The Defense of the Future

[Crazy Canuck]

Awesome. Not sure if the cameras caught Washington falling on his @$$ after running the RB out of bounds 7 yards downfield, either.

Guys I liked on D: Dockett, Campbell, Williams, Carter (in rotation), Rhodes was fine.

Washington continues to be the most overrated player on ASFN and by the Cards' hype machine. Schofield didn't bring anything, and neither did Porter. It's going to be a long season on D.

At least Washington's apologists will have lots of tackles 8 yards downfield on third-and-six to thump their chests about. Dude is below average.

From 6 to 7 to 8 yards downfield... make up your mind... hater!

 

[Duckjake]

At least before you just jinx one or two, now your jinxing every youngin on the team.!!!!!!!!!!

That's why I didn't mention anyone by name.

I posted good things about Quan Sturdivant. He won't even make the practice squad.

But my "Beanie's done" routine seems to be working fairly well.

 

[Cardiac]

That's why I didn't mention anyone by name.I posted good things about Quan Sturdivant. He won't even make the practice squad.

But my "Beanie's done" routine seems to be working fairly well.

You just don't have any understanding of how powerful you are.

How do you think PP21 did? Think before typing.

 

[spanky1]

That's why I didn't mention anyone by name.

I posted good things about Quan Sturdivant. He won't even make the practice squad.

But my "Beanie's done" routine seems to be working fairly well.

I'd be very surprised if Sturdivant doesn't make the PS.Why would you cut what might be an eventually good player .He's a raw rookie with a month's worth of work. There's room for him on the PS.

 

[40yearfan]

You also have to take into account how much better our LBs are when Dan Williams is in the game.

Meanwhile going with Haggans at DE Dockett at DT Campbell at DT and Porter at DE is going to make the ILBs look worse and is just sending the offense an engraved invitation to score.

Standing Haggans and Porter up with Dockett and Campbell in the middle in the 2-4-5 or 2-3-6* look doesn't work much better.

*I can't really tell every time on TV if the Cards have 1 or 2 ILBs in the game in those formations.

Dj, Carter was doing a great job also when he was spelling Williams. Our NT position in the first half was the best I can ever remember seeing. We continuously stuffed the run and kept the passing lane down the middle from being wide open. I am just talking about the first half.

 

[kerouac9]

Ahh... that's the stuff:

1-10-ARI 42 (5:24) 35-M.Tolbert up the middle to ARZ 36 for 6 yards (58-D.Washington).
3-6-ARI 44 (14:22) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short right to 83-V.Jackson pushed ob at ARZ 13 for 31 yards (58-D.Washington).
2-9-SD 31 (3:32) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 80-M.Floyd to SD 38 for 7 yards (58-D.Washington).
3-2-SD 38 (2:51) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 13-B.Walters to SD 43 for 5 yards (58-D.Washington; 51-P.Lenon).

Of course, if you only take the three short tackles he made, it's almost as bad as only highlighting the plays where he was a safety.

Kerouac, you are deadwrong on Washington tonight.

You are wrong about him. I know your ego won't allow you to ever be wrong, but he had a very good game tonight. He made several very instinctive plays where he read where the play was going presnap and knifed in to make a play. I counted 2 tackles for a loss, one tackle at the line of scrimmage and one tackle for a short gain out on the flat. He was also in very good position in coverage for the most part. It's funny if you had been in the chat during the game, I was specifically making fun of your "lack of instincts" comments every time he made a play.

Early in the game we WERE getting some pressure. The replays clearly showed that, which from experience, I know you don't get to see that as well while at the game. But the Chargers adjusted and started tearing apart our big cushion we were giving.

On a sidenote Porter is terrible. I keyed in on him, and he has absolutely NO burst to the outside now (same with Haggans) and he can't bullrush/disengage from even a meh LT in the NFL. At least Schofield has a burst; it's time to move Porter to a backup role and let the young guy play.

Washington had one really good fill in the run game where he exploded through a wide-open hole. He looks really smooth in pass coverage and had some really good pass-breakups. That's all to his credit.

But he gets pushed around in the running game. It continues to happen, and he didn't do his job of putting on weight in the offseason. Four pounds? And they're probably off from the camp experience?

Daryl Washington can be fine if you expect him to be your third-best linebacker, but he's not the replacement for the guy who left, and he's not physical enough. That's not going to change.

He does seem to be taking a leadership role in the defense, which is a really good thing because Bradley hasn't stepped into starting lineup yet for some reason and if it gets Lenon and Porter off the field more, that's a good thing.

Duck's right that there are some young, interesting complementary pieces on this defense right now, but there's no catalyst. When it's third-and-three or third-and-seven, is there ANYONE (besides maybe Dockett) that offensive coordinators are going to be afraid of? That's a problem.

Daryl Washington is the second- or third-best linebacker on a good defense. He's not a garbage player, but he's not talented enough to be the best linebacker on a good defense--probably never will be, and that seems like what we're asking him to be.

But as I've said to a lot of posters over the years, Daryl Washington is much more part of the solution than he is part of the problem. Hopefully Stewart Bradley becomes the player he was supposed to be in Philly, but we need someone who can hassle the quarterback.

Really bad.

 

[Duckjake]

So far I haven't been impressed with Bradley at all. I haven't seen anything to explain why he is touted as this really good but oft injured LB. He looks about the same as a Pago Togafau to me.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

So far I haven't been impressed with Bradley at all. I haven't seen anything to explain why he is touted as this really good but oft injured LB. He looks about the same as a Pago Togafau to me.

Yep, I keep waiting for him to make plays, but he can't even do it against 2nd teamers. I really hope he's saving his energy for the regular season, because Paris Lenon is not a starter.

Further, Joey Porter makes my heart hurt. This entire defense would be so much more effective if they had anyone who could get to the QB. Because we can't effectively rush the passer, I anticipate we'll have to sell out quite a bit, leading to many big plays. Time to let Scho Hawk play, there is no chance he's worse than Porter.

 

[Buckybird]

Yep, I keep waiting for him to make plays, but he can't even do it against 2nd teamers. I really hope he's saving his energy for the regular season, because Paris Lenon is not a starter.

Further, Joey Porter makes my heart hurt. This entire defense would be so much more effective if they had anyone who could get to the QB. Because we can't effectively rush the passer, I anticipate we'll have to sell out quite a bit, leading to many big plays. Time to let Scho Hawk play, there is no chance he's worse than Porter.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Daryl Washington can be fine if you expect him to be your third-best linebacker, but he's not the replacement for the guy who left, and he's not physical enough. That's not going to change.

He does seem to be taking a leadership role in the defense, which is a really good thing because Bradley hasn't stepped into starting lineup yet for some reason and if it gets Lenon and Porter off the field more, that's a good thing.

Duck's right that there are some young, interesting complementary pieces on this defense right now, but there's no catalyst. When it's third-and-three or third-and-seven, is there ANYONE (besides maybe Dockett) that offensive coordinators are going to be afraid of? That's a problem.

Daryl Washington is the second- or third-best linebacker on a good defense. He's not a garbage player, but he's not talented enough to be the best linebacker on a good defense--probably never will be, and that seems like what we're asking him to be.

But as I've said to a lot of posters over the years, Daryl Washington is much more part of the solution than he is part of the problem. Hopefully Stewart Bradley becomes the player he was supposed to be in Philly, but we need someone who can hassle the quarterback.

Really bad.

1-10-SD 39 (7:41) 24-R.Mathews up the middle to SD 38 for -1 yards (53-C.Haggans, 58-D.Washington)
1-10-ARI 42 (5:24) 35-M.Tolbert up the middle to ARZ 36 for 6 yards (58-D.Washington).
2-5-SD 24 (3:06) 24-R.Mathews left tackle to SD 23 for -1 yards (58-D.Washington).
3-6-ARI 44 (14:22) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short right to 83-V.Jackson pushed ob at ARZ 13 for 31 yards (58-D.Washington).
2-9-SD 31 (3:32) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 80-M.Floyd to SD 38 for 7 yards (58-D.Washington).
3-2-SD 38 (2:51) (Shotgun) 17-P.Rivers pass short left to 13-B.Walters to SD 43 for 5 yards (58-D.Washington; 51-P.Lenon).
2-7-SD 20 (14:20) 24-R.Mathews left tackle pushed ob at SD 22 for 2 yards (58-D.Washington).

Full accounting for his play. On running plays, made ONE tackle downfield, with 3 being made either behind the LOS or just 2 yards after. The rest of his tackles are made when he tackled a receiver that he wasn't covering, running to make the tackle.

IMO D Wash needs protection, but if you let him flow to the ball and use his instincts he's a pretty good, developing player.

But I do agree with your above, quoted statement: If Daryl Washington is our top defender, we're in trouble. Washington is a complementary player, not a Patrick Willis or even a London Fletcher. He's good at what he does, but he's limited by his inability to blow up guards in the running game. Will that ever change? It might as he physically matures, but it's unlikely.

We need Schofield, Peterson, and Dumpster Dan to step up and be the best players on this defense. All three have shown glimpses. I really like what we've seen from Carter too. He's making the staff look smart for letting Branch walk.

I like some of the youth on the defense, but we're still missing a difference making pass rusher. Schofield may become that guy, but I won't hold my breath.

 

[kerouac9]

Yep, I keep waiting for him to make plays, but he can't even do it against 2nd teamers. I really hope he's saving his energy for the regular season, because Paris Lenon is not a starter.

Further, Joey Porter makes my heart hurt. This entire defense would be so much more effective if they had anyone who could get to the QB. Because we can't effectively rush the passer, I anticipate we'll have to sell out quite a bit, leading to many big plays. Time to let Scho Hawk play, there is no chance he's worse than Porter.

True that. The thing is, though, that Bradley is trying to assimilate an ENTIRELY different defensive scheme than he's run in Philly, and he's trying to do it in three weeks. I haven't been impressed with his play so far, but hopefully he starts to figure stuff out. He has only had a playbook in his hand for a month.

It's criminal that someone in the Cards' organization thought that Joey Porter had anything left in the tank at even a reduced salary. He has nothing left. A confused Schofield might just make a play on accident; Joey Porter is better playing in reverse than forward at this point.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Yep, I keep waiting for him to make plays, but he can't even do it against 2nd teamers. I really hope he's saving his energy for the regular season, because Paris Lenon is not a starter.

Further, Joey Porter makes my heart hurt. This entire defense would be so much more effective if they had anyone who could get to the QB. Because we can't effectively rush the passer, I anticipate we'll have to sell out quite a bit, leading to many big plays. Time to let Scho Hawk play, there is no chance he's worse than Porter.

Agreed. Joey Porter is an absolute NONFACTOR as a pass rusher. At least Haggans plays the run well at times, Porter is just useless.

Our defensive front would be VERY good IMO if we had ONE stud pass rushing OLB.

 

[Duckjake]

Agreed. Joey Porter is an absolute NONFACTOR as a pass rusher. At least Haggans plays the run well at times, Porter is just useless.

Our defensive front would be VERY good IMO if we had ONE stud pass rushing OLB.

Our Defensive front could be very good if it is Haggans,Dockett,DWilliams,CCampbell and Schofield.

But judging from what these coaches have done in the past Porter will be the starter and Schofield will play sparingly until they start to take serious flack for it then Schofield will take over but by then it may be too late.

 

[PJ1]

Our Defensive front could be very good if it is Haggans,Dockett,DWilliams,CCampbell and Schofield.

But judging from what these coaches have done in the past Porter will be the starter and Schofield will play sparingly until they start to take serious flack for it then Schofield will take over but by then it may be too late.

Agreed. After Bryan Robinson last year I have no reason to believe Porter won't be starting. He should be lucky to be a backup at this point. Just miserable watching him.

 

[CardLogic]

Agree with the comments re: Porter. But what I wonder is did he really drop off that quickly physically, or is he not fully engaged mentally and emotionally (heart/drive)? Most likely a combination of all the above, I guess...

 

[PACardsFan]

Agree with the comments re: Porter. But what I wonder is did he really drop off that quickly physically, or is he not fully engaged mentally and emotionally (heart/drive)? Most likely a combination of all the above, I guess...

We can only hope that he's saving himself for the real games! If not, I have to agree with the "Porter is done" group. As for Bradley, it's still too soon to write him off. If he's making the same contributions by week 4 as he is today, then I'll be concerned.

 

[Buckybird]

Agree with the comments re: Porter. But what I wonder is did he really drop off that quickly physically, or is he not fully engaged mentally and emotionally (heart/drive)? Most likely a combination of all the above, I guess...

To me it doesn't matter what his reasons are for almost zero production. IMO the coaches aren't being honest with themselves if they can look at the film & think #55 brings anything towards trying to win. If he's not cut after the Denver game next week, I'll be shocked.

 

[Duckjake]

To me it doesn't matter what his reasons are for almost zero production. IMO the coaches aren't being honest with themselves if they can look at the film & think #55 brings anything towards trying to win. If he's not cut after the Denver game next week, I'll be shocked.

I guess they could go with O'Brien and Obiozor.

By the way: Anybody seen Will Davis?

 

[Krangodnzr]

I guess they could go with O'Brien and Obiozor.

By the way: Anybody seen Will Davis?

I saw Davis have a couple of pressures in the 4th Quarter. He's definitely on the bubble IMO.

I was thinking the same thing REbiozor. Man he got around the edge quick and put a move on the tackle.

Right now I would consider: Schofield, Haggans, Acho, Obiozor/Davis in that order, though Davis would likely stick over Obiozor based on special teams. If you keep 5, I would keep those guys. Hopefully the Cards say sayanora to Porter.

 

[Duckjake]

I saw Davis have a couple of pressures in the 4th Quarter. He's definitely on the bubble IMO.

I was thinking the same thing REbiozor. Man he got around the edge quick and put a move on the tackle.

Right now I would consider: Schofield, Haggans, Acho, Obiozor/Davis in that order, though Davis would likely stick over Obiozor based on special teams. If you keep 5, I would keep those guys. Hopefully the Cards say sayanora to Porter.

Is he playing on the left side like Haggans and Acho?

 

[ajcardfan]

Agreed. Joey Porter is an absolute NONFACTOR as a pass rusher. At least Haggans plays the run well at times, Porter is just useless.

Our defensive front would be VERY good IMO if we had ONE stud pass rushing OLB.

I just can't understand how this staff, even with a new DC, is still playing Porter as an every-down LB. To me, it's so obivious that if he has ANY value, it would be as the situational pass rusher. I don't get why they can't see that.

It's just like last preseason, when I watched Anderson and thought, "What do they see in this guy? Surely they CAN'T make him a starter!" Surely we can't go into this season with Porter as a starting OLB. Right? Right?

 

[Krangodnzr]

I just can't understand how this staff, even with a new DC, is still playing Porter as an every-down LB. To me, it's so obivious that if he has ANY value, it would be as the situational pass rusher. I don't get why they can't see that.

It's just like last preseason, when I watched Anderson and thought, "What do they see in this guy? Surely they CAN'T make him a starter!" Surely we can't go into this season with Porter as a starting OLB. Right? Right?

I think, to his extreme detriment, Coach Whisenhunt forces young guys to earn jobs. IMO it can make teams better in the long run, but good lord, it makes for watching painful football.

As for Anderson, I think Whisenhunt thought he could fix him. In fact, I'm certain of it. That's why we continued throwing the ball even when it was obviously Dewreck wasn't going to figure it out.

 

[PJ1]

I just can't understand how this staff, even with a new DC, is still playing Porter as an every-down LB. To me, it's so obivious that if he has ANY value, it would be as the situational pass rusher. I don't get why they can't see that.

It's just like last preseason, when I watched Anderson and thought, "What do they see in this guy? Surely they CAN'T make him a starter!" Surely we can't go into this season with Porter as a starting OLB. Right? Right?

I agree he should be situational as long as the situation never presents itself. The guy is done. They need to release him and be done with it.

 

[ajcardfan]

I agree he should be situational as long as the situation never presents itself. The guy is done. They need to release him and be done with it.

I agree. But, unfortunately, as great as the offseason was, they did nothing of note to address this position. The fact they didn't tells me they thought/think that he can still play.

Hopefully, they see the light, cut him, and pick up someone else. Someone who has some kind of burst off the line to rotate with Schofield.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I agree. But, unfortunately, as great as the offseason was, they did nothing of note to address this position. The fact they didn't tells me they thought/think that he can still play.

Hopefully, they see the light, cut him, and pick up someone else. Someone who has some kind of burst off the line to rotate with Schofield.

Players like that don't get cut.