Defense has an achilles heel...

[Lemory]

Pass rush is our biggest concern. We have 4 DE's on the roster right now (Johnson, Horton, Allen, Ealy) that are better at stopping the run than getting to the QB. Ealy is still developing and i think he will be a beast eventually, but that Allen trade was supposed to give us a good pass rush duo with him and Johnson. So far they have been a bit underwhelming. Sure we have 40 sacks on the year but if you look at which players have them you'll see that TD has 5.5, KK has 9, Ealy has 5, Addison has 5, Delaire has 2.5, Allen has 2, Love has 2, Horton has 1 and then Big Money has and underwhelming 1. So our DE's have accounted for 16 sacks this year with the rest of the D picking up the slack. That's not going to cut it in the playoffs.

[Davidson Deac II]

Just now, TNPanther said:

I think a huge part of the breakdown Sunday was due to field position. Two of the scores came when the Gmen were gifted a FG block and a fumble recovery. The defense was gassed because it was on the field for the better part of the 4th, and given that the Giants were constantly starting on the wrong side of the 50, it's not surprising that they came back.

From what I've observed, the pass rush is fine in the first 3 quarters of the game, but gets gassed in the 4th. This could be attributed to conditioning and the age of our vet D-ends. CJ in particular looks fat and out of shape. I feel like Ron needs to have the guys run more gassers. 

Agreed, and the same was true in the Green Bay game, albeit to a lesser extent.  The offense failed to convert a critical third down in one series, then turned it over in the next.  Not excusing the defense, but even if an offense is not scoring when they have a big lead, they do need to convert a couple of first downs.  And above all, they need avoid turning the ball over. 

[MadHatter]

A lack of a pass rush is an issue.  However, it is NOT the issue that caused giving up a big lead.

If the lack of pass rush was that big of an issue, then we would NOT have been able to build that kind of lead for 3 quarters in the first place.

The issue that caused the comeback was this team losing focus and thinking the game was over.....plain and simple.

[Paa Langfart]

The playoffs will most likely come down to a handful of points.  We need our special teams to clean it up right now.

[Peppers90 NC]

Yea the defense let us down, but let's not forget it started with a blocked field goal that changed momentum, coupled by a fumble in their red zone.

[Davidson Deac II]

3 minutes ago, Lemory said:

Pass rush is our biggest concern. We have 4 DE's on the roster right now (Johnson, Horton, Allen, Ealy) that are better at stopping the run than getting to the QB. Ealy is still developing and i think he will be a beast eventually, but that Allen trade was supposed to give us a good pass rush duo with him and Johnson. So far they have been a bit underwhelming. Sure we have 40 sacks on the year but if you look at which players have them you'll see that TD has 5.5, KK has 9, Ealy has 5, Addison has 5, Delaire has 2.5, Allen has 2, Love has 2, Horton has 1 and then Big Money has and underwhelming 1. So our DE's have accounted for 16 sacks this year with the rest of the D picking up the slack. That's not going to cut it in the playoffs.

While I would like to see us improve, we are as good or better in that regard than any team we might face, at least until we get to the Superbowl. 

[pantherclaw]

Against good QBs, part of defending them and their offenses,  is keeping them on the sideline with time consuming drives from our offense. 

In the playoffs, there will only be good qbs. 

It's almost as if in the second half of these games where we build up big leads, the offense isless tenacious.  Why? Is it because of over confidence is the belief they can turn it on when theu want to?  I don't homestly know. 

I do know any defense that spends a lot of time on the field, is going to get tired, and picked apart. Just as ours have. 

Have there been questionable effort and focus from the defense? Sure, but they are not alone in shouldering the blame. 

We have been dealing with injuries on defense, and I'm sure that has something to do with the inconsistent defendive play. 

I know this, in the playoffs, we can't have the team lifting off the gas, or we'll be sent home in the playoffs with nothing but a perfect regular season to hang our hats on. 

That doesn't satisfy me.

[teeray]

I think you raise sone good points, but I would aay we didn't have consistent success against great QBs because they are great QBs.

[thefuzz]

11 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Agreed, and the same was true in the Green Bay game, albeit to a lesser extent.  The offense failed to convert a critical third down in one series, then turned it over in the next.  Not excusing the defense, but even if an offense is not scoring when they have a big lead, they do need to convert a couple of first downs.  And above all, they need avoid turning the ball over. 

Not only did we NEED those few first downs to run down the clock, we also need to give our D a break, and flip field position.

When you are going 3 and out at the end of games and punting to only their 35 or 40, you are in for some comebacks.

Oh, and ST almost lost that game for us, not the defense.....at least IMO.

[ShutDwn]

We really need CJ to get going like he did last year and Ealy is due for another sack streak. 

Our DEs have 1.5 sacks in the last four games. Yes, Short is a key rusher but that just makes it worse that the other guys aren't getting there. On top of it all is that QBs have thrown at least 40 passes in all four games.. 

 

We we have great blitzes but in order to maintain leads we really need the pass rush

[CRA]

We seems to struggle if KK isn't dominating.

I Johnson and Allen just don't seem to be doing enough. 

[cgarsmoker]

When we get a lead, it seems like the defensive play calling gets less aggressive and we start playing vanilla coverage only rushing the 4 almost every play. We need to stick with the aggressive game plan throughout the game, regardless of the score.  Just my opinion.  

[PghPanther]

Its perplexing to me.....what I mean is the games where we got up big on very talented QBs we had them in check...and then their offense just made plays running, passing you name it. We have formula for a dominating defense for 2 or 3 quarters and then all of a sudden poof?

Could it be...

1) The opposing team suddenly figured our defense out and implemented a new strategy?......sounds pretty bizarre to me

2) Do we get comfortable and let us and relax?......I know RR alluded to this but why would a team of professionals think they can coast along at one point during a game?

I dunno....

But its like a race car flying with the lead and getting far enough ahead to think they can back off and save tires/gas and before you know it they've got competition right on their back bumper and have to press on the gas again.

Amazingly, when we allow a team to get back in the game so far this year we press on the gas at the end and win.

Which tells me we have the car to win the race every time we are in it....now lets' run full bore the whole 60 mins.....so what if you lap the field 2 or 3 times.....keep on it.

[Carolina Cajun]

Our Defense may have an Achilles...But Frank Alexander doesn't...