Why did our defense play SO much better last post season?

[Duckjake]

Got old, were healthier last year etc.

The other thing is last year we beat a rookie QB, Delhomme, and then McNabb. Rodgers is better than any of them and Brees is better than Rodgers.

Forced 12 turnovers in the 3 NFC games. We won last week with 3 turnovers. Didn't have those today. Our D doesn't get turnovers and they're toast.

 

[Covert Rain]

It's simple. We played a higher level of competition. It was not a coaching problem IMO. We faced a entirely new level of QB and offense then we had seen last season in the playoffs. We were lucky to put up enough points to win but trying to do that two weeks in a row is just long odds IMO.

This team has been letting running backs have career days and the secondary has been exposed more then ever. Not to mention that it seems like most of the guys behind are starters are not quality guys.

Rogers and Brees are going to be here for years to come. As long as we have to go through these guys, we are going to have to get better on the "D" line and the secondary....period.

 

[Buckybird]

Forced 12 turnovers in the 3 NFC games. We won last week with 3 turnovers. Didn't have those today. Our D doesn't get turnovers and they're toast.

Thats been the most telling stat of the Wiz regime, I believe we are 25-1

 

[conraddobler]

Coaching is part of it IMO.

A very good defensive coordinator has an impact on your free agency and your draft by just adding their opinion in terms of who they want.

Then after that when you have a very good coordinator they tend to be innovative and the fundamentals are more apparent.

Our team has a fundmental problem tackling, that's coaching period.

PERIOD.

It's like a bad nightmare when the bad tackling starts, and there is no one to blame that on but the coach who allows it.

All the rest about having injuries and having a lack of depth, or just plain lacking talent does factor in, but good defensive coordinators will still shine through on more aspects of the game than our defense does.

 

[CardLogic]

I will drink very heavily if the Cowpies do what I have feared for over a month now...

The silver lining is that at least we won't lose to the 'Pukes!!!

 

[Russ Smith]

Rogers and Brees are going to be here for years to come. As long as we have to go through these guys, we are going to have to get better on the "D" line and the secondary....period.

I actually think the Saints better win it all soon because my guess is once there's a salary cap they're in trouble.

I look at the Pack as motivational, their defense was horrible last year but they added Raji and Matthews and a couple of other guys and turned it right around. If we keep the right guys, draft well and sign some guys we can turn it around quickly.

 

[Catfish]

they Were Healthy---------

 

[earthsci]

There's a real inappropriate Mom joke hiding in here.

 

[Shane]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2164921&postcount=19

 

[WarnerHOF]

Teams have out that you can beat this D easily if you go 4WR set and exposing the lack depth in the secondary. This is the same problem Green Bay had.

 

[conraddobler]

Teams have out that you can beat this D easily if you go 4WR set and exposing the lack depth in the secondary. This is the same problem Green Bay had.

Yep, we dialed up several blitzes that got there very fast, but Brees always had someone wide open to get rid of it in time.

The good news is we can fix that by adding depth, one good FA and a couple of draft picks and we're good.

 

[WarnerHOF]

Yep, we dialed up several blitzes that got there very fast, but Brees always had someone wide open to get rid of it in time.

The good news is we can fix that by adding depth, one good FA and a couple of draft picks and we're good.

Yup, Blitzes are never going to work against QBs like Brees, Manning etc. The only way you can beat them is with a 4 man rush that can generate pressure and a secondary playing tight coverage on every receiver. Exactly how the Cowboys beat the Saints.

 

[187]

The Saints and Packers offense are a hell of a lot better than any O we faced in the playoffs last season. By miles. Their strength, a great passing game with 4 WR's and a great TE, has a huge advantage over our weakness, a crappy secondary and a crappy pass rush if we aren't bringing the house. Our pass rush with 4 men = non existent.

 

[conraddobler]

Yup, Blitzes are never going to work against QBs like Brees, Manning etc. The only way you can beat them is with a 4 man rush that can generate pressure and a secondary playing tight coverage on every receiver. Exactly how the Cowboys beat the Saints.

Yep, and that's why I think the Saints better pray the Vikes beat Dallas tomorrow or they're in deep crap.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Just talked to wife of Bridges in airport. Even the players wives were astounded at how poorly the D played. Her take was the DBs were so bad saints doubled DD so we had no pass rush and Brees just shredded them

 

[joeshmo]

Our team has a fundamental problem tackling, that's coaching period.

PERIOD.

Sorry I think your wrong. I here former players and coaches talk about it all the time. These players have been learning fundamentals about tackling from multiple coaches their whole lives before they even make it to the NFL. Every player in the NFL knows how to make a proper tackle. When players miss tackles in the NFL its because they just don't want to or care to. Its because they are free lancing or out of position, its because they just don't want to hit someone, its because they are on national TV and would rather deliver a blow to get them on ESPN rather then make the tackle. At the NFL level tackling is not a coaching issue one bit, its a player issue. Its like the Suns with Amare, the coaches can teach him defense and consistent rebound till they are blue in the face but it is up to him to do it and have the will to do it. Even if he doesn't do it they aren't going to bench him, just like we are not going to bench the likes Wilson, Rolle, Dansby, DRC for them missing all of their tackles, and we aren't going to bench Abdulah either becuase there is no one to bench him for.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Sorry I think your wrong. I here former players and coaches talk about it all the time. These players have been learning fundamentals about tackling from multiple coaches their whole lives before they even make it to the NFL. Every player in the NFL knows how to make a proper tackle. When players miss tackles in the NFL its because they just don't want to or care to. Its because they are free lancing or out of position, its because they just don't want to hit someone, its because they are on national TV and would rather deliver a blow to get them on ESPN rather then make the tackle. At the NFL level tackling is not a coaching issue one bit, its a player issue. Its like the Suns with Amare, the coaches can teach him defense and consistent rebound till they are blue in the face but it is up to him to do it and have the will to do it. Even if he doesn't do it they aren't going to bench him, just like we are not going to bench the likes Wilson, Rolle, Dansby, DRC for them missing all of their tackles, and we aren't going to bench Abdulah either becuase there is no one to bench him for.

Spot on...

 

[82CardsGrad]

That's the most long winded bunch of bs I've ever heard.

Do you think when I say coaching I only mean technical knowledge?

You think in terms of pro coaching way way way too much.

The best coaching is about making sure someone does what you tell them not worrying about at this level if they know how to do it.

It's called buy in and it has a ton to do with the respect level players have for a coach.

It's all part of coaching.

By your definition Vince Lombardi was an awesome technical coach or was it that people did what he said?

I assumed this is what Joe was getting to... There is no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of what a NFL needs to do is far more mental/discipline related than it is technical.

 

[conraddobler]

I assumed this is what Joe was getting to... There is no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of what a NFL needs to do is far more mental/discipline related than it is technical.

He just said that they free lanced.

Others including you are claiming they are giving up.

These are signs the D coordinator has lost the defense, in Hockey it's when the coach is fired because the team lost buy in.

It's all the same stuff, I was never saying it was only his ability to impart knowledge, it's his job at inspiration that I think is highly lacking.

 

[82CardsGrad]

He just said that they free lanced.

Others including you are claiming they are giving up.

These are signs the D coordinator has lost the defense, in Hockey it's when the coach is fired because the team lost buy in.

It's all the same stuff, I was never saying it was only his ability to impart knowledge, it's his job at inspiration that I think is highly lacking.

It's not just that they are outgunned, the lack spunk in a fight too.

Dude, you're preaching to the choir... I just posted another thread that speaks to the issue of "how" we lost...
But, I think your post here that Joe responded to could have been taken as a comment on coaching the "technicals"...

 

[Covert Rain]

Sorry I think your wrong. I here former players and coaches talk about it all the time. These players have been learning fundamentals about tackling from multiple coaches their whole lives before they even make it to the NFL. Every player in the NFL knows how to make a proper tackle. When players miss tackles in the NFL its because they just don't want to or care to. Its because they are free lancing or out of position, its because they just don't want to hit someone, its because they are on national TV and would rather deliver a blow to get them on ESPN rather then make the tackle. At the NFL level tackling is not a coaching issue one bit, its a player issue. Its like the Suns with Amare, the coaches can teach him defense and consistent rebound till they are blue in the face but it is up to him to do it and have the will to do it. Even if he doesn't do it they aren't going to bench him, just like we are not going to bench the likes Wilson, Rolle, Dansby, DRC for them missing all of their tackles, and we aren't going to bench Abdulah either becuase there is no one to bench him for.

+1

Coaches even when they say they are going to "get back" fundamentals really only are reminding these guys and making sure they focus on it. At this level, if your an NFL player and still can't tackle.....that is not coaching. Nobody could have ever "coached" Dion Sanders to be a good tackler. PERIOD.

Guys get drafted all the time based on one skill they do well despite lacking in another. This game was more about poor execution and guys lacking skill sets then coaching.

 

[DoTheDew]

I think it's because Aaron Rodgers>Matt Ryan and Drew Brees is much much > Jake Delhomme. That's all there is to it. We faced great QBs who picked us apart.

 

[kerouac9]

Sorry I think your wrong. I here former players and coaches talk about it all the time. These players have been learning fundamentals about tackling from multiple coaches their whole lives before they even make it to the NFL. Every player in the NFL knows how to make a proper tackle. When players miss tackles in the NFL its because they just don't want to or care to. Its because they are free lancing or out of position, its because they just don't want to hit someone, its because they are on national TV and would rather deliver a blow to get them on ESPN rather then make the tackle. At the NFL level tackling is not a coaching issue one bit, its a player issue. Its like the Suns with Amare, the coaches can teach him defense and consistent rebound till they are blue in the face but it is up to him to do it and have the will to do it. Even if he doesn't do it they aren't going to bench him, just like we are not going to bench the likes Wilson, Rolle, Dansby, DRC for them missing all of their tackles, and we aren't going to bench Abdulah either becuase there is no one to bench him for.

Seriously. I don't understand why everyone is afraid to say it, but I don't think that this team can afford to release Rolle for salary reasons if R. Johnson was so bad that a guy signed off the street in Week 12 is going to be so much better than him.

I'm putting him on the bubble just to make it out of camp next fall. He couldn't even play special teams well enough to make the 45 man roster Sundays (!?).

 

[Buckybird]

Seriously. I don't understand why everyone is afraid to say it, but I don't think that this team can afford to release Rolle for salary reasons if R. Johnson was so bad that a guy signed off the street in Week 12 is going to be so much better than him.

I'm putting him on the bubble just to make it out of camp next fall. He couldn't even play special teams well enough to make the 45 man roster Sundays (!?).

If I'm not mistaken Johnson was a rookie & the guy has the potential to be a true centerfielder that Rolle just isn't.

 

[kerouac9]

If I'm not mistaken Johnson was a rookie & the guy has the potential to be a true centerfielder that Rolle just isn't.

So Hamza Abudullah and his 71 career tackles and 25 career games was just SO much better than Rashard Johnson who had been with the team for the entire season when Abdullah appeared in his first game of the season in Week 17?

It's not like Rashard Johnson was replaced by Darren Sharper. Our 3rd round pick was replaced by a guy whom literally 31 other teams decided wasn't as good as the 53 players already on their roster.