This loss is on the D

[Chopper0080]

The defense could have played much better today. That doesn't make the best performance by a bad QB a good QB performance however. Blame goes equal shares to Lindley and the defense, but I'm not hanging this loss on any one unit or guy.

 

[D-Dogg]

This, and if the strength of your team is defense... then the offense spotting you 17 points against a struggling Niner team is more than enough

exactly.

this team IS built on the defense.

we are starting a 4th stringer. we are not expecting an offensive explosion and NOTHING from the past several (all) weeks would suggest otherwise.

the defense as the strength should have won this game. the end.

since 11/9 this team has scored more than 17 points exactly ONE TIME...in a loss to Atlanta where we put up 18. 3 of those games were wins.

please don't give me some claptrap about the offense putting up points being necessary for this team to win.

(also, the 11/9 game, the offense put up 17 points, the d 14 for another win).

that makes 4 of 8 games when 17 or less won the game in our last 8. and only two of them with lindley; one where the D aborted and we only put up 6 points and the other where the d aborted and we put up 17 points.

17 is enough. it has been and it should have been.

 

[Covert Rain]

Put the blame on anything you want. BUT, if the defense had played like they have for most of the season we would have won today.

Based on what? Look at the last several weeks. Even when the defense put up good defensive quarters the offense didn't deliver. Even the best defenses in the league can't do it alone.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The defense could have played much better today. That doesn't make the best performance by a bad QB a good QB performance however. Blame goes equal shares to Lindley and the defense, but I'm not hanging this loss on any one unit or guy.

This.

 

[slanidrac16]

Based on what? Look at the last several weeks. Even when the defense put up good defensive quarters the offense didn't deliver. Even the best defenses in the league can't do it alone.

We're not talking about the offense over the last several weeks. THIS week , IMO, we would have won had the defense played as they have for MOST of the year.

This team will have to really heavily on the defense for the playoffs, starting with Carolina. We have to be able to hold our opponents to 15 pts or less for us to win....unless the D or special teams score a TD.

 

[Covert Rain]

We're not talking about the offense over the last several weeks. THIS week , IMO, we would have won had the defense played as they have for MOST of the year.

This team will have to really heavily on the defense for the playoffs, starting with Carolina. We have to be able to hold our opponents to 15 pts or less for us to win....unless the D or special teams score a TD.

If 3 of those easy picks were actually caught by San Francisco our offense would have been on the field less and playing catchup. Could a would a shoulda.

 

[NV555]

I don't feel the sky is falling with the offense it's the defense that im worried about.

Our offense held up their share of the deal i can not say that for the defense.

We have seen the excuses for the poor performances of the defense being that the offense can not score points. Well the defense can't use that excuse this week because the offense put points on the board.

 

[Gee!]

This was a game that the defense should have been up for.. They were not.. The game plan was solid.. Williams was effective.. Lindley was want we wanted him to be .. Avergge.. Unfortunalty.. the defense was below average, bording on Cleveland browns suck..

 

[GiantCardFan]

We knew the offense would have troubles

since Palmer went down. We needed the D to rise up big time, and in several games down the stretch that didn't happen. I think some of the luster has come off the Bowles for HC bandwagon.

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't feel the sky is falling with the offense it's the defense that im worried about.

Our offense held up their share of the deal i can not say that for the defense.

We have seen the excuses for the poor performances of the defense being that the offense can not score points. Well the defense can't use that excuse this week because the offense put points on the board.

Exactly. I haven't said even one thing negative about our D all year. But, if our offense run by a 4th string QB scores 17 points, that has to be good enough to win a game.

People crying about how we had no second half points..

Well, we had zero points after the first quarter of the Detroit game, at home, and won 14-6. That's how the D has to ball if we are to get one more win this season.

 

[82CardsGrad]

since Palmer went down. We needed the D to rise up big time, and in several games down the stretch that didn't happen. I think some of the luster has come off the Bowles for HC bandwagon.

Since Palmer went down, the defense has slipped from the amazing level of play we saw when we put up an astounding 9 & 1 record... But, after Palmer went down, the defense gave up more than 20 points just twice (Atlanta and Seattle), and that Seattle game we had allowed only 14 thru 3 quarters before running out of gas...
Given the amount of time on the field this defense has spent over the past 6-7 weeks, the amount of injuries and player losses, and given how pathetically anemic the offense has been without Palmer, I really don't see how the defense can be picked on and made to be the problem...
Are they playing as well as they did earlier in the season? No. Did they peak too soon? Perhaps. Has Bowles run out of bullets an magic pixie dust? Sure seems that way... Is our piss poor tackling a sign of weariness and being run down? Yep... Was it right to expect the defense to maintain that amazingly high level of play all year, when Campbell has been less than 100%, Cromartie battling knee issues, Badger not even close to 100% and missing more games, Rashad Johnson playing on a bumb ankle, Foote getting run down and playing on a bumb knee and finally missing a game today... Along with our offense basically unable to sustain drives and keep our defense off the field...
IMHO, it all stems back to our offense, which had been totally OFFENSIVE and completely inept...

 

[Dback Jon]

So what's the D's excuse after we were up 7-0? Tired from siting?

 

[TJ]

So what's the D's excuse after we were up 7-0? Tired from siting?

That one was bull****. No safety help. Everyone fell asleep on that slant.

.....although I think there was legit OPI, and the refs decided to give Harbaugh a going away present by picking it up.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

The D has not been very good the past couple of weeks. They've given up 1000 yards of offense in past two games to two offenses that haven't exactly been lighting it up prior.

 

[juza76]

i hope to see a better safety then johnson next season
jefferson is just worth a special team spot

 

[CardsFan88]

It was both. The defense not playing up to par, but still good. Lindley playing better then we imagined, but still not good.

Together they weren't good enough. We can single out the defense, since they are the ones that are 'supposed' to carry us. But overall both sectors didn't do enough. Had we put up 30 points, that would be different. But 17 points is still not enough to hang the loss solely on the defense.

No matter, it turns out we were really only playing for 5th or 6th seed. That said, we know what the defense is capable of. We now know Lindley CAN throw a couple of TD's. This gives me hope against the Panthers. That and we tend to play Carolina tough.

 

[Buckybird]

Since Palmer went down, the defense has slipped from the amazing level of play we saw when we put up an astounding 9 & 1 record... But, after Palmer went down, the defense gave up more than 20 points just twice (Atlanta and Seattle), and that Seattle game we had allowed only 14 thru 3 quarters before running out of gas...
Given the amount of time on the field this defense has spent over the past 6-7 weeks, the amount of injuries and player losses, and given how pathetically anemic the offense has been without Palmer, I really don't see how the defense can be picked on and made to be the problem...
Are they playing as well as they did earlier in the season? No. Did they peak too soon? Perhaps. Has Bowles run out of bullets an magic pixie dust? Sure seems that way... Is our piss poor tackling a sign of weariness and being run down? Yep... Was it right to expect the defense to maintain that amazingly high level of play all year, when Campbell has been less than 100%, Cromartie battling knee issues, Badger not even close to 100% and missing more games, Rashad Johnson playing on a bumb ankle, Foote getting run down and playing on a bumb knee and finally missing a game today... Along with our offense basically unable to sustain drives and keep our defense off the field...
IMHO, it all stems back to our offense, which had been totally OFFENSIVE and completely inept...

Damn good post!

I think the D is hurt & gassed as well. It doesn't help when you've got slow ILBs & nothing behind an aging beat up Foote.

 

[CardNots]

Lindley played his best game. Maybe the best he can play. But it's not good enough.

The D is sucking fat ass. But honestly, I posted stats at the halfway point showing that the D has given up yards all year. Eventually teams are going to convert those yards into points.

Our D isn't as good as people think it is.

On point with the posted stats. I remember thinking when the turnovers run dry we will lose those close games. The defense produces those and we have 11 wins. I'm good walking around in Cardinal gear this week.