Why does the defense get a pass

[KYCardFan]

Allowed 9-15 third down conversions and 30 first downs

yea the offense sucked but what did the defense do to help

 

[Cheesebeef]

Because no one has any expectations of them.

 

[KYCardFan]

You can’t expect to win then

 

[FB94]

Defense played ok at times to keep the game close. But game after game we cannot: cover the RB in the flat, play soft coverage that allow easy gains, especially on third downs. Hicks is a liability in pass coverage and gets exposed every week. I would rather see more man to man.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Because no one has any expectations of them.

I give them a pass since they are undermanned, even before the injuries, and if one includes that soft zone non blitz scheme of our DC, my heart goes out to them lol

 

[Cheesebeef]

You can’t expect to win then

If you have an offensive genius and a generational talent at QB, you should expect not to look so pedestrian on offense.

that’s what Keim sold the fans on. That’s why the D gets no slack.

 

[Jetstream Green]

I actually had a cynical laugh with how long that defense was expected to play after our offense's time of possession. Kliff is ultra conservative for a three & out. It's like this. The defense is decent with their moments playing man and blitzing. Our offense looks good with running up tempo... but for whatever reason it's like we are coaching against our strengths which work

 

[Hoodhero]

No one batting down passes or forcing fumbles ala CJ

 

[KYCardFan]

Jared Goff should have a DE or LB in his grill on every boot or waggle, see Bill Billickeck defense in Super Bowl

Any DC worth his salt knows this and that’s how teams defeat the Rams

 

[GatorAZ]

I thought they were aite until the 3rd and 12. You can only limit so much without getting pressure... When they did bring pressure Goff sensed it and got rid of the ball. Say what you want about his talent level but he’s got good instincts.

 

[nashman]

Because people would rather blame other they don’t like lol. That’s the truth, people have gotten so used to the D being horrible they expect the O to put up 40 a game and hang on for wins! It’s crazy honestly the D has been bad even before we lost players. Vance shouldn’t have a job still but the Cardinals like hanging onto failed coaches to long. He was a bad hire from the jump his defenses were terrible before.

 

[AZ Native]

It's a team loss, offense, defense and coaching. Win as a team, lose as a team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's a team loss, offense, defense and coaching. Win as a team, lose as a team.

If that’s the case, which I agree it is, we should have never hired a coach who would solely focus on the offense and let his GM decide the entire defensive staff.

 

[Solar7]

The defense sucks, but it has some excuses. It's a mash unit and missing its best player.

The offense is healthy, by and large, and we're supposed to have a head coach that many here are fine with not paying attention to the defense at all. Well, what he's supposed to be great at... he ain't.

 

[Dayman]

I blame a lot of the defense on Keim. Injuries have been bad, but he has systematically destroyed that side of the ball.

Outside of Baker, CJ and Simmons, what defenders are long-term pieces? Some may say Murphy, but I strongly disagree.

Jordan Phillips was the ultimate buyer beware free agent. Yet Keim was itching to be the sucker who gave him $10mm/year with $18.5mm guaranteed. Now he is on the sidelines as Darrell Henderson averages 16 yards per carry.

Chris Banjo has been in the league for 8 years, and he has more starts this year than he does in the rest of his career combined. Keim knowingly went into the season with no real depth at safety, and it shows on days like today.

Keim's obsession with signing cheap veteran CBs to start across from PP every year is infuriating. The one time he didn't, he threw a bunch of multi-year money at a dude who still hasn't played a regular season game for us two years later. Yet Keim still refuses to even try to draft an outside CB year after year, as he keeps assuring everyone that Murphy was drafted to play the slot.

These are just examples of much deeper problems with Keim's handling of the defense. It's tough to get too mad at the Chris Banjos and Trevon Coleys of the world when they were never meant to play this many snaps.

 

[DVontel]

Some rather poor reasons in here as to why the defense is getting let off the hook, especially with defenses with worse personnel like Denver & the Giants still outperforming their talent.

 

[swagron]

Allowed 9-15 third down conversions and 30 first downs

yea the offense sucked but what did the defense do to help

It may also be because the defense was on the field twice as long as the offense. The defense played ok, but that discrepancy is a lot to ask of a defense that isn’t that good to begin with. The loss falls on the offense who isn’t getting it done. The last TD they scored was just garbage so the score didn’t look as bad as it was.

 

[Chopper0080]

Some rather poor reasons in here as to why the defense is getting let off the hook, especially with defenses with worse personnel like Denver & the Giants still outperforming their talent.

Well, I don't believe in Vance so my expectations are pretty low. I see Murphy's snaps getting phased out for busted vets and the same with Simmons.

 

[WisconsinCard]

It may also be because the defense was on the field twice as long as the offense. The defense played ok, but that discrepancy is a lot to ask of a defense that isn’t that good to begin with. The loss falls on the offense who isn’t getting it done. The last TD they scored was just garbage so the score didn’t look as bad as it was.

TOP was 39 to 21 the defense was gassed, they made a couple early stops but then our 3 and out in less then a minute puts them right back on the field. Not making excuses for them they didn't help themselves by getting off the field in third and long situations.

 

[DVontel]

Well, I don't believe in Vance so my expectations are pretty low. I see Murphy's snaps getting phased out for busted vets and the same with Simmons.

Keim really is something. He really hired an OC that got fired by a team in the middle of the season twice(!!) then hired a DC fired by the same organization & was mediocre everywhere else. Guy has no feel for hiring coordinators.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, I don't believe in Vance so my expectations are pretty low. I see Murphy's snaps getting phased out for busted vets and the same with Simmons.

makes ZERO sense.

I want Vance fired. That said, what DC worth squat is going to come here knowing you’ve probably got not just a lame duck coach but GM too?

I guess Wade Wilson was kinda begging on Twitter to come back to the NFL.

 

[AZman5103]

makes ZERO sense.

I want Vance fired. That said, what DC worth squat is going to come here knowing you’ve probably got not just a lame duck coach but GM too?

I guess Wade Wilson was kinda begging on Twitter to come back to the NFL.

I think we could get a young coach who would be looking to audition as the next HC...maybe even here in AZ.

If we got someone to come in here and really get the defense humming, they would have a pretty decent shot at getting this job if Kliff was fired.

Everyone knows Kliff ONLY focuses on offense (not stopping penalties, mental toughness, game management)...so a good DC would get all the credit.

We wont be able to get any of the guys that are ready to be HC....we will get one tier below that.

Honestly, at the very least I would fire Vance and give Brenston Bucker a shot as the DC. He is the kind of guy Im talking about. Former Player and highly respected position coach. I would try the same thing with Kugler as an OC in a different scenario.

I feel like those guys usually make good coordinators.

 

[DVontel]

Like do you know how frustrating it is to see the Giants clamp down on both the Rams & Seahawks despite not having high-talent personnel outside of Bradberry & Leo?

Very frustrating.

 

[DVontel]

It’s like the coaching staff & players paid no clue to how Miami, SF, & even NYG contained the Rams’ offense. Just biting & biting & biting on every PA/Bootleg. 7 straight games against McVay.

 

[KYCardFan]

The defense has to get off the field, 9 out of 15 third down conversions is inexcusable, the Rams punted once, all day. How the defense coaches don't know how to copy another game plan like Miami, SF and NYG is beyond comprehension.