The Eye Test is Lying: Why This Defense is Better Than You Think.

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I do recall at least one big run against our defense.
I think Seattle had what a 35 or 45 yarder? Nothing compared to what we gave up last year especially against Philly. That's a large reason why we have given up less YPC this year compared to last.
 
The secondary is definitely not average. Average means they are around ranked #13-17 in the league. An average secondary has at least one top tier defensive back. We have none. Lake is above average but everyone else is below average.

Do you all remember how we lost against the Eagles, Seahawks, Niners, Panthers? We blew leads against the Eagles and Seahawks because the defense gave up big plays in a short amount of time. Mac Jones and Bryce Young had their best games against us.
 
I think the first half of the year the defense was better in terms of the backfield. Second half, they have just regressed at least from the games my eyes are watching. Our defensive style has been a bend but don't break for some time now. Primarily because we don't really have the best cover corners out there. They typically use the "I'll grab the receiver and hope I don't get caught" mentaiity. Durant last night was the worst of it. I mean that PI in the endzone could of been called by a HS ref. He's basically just had his back to the play and both arms holding. How stupid do you have to be?
This defense IMO, could be insanley elite with DB's that can not only cover tight, but can tackle well and even hit hard. I think we're probably another really good LB away from that as well. But if we continue to put Durant and Forbes out there not much will change.
Don't get me wrong, they are "OK". But our goal shouldn't be OK. We've got a good window to compete at a high level. Upgrade at the spots we need it the most. We're gonna have the picks and from what I've read the most CAP space we've had in a while (pending Puka) and a couple others.
 
There were a few plays where coverage was great (the Panthers last TD - Curl was right there with Coker).

Two of their TDs were bolstered by some pretty ticky tacky PI calls - considering they didn't call a single defensive secondary penalty against Carolina (and we saw the egregious one that Greg Olsen pointed to where Adams got slung down)....you can make a case both were fouls, but similar plays to both both are constantly let go AND if they aren't calling it both ways, neither should have been called IMO.

What we lack on defense is a closer. And while the CB room needs an upgrade, the DL playing against a backup LT and G....against an already average OL....has me wanting an upgrade at edge
With Verse, Young, and Josiah Stewart, I don't see a need for us to upgrade at EDGE. Would it be nice to have a TJ Watt or Myles Garrett type player? Sure. But we need an All Pro in the secondary more than at EDGE.
 
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I posted about this before but go look at the QBs we faced, a good amount of rookie or backups.
It skewed the numbers.

Titans Rookie
9ers backup 2x
Ravens backup
Saints
Darnold
Mayfield hurt
Briskett 2x
Cousins

We had something serviceable with Spoon and Williams last year and times this year.
This Durant and Forbes combo is terrible.
It's magnified by Shula's soft zone low blitz approach, that gets QB's comfortable.

Having said that, we are a good tackling team, good vs the run and can rush the passer.
 
With Verse, Young, and Josiah Stewart, I don't see a need for us to upgrade at EDGE. Would it be nice to have a TJ Watt or Myles Garrett type player? Sure. But we need an All Pro in the secondary more than at EDGE.


IMO we need a closer. That should be Verse, but against a backup LT he didn't make much of an impact yesterday.

Agreed 100% on the secondary, I just also think we need to upgrade (probably Byron since he will need a contract soon) there too.

Our pressure numbers ended up looking decent, but Bryce Young had so much time on some of those throws it wouldn't have mattered who was in the secondary
 
I think the first half of the year the defense was better in terms of the backfield. Second half, they have just regressed at least from the games my eyes are watching. Our defensive style has been a bend but don't break for some time now. Primarily because we don't really have the best cover corners out there. They typically use the "I'll grab the receiver and hope I don't get caught" mentaiity. Durant last night was the worst of it. I mean that PI in the endzone could of been called by a HS ref. He's basically just had his back to the play and both arms holding. How stupid do you have to be?
This defense IMO, could be insanley elite with DB's that can not only cover tight, but can tackle well and even hit hard. I think we're probably another really good LB away from that as well. But if we continue to put Durant and Forbes out there not much will change.
Don't get me wrong, they are "OK". But our goal shouldn't be OK. We've got a good window to compete at a high level. Upgrade at the spots we need it the most. We're gonna have the picks and from what I've read the most CAP space we've had in a while (pending Puka) and a couple others.
I actually think Forbes is developing into a solid CB. He's still inconsistent, but I think we'd be just fine if we had a legit #1 CB to pair with Forbes. The problem is that we don't. So Forbes is forced into the #1 role, when he's not that caliber of player (at this time, at least). But yes, the secondary is a weakness. Not sure what Shula can do to mask it, but it's a problem. Lake had an off night against Carolina. Hopefully, he'll perform better against Chicago with the rust knocked off.
 
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IMO we need a closer. That should be Verse, but against a backup LT he didn't make much of an impact yesterday.

Agreed 100% on the secondary, I just also think we need to upgrade (probably Byron since he will need a contract soon) there too.

Our pressure numbers ended up looking decent, but Bryce Young had so much time on some of those throws it wouldn't have mattered who was in the secondary
The majority of the snaps Verse is on the RT and Young is on the LT.
 
IMO we need a closer. That should be Verse, but against a backup LT he didn't make much of an impact yesterday.

Agreed 100% on the secondary, I just also think we need to upgrade (probably Byron since he will need a contract soon) there too.

Our pressure numbers ended up looking decent, but Bryce Young had so much time on some of those throws it wouldn't have mattered who was in the secondary
There aren't many closers in the NFL. Instead of having a closer, we have four good pass rushers (Verse, Young, Turner, and Fiske) plus a great run defender in Poona. With resource allocation limitations, we're going to have to live with that, unless we get lucky and find a stud pass rusher in the middle rounds of the draft.
 
I posted about this before but go look at the QBs we faced, a good amount of rookie or backups.
It skewed the numbers.

Titans Rookie
9ers backup 2x
Ravens backup
Saints
Darnold
Mayfield hurt
Briskett 2x
Cousins

We had something serviceable with Spoon and Williams last year and times this year.
This Durant and Forbes combo is terrible.
It's magnified by Shula's soft zone low blitz approach, that gets QB's comfortable.

Having said that, we are a good tackling team, good vs the run and can rush the passer.


The Niners back up destroyed us.

We had better than expected performances against:

Daniel Jones - was clicking when we played him and picked him off twice

Trevor Lawrence

Stroud

Darnold x 2

On the flip side, Mac Jones, Jalen Hurts and Bryce Young were all nearly perfect against us. Mixed bag, but the common theme is bigger WRs (Bourne, Jennings, AJ Brown, Coker and McMillan) tend to give us trouble.
 
There aren't many closers in the NFL. Instead of having a closer, we have four good pass rushers (Verse, Young, Turner, and Fiske) plus a great run defender in Poona. With resource allocation limitations, we're going to have to live with that, unless we get lucky and find a stud pass rusher in the middle rounds of the draft.


I seriously doubt we pay BY...12 sacks will let his agent ask for 20-25 mil per year potentially. So we're going to have to address that anyways most likely, either this year or next. And given how much we rotate, even with Josiah we would still need someone
 
I seriously doubt we pay BY...12 sacks will let his agent ask for 20-25 mil per year potentially. So we're going to have to address that anyways most likely, either this year or next. And given how much we rotate, even with Josiah we would still need someone
Well, we have Young for another year, so if we decide not to extend him, I imagine we'll draft a #3 rusher this year or next to play behind Stewart and Verse.
 
There aren't many closers in the NFL. Instead of having a closer, we have four good pass rushers (Verse, Young, Turner, and Fiske) plus a great run defender in Poona. With resource allocation limitations, we're going to have to live with that, unless we get lucky and find a stud pass rusher in the middle rounds of the draft.
This is an unconventional approach so feel free to say I'm crazy, but what about trading Young this offseason for a 1st or 2nd?

Bump Stewart, who I really like, into his starting spot.

Use the acquired draft pick, or a very early pick, for an edge in a very deep, strong class. He takes the role of 3rd rusher like Stewart occupied this year.

Use the money that would have been allocated for a Young extension for the best CB on the market.
 
IMO we need a closer.
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This is an unconventional approach so feel free to say I'm crazy, but what about trading Young this offseason for a 1st or 2nd?

Bump Stewart, who I really like, into his starting spot.

Use the acquired draft pick, or a very early pick, for an edge in a very deep, strong class. He takes the role of 3rd rusher like Stewart occupied this year.

Use the money that would have been allocated for a Young extension for the best CB on the market.
If a team is willing to give us a 1st or 2nd for Young, it's an option, especially if they think Stewart is ready to step into a starting role.
 
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