Defensive Freefall
 

Interesting thing occurred to me yesterday as I watched TB put our lame ass's away ( in a game we should win). The thing that worried me most before the season is the least of my worries today. Except for a turnover problem, that MUST cease, the Offense can do with regularity those things necessary to win!

[b]Where has the D gone?[/b] We don't appear to be able to stop big plays when necessary, either running or passing. We look [b]VERY [/b]beatable. We kicked their ass in the running game. However, due to lack of QB pressure, poor coverage, (Walt Harris is having a tough couple of weeks), we allowed them to take this game away from us after it was[b] put to bed[/b] SEVERAL times. These dudes aren't that good. They scored at will! So did the Giants more importantly

Let it be known, I don't want to replace GW, or anyone else. Just food for thought!!!

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

In two of the last three games, our "D" allowed the opponents to score 36 points!!!!!!!!!!! Something is very wrong here. Our "D" of last year is no where to be found.

The loss of such defensive stalwarts as Smoot and Pierce are defintely being felt, despite what GW says.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

Turnovers are what's wrong. We just cannot give the opposition a short field.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]Turnovers are what's wrong. We just cannot give the opposition a short field.[/QUOTE]

Malcom, correct me if I am wrong but only one turnover lead directly to points....take that TD away and our D gave up 28 points. That is still too many. Yes, the other Turnovers may have taken away points from us, but the D gave up 4 TDs in my opinion.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]Turnovers are what's wrong. We just cannot give the opposition a short field.[/QUOTE]

That was the problem early in the game, but in the second half, Simms was picking the secondary apart. I'm usually not a person to say that one person was responsible, but I honestly believe if Sean Taylor had played, the game would have been much different. The secondary hasn't given up that many big pass plays all season, but with Taylor out, they look like the Arizona Cardinals secondary. The Bucs receivers were behind our safeties all game long.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

[QUOTE=LadyT]In two of the last three games, our "D" allowed the opponents to score 36 points!!!!!!!!!!! Something is very wrong here. Our "D" of last year is no where to be found.

The loss of such defensive stalwarts as Smoot and Pierce are defintely being felt, despite what GW says.[/QUOTE]
How dare you question coach Williams the genius he is... u need to confess your sins immediately

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

Our offense did its job yesterday; you can't score 35 pts on the league's #1 and say you didn't do your job. It's our defense that really worries me, especially since Shaun Alexander ripped off that 34 yd run in week 2. What is up with these guys? We were dominant last year even when we lost half the lineup at various times to injury. They NEED to step it up or else we're doomed for this season.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

Our secondary is hurting. We took some big hits to both our starting core and depth. I don't think Walt Harris could hold Smoot's jock. Even Garnell Wilds seemed to be coming along and I doubt he was too expensive to hold on to. I really hope Rogers gets it together soon!

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

[QUOTE=Daseal]Our secondary is hurting. We took some big hits to both our starting core and depth. I don't think Walt Harris could hold Smoot's jock. Even Garnell Wilds seemed to be coming along and I doubt he was too expensive to hold on to. I really hope Rogers gets it together soon![/QUOTE]

Our secondary is in tough shape on man coverage. The Buc's recievers are strictly average, twighlight of career, or unknown (with a shaky QB). No killers. They had their way with us time and again. We let them back in the game several times in the second half. The game really should not have been close. VERY unsettling!!!!!! However, I DO believe GW can cypher out the problem and correct!!!!

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

I totally agree with the other posts here - our defense has seen a dropoff from last year's.

I think a combination of turnovers and Sean Taylor's absence hurt our chances yesterday.

But no way should the Bucs be able to run up and down the field on us like that!??

Injuries or no, we have taken a step back in my opinion. The reason I say this is because last year when we had injuries to starters you didn't see any noticable dropp-off - this year is another story.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

With taylor out, i hoped GW would have changed his scheming a little and not try to bring the house as often. I do not agree with how many times we blitzed springs from the corner position, leaving that side of the field open. Every time springs blitzed, simms went to that side of the field and we got burned. Besides taylor, our other safties cannot cover deep and i was uncomfortable blitzing like we did. We didn't even get much pressure when we did blitz, so i think GW should have realized that and let up a bit, especially with our corners. I say that having taylor out was a huge factor (like it was last year against Green Bay) and knowing that, GW should not have been as aggressive, or at least changed his gameplan during the game after he saw that we were not getting much pressure on simms anyway and that we were getting beat deep often.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

Every defense in this league gets "figured out" I think teams have been doing their homework and figuring out what they can do against us. Williams is ultra aggressive, there is no question. If the QB can get time to throw the ball, even average QBs can take advantage of 1 on 1 coverage. Especially when you have an average CB with average cover skills. I gave this example earlier today, but remember the Dallas D a couple of years ago when it was #1. Zimmer was blitzing all over the place, and the average corners were not exposed. The next year, teams figured out how to negate their blitzs and their corners were exposed. Any corner in the NFL can cover a guy for 2 seconds, its when they have to cover them on double moves and deep posts that brings out the good and the bad in corners. It comes down to pressure. Teams have figured out where we are blitzing from and keep extra people in to account for that. Until GW changed a few things regarding blitz packages and we are better at confusing the QB at where the blitz is coming from we will have these problems. Thats why we were so good last year. Spring had what 6 or so sacks last year. How many this year, 0!!!. that blitz was awesome last year, but this year we haven't gotten any sacks out of it. We have to adapt, or its going to be a long road.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

[QUOTE=#56fanatic]Every defense in this league gets "figured out" I think teams have been doing their homework and figuring out what they can do against us. Williams is ultra aggressive, there is no question. If the QB can get time to throw the ball, even average QBs can take advantage of 1 on 1 coverage. Especially when you have an average CB with average cover skills. I gave this example earlier today, but remember the Dallas D a couple of years ago when it was #1. Zimmer was blitzing all over the place, and the average corners were not exposed. The next year, teams figured out how to negate their blitzs and their corners were exposed. Any corner in the NFL can cover a guy for 2 seconds, its when they have to cover them on double moves and deep posts that brings out the good and the bad in corners. It comes down to pressure. Teams have figured out where we are blitzing from and keep extra people in to account for that. Until GW changed a few things regarding blitz packages and we are better at confusing the QB at where the blitz is coming from we will have these problems. Thats why we were so good last year. Spring had what 6 or so sacks last year. How many this year, 0!!!. that blitz was awesome last year, but this year we haven't gotten any sacks out of it. We have to adapt, or its going to be a long road.[/QUOTE]

Good point.. I agree that adapting and coming up with new bitzs and scheme's is going to be the key.

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

2 of our top 4 players on D are out right now and our depth obviously sucks. maybe that helps to explain it...

Re: Defensive Freefall
 

I don't think our secondary should be getting as much of the blame as it is getting. I'm sorry, but Chris Simms had ALL DAY to throw the ball. I blame our front four as much as our back four for the poor passing defense.

I think our defense will get back on track once Griffin returns.