with that spot whether it's McIntosh or a free agent next year. Holdman is not the answer to anything.

I think sometimes GW's ego gets in the way of his decision-making skills. Like he's a GREAT coach, but I think sometimes he thinks he can create talent that isn't there.

I mean I'd much rather have a VASTLY talented player over-achieving than an average one.