Is it realistic to expect the defense to improve even a little this year?

[top dawg]

With all of the coaching changes with the defense this year, I don't even know if it is even realistic to expect improvements over last season, even with top flight personnel. It appears that we are rebuilding this year---not necessarily on the field, but on the sidelines. Perhaps it's time for the optimists to get their heads out of the clouds, the realists to become even more real, and the cynics to jump off a bridge.

A lowering of expectations will probably be the most appropriate meal on the menu for all of us, lest we be swallowing a bitter pill with Alka Seltzer, while possibly turning our nose up at crow.

[chollar8]

The changes in personnel, coaches, and probably scheme all point to some growing pains. Damn.

[Jangler]

Hard to tell. The new coaches could bring some fire to the team. And they could be one of the top defenses in the league.

[Munkey]

Last year they were too up and down. If you watched them they were probably the worst passing defense you've ever seen on any team ever. We can only go up on that part of the D atleast.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

the defense will be better than expected.

[cookinbrak]

Our defense was pretty good early in the season. Then "somebody" started "helping" with the defense. That same "somebody" is still here, they just placed blame elsewhere and got rid of the DC. Sound familiar? Sherman, let's fire up the Wayback Machine....

<flash back a few years>

"Our offense sucks! Dan Henning is an idiot! Draw plays on 3rd and long?"

"Yay, they canned Henning! We got a guy from Cleveland!"

Miami has Henning now. Miami also has one of the most imaginative offenses in the league. We have a great running game, but it got lost on a Saturday night last month.

<back to the present>

"Our defense sucks! Trgo is an idiot! Crappy zone coverage on 3rd down?"

"Yay, they got rid of Trgo! We got some guy from Indy!"

Sound familiar?

[Jangler]

Sound familiar?

I hope not...

[mantal]

Sherman, let's fire up the Wayback Machine....

<flash back a few years>

"Our offense sucks! Dan Henning is an idiot! Draw plays on 3rd and long?"

"Yay, they canned Henning! We got a guy from Cleveland!"

Miami has Henning now. Miami also has one of the most imaginative offenses in the league. We have a great running game, but it got lost on a Saturday night last month.

<back to the present>

"Our defense sucks! Trgo is an idiot! Crappy zone coverage on 3rd down?"

"Yay, they got rid of Trgo! We got some guy from Indy!"

Sound familiar?

That was pretty good. I left off the start because I don't personally agree with it, but the rest was pretty accurate and funny...

[Davidson Deac II]

I don't expect them to be better, but I do hope for them to be better.

But it appears that the competition will be tougher.

[JeramiahCopperfield]

They can't be dumber Trdocrap is gone

[magnus]

Our defense was pretty good early in the season. Then "somebody" started "helping" with the defense. That same "somebody" is still here, they just placed blame elsewhere and got rid of the DC. Sound familiar? Sherman, let's fire up the Wayback Machine....

<flash back a few years>

"Our offense sucks! Dan Henning is an idiot! Draw plays on 3rd and long?"

"Yay, they canned Henning! We got a guy from Cleveland!"

Miami has Henning now. Miami also has one of the most imaginative offenses in the league. We have a great running game, but it got lost on a Saturday night last month.

<back to the present>

"Our defense sucks! Trgo is an idiot! Crappy zone coverage on 3rd down?"

"Yay, they got rid of Trgo! We got some guy from Indy!"

Sound familiar?

I'd love it if we got the same response from these changes as we did the offensive ones. OC changed, we have a better offense. OL coach changed, we have a better line. I think the "John Fox is the common element" argument kinda backfires given he's been the one who was here for, well, all the success.

Should we expect improvement? Maybe, maybe not. 18th ranked defense isn't an insurmountable achievement by any means. Would it be harder without Peppers? Of course. Is it impossible? No. We have good staff, a good unit of stars to work around that can take another step forward.

[Mr. Scot]

I'd love it if we got the same response from these changes as we did the offensive ones. OC changed, we have a better offense. OL coach changed, we have a better line. I think the "John Fox is the common element" argument kinda backfires given he's been the one who was here for, well, all the success.

Should we expect improvement? Maybe, maybe not. 18th ranked defense isn't an insurmountable achievement by any means. Would it be harder without Peppers? Of course. Is it impossible? No. We have good staff, a good unit of stars to work around that can take another step forward.

Ridiculous. You're a known homer and you have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a hundred times smarter than you and have proven it repeatedly. We can take this debate to 15 pages if you want and I'll still be right.

(sorry, just trying to make you feel at home)

[bleys]

I'd love it if we got the same response from these changes as we did the offensive ones. OC changed, we have a better offense. OL coach changed, we have a better line. I think the "John Fox is the common element" argument kinda backfires given he's been the one who was here for, well, all the success.

Should we expect improvement? Maybe, maybe not. 18th ranked defense isn't an insurmountable achievement by any means. Would it be harder without Peppers? Of course. Is it impossible? No. We have good staff, a good unit of stars to work around that can take another step forward.

yep.. kinda makes the previous post look a little lost. Since we did get rid of Henning and our offense has improved. Interesting? Yes. Coincidence? No.

Henning had one good year, before you crown his ass, watch next year when teams have him figured out and he's still calling the same "imaginative" crap. Crow, to be eaten. Henning won't seem so wise next year.

And if we do have the same success after getting a new DC as we did when we fired our OC, then things should be pretty good.

But the defense could see quite a bit of improvement. The defensive plays won't be changing that much....

[Fireball77]

Improvement over the latter half of 2008? I certainly hope so!

Sometimes just having a new coach /coaches with different ideas can help make the players' mindsets different and lead to more success. It sure seemed that Davidson's arrival sparked the offense a bit simply because of his ideas and some of his changes. We shall see.