When we lost our emotional edge on defense

[pmacLean]

Why then do all of the following players on defense this year have above average ratings on PFF?

DT Peters
DT X. Williams
DT Pierre
DE Jones
CB Peterson
CB T. Williams
S Bethea
S Branch
S Baker

If the talent was lacking, you wouldn't see these above average ratings.

The problem is as JG stated, losing the junkyard dog (M. Golden) at LOLB/DE...which has affected and slowed down the pass rush...the play of the inside linebackers has been subpar...and the defense lacks a true centerfielder. The best defenses are much stronger up the middle. If the middle falters, the whole thing can cave in.

Pretty easy, if we have lots of talent, it's the coaches. Get rid of them all. No problem here.

 

[pmacLean]

CC is now a defensive end in a 4-3 with a another monster on the other end.
We played him on the end of a 3-4 and he was constantly double teamed, a little harder to do that to him with what he has going for him now, without unleashing the other side.

Difference ?

About 6 sacks per year (subject to adjustment, there are a bunch of games left) more in the scheme he is in with the personnel he is playing with. He DID NOT underperform here, we just had no clue how to use him and how to get other players together in a scheme that would use him effectively. It's on the Cards management and coaching, not on CC. I have no doubt the Jags are figuring he was worth every cent they paid, but the Jags (this does seem crazy) actually knew how to maximize him, we never did.

Cards are a dumpster fire. They need a top to bottom clean out and no one should be exempt except Fitz, PP, DJ, B Baker and perhaps Gabbert if he shows us something in the next few weeks.

EVERYONE else is expendable (especially the coaches and the GM)

 

[Cardiac]

CC is now a defensive end in a 4-3 with a another monster on the other end.
We played him on the end of a 3-4 and he was constantly double teamed, a little harder to do that to him with what he has going for him now, without unleashing the other side.

Difference ?

About 6 sacks per year (subject to adjustment, there are a bunch of games left) more in the scheme he is in with the personnel he is playing with. He DID NOT underperform here, we just had no clue how to use him and how to get other players together in a scheme that would use him effectively. It's on the Cards management and coaching, not on CC. I have no doubt the Jags are figuring he was worth every cent they paid, but the Jags (this does seem crazy) actually knew how to maximize him, we never did.

Cards are a dumpster fire. They need a top to bottom clean out and no one should be exempt except Fitz, PP, DJ, B Baker and perhaps Gabbert if he shows us something in the next few weeks.

EVERYONE else is expendable (especially the coaches and the GM)

You got some of this right. CC is having a huge personal stats year because he is in a system that allows him to do so and he is a stud.

We run a 3-4 D which doesn't allow a player like CC to have fantastic personal stats but does allow the team to have good to great stats. CC was a beast with the Cards but he didn't have the sexy sack stats because he was double teamed and a force against the run. The Cards did lead the league in sacks last year (sexy team stat) in part because of CC's presence and play.

So we did maximize CC's talent we just did it in a different system. Plus the dude could have had double digit sacks every year if he didn't whiff on bring down the QB 4 to 5 times every year.

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

We lost our killer instinct, take no prisoners attitude when we cut Dockett.

After that we were carried by talent and solid blitz packages with Bowles.

Then we relied on only talent when we lost Bowles.

Then we let a lot of talent walk this off season.

Now we have a bunch of mediocre, soft defensive players with no attitude and bad scheming to go with it.