WPB Dawg Fan Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 We have been sitting here complaining about our defense for the better part of the season...and in a way rightfully so...I mean we went out and spent our draft to get a new DL....so of course we expected results. BUT... CB D.Holley (starter) - never played IR DE R.Smith (starter) - 2 games and then IR DE C.Williams (starter) - injured shoulder since week 9 (last 3 weeks) DT S.Smith (primary rotation) - out 3 games with broken hand DT S.Rogers (starter) - on injury list since week 4 LB A.Peek (starter) - never played IR LB K.Wimbley (starter) - groin injury for 4 weeks LB W.McGinest (starter) - hammy for 2 weeks CB M.Adams (primary rotation - out 2 games, injury list 4 weeks S B.Pool - missed first 2 games S S.Jones - missed first 4 games, on injury list last 2 weeks This is a TON of injuries for a team to get over. We had our starting DL for 2 games.... We NEVER had our starting OLB's... We NEVER had our starting CB's We had our starting S's for 6 weeks In weeks 1&2 we were missing our starting FS, SS, LOLB, CB In week 3 we got our FS back, but lost our starting DE In week 4 our ROLB and replacement LOLB both got injured In week 5, just as our SS came back, we lost M.Adams for 2 weeks and our replacement DE got hurt I could keep going on...but the truth is this defensive unit has been playing with replacement players at key positions for the entire year. Much like happened to our offensive unit a couple of years back...this D unit has been decimated by injuries. To call out a DC based on these injuries is just a little unfair. To then realize that 2 of the players NOT on the above list are only in their 2nd year (CB's) and we are breaking in a rookie at two other positions (Hall at OLB and Rubin at NT)....and it is pretty obvious why this team is struggling. I was a big backer of RAC getting another chance....and now I am pretty sure he is NOT a viable solution...but Tucker at DC is another matter. You don't get fancy with young players and players just learning their positions....and you can't be expected to have a stalwart defense when you never had the players to do it. IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riceloft Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Thats all good and well, but that doesn't excuse forgetting how to tackle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPB Dawg Fan Posted November 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I never meant that we were 'there yet'....on the contrary! I am simply pointing out the fact that coming from where we were last year...and adding only 2 players...while losing Holly/Bodden/S.Smith/A.Peek...it is unrealistic for us to believe that we WOULD be there yet. THAT was the point. I think with another year of experience....and filling in a few more holes...this D will be vastly improved next year, even without jettisoning off our coaching staff. As for the tackling....defensive play is about knowing your assignment AND knowing that the guy next to you is covering HIS assignment. With all the different players we have had to use due to injuries...there is no trust and/or lane responsibility which is causing players to play flat-footed and slow. At least, that is how I see it. I really don't blame the coaches as much as I see the root of the problem being a high turnover combined with minimal experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffer X Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I'm done forever using injuries as an excuse for this team. I thought we were going to come together the Bmore game when we finally were healthy and it was one of the worst showings. At that point, I decided I would never blame injuries for the Browns bullshit again. BTW, I've been one of the biggest allies for them concerning why they have struggled with all the debilitating injuries over the years and a lot of it was justified, but not anymore. Everybody goes through it, and for the most part they have had their core players all year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPB Dawg Fan Posted November 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I'm done forever using injuries as an excuse for this team. I thought we were going to come together the Bmore game when we finally were healthy and it was one of the worst showings. At that point, I decided I would never blame injuries for the Browns bullshit again. BTW, I've been one of the biggest allies for them concerning why they have struggled with all the debilitating injuries over the years and a lot of it was justified, but not anymore. Everybody goes through it, and for the most part they have had their core players all year. I get it rif...I do...it is a pain....but we are coming from having NO defense...and added only 2 guys only to lose Holly and Peek before the season even started. That, combined with trading away Bodden seriosly hampered us. As for being healthy vs Baltimore....like I said in the original: Holly - IR Peek - IR Jones - Out McGinest - Hammy Wimbley - Groin S.Smith - Hand R.Smith - IR If you want to call that healthy, be my guest...and again this is NOT an excuse. I just think that we as fans expected too much for one year and adding 2 players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solon16 Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I get it rif...I do...it is a pain....but we are coming from having NO defense...and added only 2 guys only to lose Holly and Peek before the season even started. That, combined with trading away Bodden seriosly hampered us. As for being healthy vs Baltimore....like I said in the original: Holly - IR Peek - IR Jones - Out McGinest - Hammy Wimbley - Groin S.Smith - Hand R.Smith - IR If you want to call that healthy, be my guest...and again this is NOT an excuse. I just think that we as fans expected too much for one year and adding 2 players. Add beau bell to the list....from this injury list....there is no excuse for the putrid ILB play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JewDago Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 though tucker hasn't been working with a full deck, his blitzes are still rudimentary and predictable. all you have to do is watch the steelers to see what a 3-4 should look like, and i know we do that twice a year when they semiannually stomp us. riffer's tired of injuries as an excuse. i'm tired of passive, weak defensive calls and schemes. the defensive playbooks in madden are better than what tucker draws up. is our defense better than it was in the past? yes, but that's a reflection of the talent that our GM put on the field, not the way that they're being coached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemosley01 Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 Based on what I've seen we've come from no defense and gone back to NO DEFENSE. We're not seeing the problems caused by lack of talent on the field, unless the talent on the field is really no better than high school talent. We're seeing defensive issues because the coaching and playcalling SUCKS. No more injury excuses. For the last 10 years, that's all we've heard is 'injury this injury that'. It's not possible for 10 straight years. Other teams play through their injured players; how come we can't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoorta Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 I get it rif...I do...it is a pain....but we are coming from having NO defense...and added only 2 guys only to lose Holly and Peek before the season even started. That, combined with trading away Bodden seriosly hampered us. As for being healthy vs Baltimore....like I said in the original: Holly - IR Peek - IR Jones - Out McGinest - Hammy Wimbley - Groin S.Smith - Hand R.Smith - IR If you want to call that healthy, be my guest...and again this is NOT an excuse. I just think that we as fans expected too much for one year and adding 2 players. Yeah, injury is a freaking excuse, or why even bother to bring it up in the first place? Ya know what I see John? I see Sean Rodgers tying up 2-3 guys on every freaking play and where the hell are Davis and Jackson when they have free shots on the qb? If you want to give McDonald and Wright free passes because the D line is so decimated they get zero pass rush on the opposing qb & they have to cover all day, be my guest. Sorry, our linebacking sucks swampwater, and I'll be happy to debate you on that fact, anywhere, anytime. Want to tell me any of our LBs could start for the Steelers, or the Ravens? Har,har. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTBH Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 Blah Blah Blah about the injuries. First of all, there's not a team in the NFL who doesn't have injuries. Especially non-injuiries that you're claiming just because they're "on the injury report." Hogwash. This defense is a bunch of pansy faggots who are scared of tackling and have no pride. Period. Regardless of who is hurt/injured. Injuries have nothing to do with heart/manhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 I agree that things might not be as bleak as it seems when the injuries are taken in to account. With some sensible additions in the draft/FA period combined with guys finally hitting the field healthy, we stand a good chance of making a major turn around next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickers Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 We have been sitting here complaining about our defense EVER SINCE WE CAME BACK!... There...Fixed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OconRecon Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 This brings me back to the two primary concerns about this season. Last year we had a weak schedule with one of the lowest IR's in the league, and still missed the playoffs. This year we have a difficult schedule with a more typical amount of players on IR and its a struggle. However, I do agree every NFL player ought to know how to wrap-up when tackling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobalaz Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 I don't give a damn anymore about injuries, those are NO EXCUSE for the inability to tackle. Fundamentals on this team are a JOKE. PS, can't count Peek and old man Willie, they were both pretty much out all last season too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rr59eagle Posted November 22, 2008 Report Share Posted November 22, 2008 We have been sitting here complaining about our defense for the better part of the season...and in a way rightfully so...I mean we went out and spent our draft to get a new DL....so of course we expected results. BUT... CB D.Holley (starter) - never played IR == BUM DE R.Smith (starter) - 2 games and then IR --- Decent but a back up on most Teams DE C.Williams (starter) - injured shoulder since week 9 (last 3 weeks) ---- Everybody plays injured DT S.Smith (primary rotation) - out 3 games with broken hand === Overrated DT S.Rogers (starter) - on injury list since week 4 ==== Again ...Plug in material not a full time starter LB A.Peek (starter) - never played IR === AGAIN ...WHO???? UNPROVEN LB K.Wimbley (starter) - groin injury for 4 weeks = Has not done anything since Rookie year LB W.McGinest (starter) - hammy for 2 weeks Wholly cow ...He's 76 years old and Retiring CB M.Adams (primary rotation - out 2 games, injury list 4 weeks === SUCKS S B.Pool - missed first 2 games ===== HE SUCKS TOO S S.Jones - missed first 4 games, on injury list last 2 weeks This is a TON of injuries for a team to get over. Only the good ones do ..And Cleveland is not one of those Teams We had our starting DL for 2 games.... We NEVER had our starting OLB's... We NEVER had our starting CB's We had our starting S's for 6 weeks In weeks 1&2 we were missing our starting FS, SS, LOLB, CB In week 3 we got our FS back, but lost our starting DE In week 4 our ROLB and replacement LOLB both got injured In week 5, just as our SS came back, we lost M.Adams for 2 weeks and our replacement DE got hurt I could keep going on...but the truth is this defensive unit has been playing with replacement players at key positions for the entire year. Much like happened to our offensive unit a couple of years back...this D unit has been decimated by injuries. To call out a DC based on these injuries is just a little unfair. To then realize that 2 of the players NOT on the above list are only in their 2nd year (CB's) and we are breaking in a rookie at two other positions (Hall at OLB and Rubin at NT)....and it is pretty obvious why this team is struggling. I was a big backer of RAC getting another chance....and now I am pretty sure he is NOT a viable solution...but Tucker at DC is another matter. You don't get fancy with young players and players just learning their positions....and you can't be expected to have a stalwart defense when you never had the players to do it. IMHO Excuses ......They never stop in Believeland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFreeze Posted November 23, 2008 Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 My hope regarding our weak defense was to have an offense that put up at least 30 points per game, and going into the first game I thought the addition of Stallworth was a key piece to our offensive puzzle. Unfortunately the offense didn't come together the way we all hoped. Maybe for these next 6 games our offense can step it up and keep their foot on the gas for all 4 quarters. Apparently it's the only way we'll have a chance. God help us against Payton Manning next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFreeze Posted November 23, 2008 Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 By the way WPB that's a fair argument you make. Maybe I'll just throw eggs at our defensive coordinator's house instead of rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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