Dick Lebeau's defense is pathetic

I wish he would retire already what pisses me off a scrub backup QB comes off the bench like Matt Cassel and lights up the Steelers defense that's the only game the Vikings won all season. There's no creativity with the blitz they don't blitz the cornerbacks anymore like the old days because they're giving 15 yd cushions to every receiver. I want to see what LB coach Keith Butler can do as DC maybe he would be more aggressive.

 

I agree with TTF.
However, I do see this as DL's farewell tour.

 

You changed your avatar JUST for that post! LOL!

 

Like I said in another post, maybe its the players we drafted not fitting the scheme. Just a thought.

 

I seen that too..He now has DL as General but thought Chuck wore the stars.. must be them Lager's doing crazy things tonight

 

They're a step behind on what they used to do. We get QB pressures where we used to get sacks. We give up a 3 yard rush when we used to give up 1. Have you noticed how Troy hasn't been able to jump the snap count practically at all this year?

It needs a bit of a freshening up, and a bit of an injection of pace. This is why it's disappointing why the players brought in to give pace - Sylvester, for example - didn't work out.

 

Really think it's too much playing safe at least for the DB's. I watched Gay look like he wanted to jump a throw that was obvious from the snap, but just sat there so he could tackle the catch. It looked ridiculous in real time. He even took a ghost step at first before resetting to make the tackle.

 

Pathetic is a bit strong. It's a good defense, but it lacks in three big ways:

- it doesn't get sacks
- it doesn't get turnovers
- it gives up big plays

These undermine what otherwise appear to be good statistics wrt to yds allowed.

 

I read an article from a journalist that was in the locker room after the vikes game and he said that Tomlin was just standing against the wall and really frustrated and Mr Rooney walked up and Tomlin just said with a sigh "all those big plays". So they haven't went unnoticed.

 

They haven't gone unnoticed but, yet, nothing has changed.

I wouldnt say DL's defensive scheme is pathetic. I think it just needs some tweeking. Its tired and other teams have it figured out.

 

What's so amazing to me is that so many people, self included, will say things like the wildcat and read option aren't hard to figure out once they get on tape but then turn around and act like our schemes are immune to that ya know? Didn't Carson Palmer say after the raiders game last year that he knew exactly what we were gonna do based on his time in cincy?

 

We've been playing from behind for most of the season which limits the aggressiveness of the defensive play calling.

 

Very true. I also agree with Carson Palmer (from blounts post above) that we are too predictable anymore. Now the question is, is it scheme or talent/lack of talent?

 

I Don't totally disagree with the OP.

LeBeau has been here a while, has had long term success fielding a dominate Defense year in and year out and he gets the credit. I think this may be one of his Best coaching jobs yet if you look at what's being fielded you'd have this knee jerk reaction thinking it's LeBeaus fault.

TTF said it best- " Its not the General, its the soldiers.".............

We lost Foote who was our field general and solid tackling ILB. replaced with a 6th rd rookie.
We lost J. Harrison, former DPOY and sack master, replaced him with a rookie because he flashed in camp over the heir apparent.
We lost K. Lewis, replaced him with Allen who has disappointed when healthy
We lost Hampton who anchored the middle and replaced him with a more athletic McLendon who on occasion loses containment in his pursuit of the QB.

Though I think LeBeau is doing a good coaching job this year with what he has I do think it may be time to move on. Not by any fault of his own but because sometimes change in itself can have benefits if its the right change and I think Butler may be primed to step up into that role.

Cajun-

 

I agree with this but is the defense really our biggest concern? While I think we need to improve in all 3 areas I think this season the defense has gotten a bit of a raw deal because of the lackluster performances of the offense. We can't expect the D to be solid each and every play especially when the offense isn't taking any pressure of. In fact they have basically done the opposite and added more pressure to the D because of their failures imo. I truly believe that if the O starts putting it to our opponents the D will have much more freedom to do all the extra things that DL has been known for his whole DC career. Until then DL's hands are a bit tied I think.

 

Hey let's face facts...you need two OLB's who can beat their man, beat the block, beat the double teams, and kill the passer.

I think what we are finding is Jarvis Jones is not giving us what we were hoping for this year, and Silverback made Woodley look better than he is. Both Woodley and Jones are not speed/leverage rushers, which Lloyd, Porter, Harrison were.

We don't have a great ILB next to Timmons either. No offense to Vince Williams, or Jarvis, but they are young and not producing in their rookie years.

 

Pretty much agree except for this: "Silverback made Woodley look better than he is." I would say Aaron Smith made Woodley look better than he is. We had a very special player in Aaron Smith.

 

Aaron Smith may be one of the best (if not the best) 3-4 ends to ever play the game. Most of our problems on defense (and on offense) come from a failure to find and develop talent on the line.

 

Did you ever think they are tired of the offense not doing anything with a turnover when they get em? Ok maybe thats far fetched but score some dang points. FGs < TDs .

 

This is in part why it's so frustrating looking at the players who come into replace people like Smith. The point is, though, these guys don't come around every draft. And if they do, and you have Aaron Smith starting already, you sit that guy until Smith goes, which may hinder their development.

Victims of our own success, really.