Redskins vs. Bengals Post Game Reaction

I'm not going to defend the defense here, but as I watch the Patriots and Ravens play, and I look at all the other high scoring games, and I wonder if it's just too much to expect consistent defensive play. Especially against anything other then the poorest of offensive teams. Look at some of the other teams with top defenses this week:
SF - gave up 24 points in a loss to Minnesota
Pitt - gave up 34 points in a loss to Oakland
Houston - gave up 25 points in a win to Denver
Balt - ongoing, but so far has given up 30 points to NE
NYJ - gave up 20 points to Miami(!) and won in OT

I know the counter point is that Chicago held the mighty Rams to 6 points, or Atlanta's D held SD to 3 (yes I would still like Nolan as our DC, but I know that ain't happening) but overall, this is a league where scoring 30 points is no longer an exception, but instead nearly required in order to win consistently.

Again not defending our D, they need to be able to stop teams, but everyone knew going in, this was going to be a track meet type game.

I think when the team tied the game, the offense had two opportunities to put up points and take the lead. The first was after the Law Firm's fumble and after that series the defense made a stop. I think the offense had good field position during those two offensive drives and made nothing of it.

I'm not going to defend the defense here, but as I watch the Patriots and Ravens play, and I look at all the other high scoring games, and I wonder if it's just too much to expect consistent defensive play. Especially against anything other then the poorest of offensive teams. Look at some of the other teams with top defenses this week:
SF - gave up 24 points in a loss to Minnesota
Pitt - gave up 34 points in a loss to Oakland
Houston - gave up 25 points in a win to Denver
Balt - ongoing, but so far has given up 30 points to NE
NYJ - gave up 20 points to Miami(!) and won in OT

I know the counter point is that Chicago held the mighty Rams to 6 points, or Atlanta's D held SD to 3 (yes I would still like Nolan as our DC, but I know that ain't happening) but overall, this is a league where scoring 30 points is no longer an exception, but instead nearly required in order to win consistently.

Again not defending our D, they need to be able to stop teams, but everyone knew going in, this was going to be a track meet type game.

Good post

I'm not going to defend the defense here, but as I watch the Patriots and Ravens play, and I look at all the other high scoring games, and I wonder if it's just too much to expect consistent defensive play. Especially against anything other then the poorest of offensive teams. Look at some of the other teams with top defenses this week:
SF - gave up 24 points in a loss to Minnesota
Pitt - gave up 34 points in a loss to Oakland
Houston - gave up 25 points in a win to Denver
Balt - ongoing, but so far has given up 30 points to NE
NYJ - gave up 20 points to Miami(!) and won in OT

I know the counter point is that Chicago held the mighty Rams to 6 points, or Atlanta's D held SD to 3 (yes I would still like Nolan as our DC, but I know that ain't happening) but overall, this is a league where scoring 30 points is no longer an exception, but instead nearly required in order to win consistently.

Again not defending our D, they need to be able to stop teams, but everyone knew going in, this was going to be a track meet type game.

Good point. We might just need to revalibrate what passes for good defense.

Look on the bright side. If RGIII wasn't on the redskins, the score would've been something like 45-7.

Whatever anyone says- these losses can mainly be blamed on Haslett. I don't care what anyone says about how its the players' fault or its the shanahans (which btw is the most ludricious thing).

I'm not going to defend the defense here, but as I watch the Patriots and Ravens play, and I look at all the other high scoring games, and I wonder if it's just too much to expect consistent defensive play. Especially against anything other then the poorest of offensive teams. Look at some of the other teams with top defenses this week:
SF - gave up 24 points in a loss to Minnesota
Pitt - gave up 34 points in a loss to Oakland
Houston - gave up 25 points in a win to Denver
Balt - ongoing, but so far has given up 30 points to NE
NYJ - gave up 20 points to Miami(!) and won in OT

I know the counter point is that Chicago held the mighty Rams to 6 points, or Atlanta's D held SD to 3 (yes I would still like Nolan as our DC, but I know that ain't happening) but overall, this is a league where scoring 30 points is no longer an exception, but instead nearly required in order to win consistently.

Again not defending our D, they need to be able to stop teams, but everyone knew going in, this was going to be a track meet type game.

I see your point. Only thing is those teams haven't given up those types of numbers 3 weeks in a row.

I think when the team tied the game, the offense had two opportunities to put up points and take the lead. The first was after the Law Firm's fumble and after that series the defense made a stop. I think the offense had good field position during those two offensive drives and made nothing of it.

After the fumble I thought we had the game

I'm not going to defend the defense here, but as I watch the Patriots and Ravens play, and I look at all the other high scoring games, and I wonder if it's just too much to expect consistent defensive play. Especially against anything other then the poorest of offensive teams. Look at some of the other teams with top defenses this week:
SF - gave up 24 points in a loss to Minnesota
Pitt - gave up 34 points in a loss to Oakland
Houston - gave up 25 points in a win to Denver
Balt - ongoing, but so far has given up 30 points to NE
NYJ - gave up 20 points to Miami(!) and won in OT

I know the counter point is that Chicago held the mighty Rams to 6 points, or Atlanta's D held SD to 3 (yes I would still like Nolan as our DC, but I know that ain't happening) but overall, this is a league where scoring 30 points is no longer an exception, but instead nearly required in order to win consistently.

Again not defending our D, they need to be able to stop teams, but everyone knew going in, this was going to be a track meet type game.

You are comparing our d to the top defenses in the league. Maybe this week was strange ? I dont know. What i do know is that every defense you mentioned above is far superior to what we are putting on the field.

In conjunction with my last post, a breakdown of score range shows that defenses seem to be losing the general battle:

Shutouts: 0
2 - 9 pts allowed: 4 teams
10-19 pts "" : 5 teams
20-29 pts " " : 12 teams (note: Baltimore has 28, but game not over yet)
30-39 pts " " : 7 teams
40-49 pts " " : 2 teams

I see your point. Only thing is those teams haven't given up those types of numbers 3 weeks in a row.

Exactly. This week was bizzare but at the end of the year we will be dead last in probably every defensive category except maybe run d ( mainly because why would teams run on us when its so easy to pass). So it doesnt matter if its a scoring league. If the top defenses are giving up 20 a game this year and were giving up forty we will lose. Just like if they are giving up 10 and us 20. Its all relative.

You are comparing our d to the top defenses in the league. Maybe this week was strange ? I dont know. What i do know is that every defense you mentioned above is far superior to what we are putting on the field.

I was not trying to say that we have a top defense, only that the nature of the game is shifting the definition of what a defense needs to do.