The Defense: 15 games by the Numbers

[Jangler]

The first 8 games:

Total yards: 2355 Pass 1556 Rush 799 3rd% 36.9

The last 7 games:

Total yards: 2550 Pass 1487 Rush 1063 3rd% 41.5

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. And the defense is not finishing well. I can't believe that the defense will be the downfall of this team. Now we have to go into New Orleans, the #1 offense in the league. I hope something changes quickly. Because right now I don't have a good feeling about how this great season will end. Convince me I just have a bad case of indigestion...:confused:

[Snake]

As good as NO's offense is ours is better. No we dont have the flash of a QB that throws TD after TD but we have RBs that can wear down any D. The Saints anit got that great of a D and we will win because of our offense not our defense.

[Sam Mills Fan]

I have to admit that Brees going against the likes of Lucas and Godfrey right now makes me nervous.

I still can't figure out what's happened to Lucas.

[fieryprophet]

The first 8 games:

Total yards: 2355 Pass 1556 Rush 799 3rd% 36.9

The last 7 games:

Total yards: 2550 Pass 1487 Rush 1063 3rd% 41.5

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. And the defense is not finishing well. I can't believe that the defense will be the downfall of this team. Now we have to go into New Orleans, the #1 offense in the league. I hope something changes quickly. Because right now I don't have a good feeling about how this great season will end. Convince me I just have a bad case of indigestion...:confused:

Defensive stats are a bit weird to follow. Look at Tampa right now, their defense has suddenly collapsed. I think our defensive issues stem from bad decision-making and the many missed INTs, as well as a lack of pass rushing from time to time. But overall I still think we can shut down anyone in any given game.

[chbright]

we should be fine next week. passing teams right now scare me less. yes the secondary sucks at times, but we are getting run over game in game out. take out todays performance and its still 700+ in 6 games, not good at all. luckily the saints dont run well, as payton is pass hapy. if its a ballanced attack, we may have seen this team on the road here out.

[Snake]

I have to admit that Brees going against the likes of Lucas and Godfrey right now makes me nervous.

I still can't figure out what's happened to Lucas.

It has less to do with Lucas and more to do with lack of pass rush. He was never a great CB.

[Jangler]

I agree that stats don't tell the whole story. But the change from the first 8 games to the last 7 make me a little nervous going into NO and then into the playoffs.

Here are the stats from the first game, when our defense was playing better,

New Orleans ty343 p228 r115 fd17 41.7%

and now their offense is playing a lot better than it was then.

[Fireball77]

Perhaps some of it is team being able to see early half of the season tendencies on film and taking advantage of them without the Cats being able to counter it. They weren't missing a soul on defense until Kemo missed this game and they were still getting run on.