2 minute Defense

Just curious as to what other's here think. Does this team have a below, above or average 2 minute defense? It seems to me that our opponents can drive and score at will at the end of halves and games, but barely at all for the other 25+ mins. Is this D is just not built to stop teams when it matters most? I mean, that is the most critical time of the game. But, I am not sure I know enough about other team's 2 min D's to compare really. They certainly are not the worst, but they seem to be below average when the game is on the line to me.

 

I'm sure it doesn't help when they think the jobs done and all the Offense has to do is get a first down, but fail and leave way too much time on the clock.

 

Actually, I noticed this trend league wide a few seasons ago.
I remembering making a thread on the old board, complaining how it seemed the whole league had taken on the feel of a Madden game, with all the last minute comebacks...

 

The PREVENT defense is alive and well in today's NFL. That's the defense that PREVENTS its team from winning!

 

Below average for sure. This defense is old and tired

Bman

 

I think most of the issue we have late in games is explainable.

First, it is REALLY hard to cover 4-5 guys running routes for 4 plays in a row. It just is. In the normal flow of the game, teams try to establish the run and they only use 3 downs, but late in games...needing a score, it doesn't matter where on the field they are they are going to use all of the downs.

Second, over the last couple of years, this D has lacked playmakers. Just look through our lineup and tell me where the "playmakers" are in the dime package:

Keisel and Hood - Solid D lineman and Keisel can occasionally make a play, but overall he just does his job.

Harrison, Timmons, and Woodley - All 3 of these guys are playmakers....or at one point were. Timmons is usually in coverage or blitzing. Harrison and Woodley have been so often injured that it just didn't happen.

CBs...Ike could catch an interception and neither could Lewis. C. Allen could, but didn't really get thrown at much in these situations. Clark is a hitter and a tackle monster, but isn't a big takeaway guy. W. Allen and Mundy aren't playmakers on any level. Troy, has been so injured you couldn't count on him.

The Dline and LBs weren't getting sacks, and the DBs are getting INTs nor were separating guys from the ball. Where is the guy who is going to make that play to make a difference. This year, I truly believe J. Jones being added to the mix may change things along with Troy being healthy. This D has the ability to make difference making plays which are needed at critical times of the game.

 

Do you believe we have a dominant pass rusher
to get to opposing teams QB? A Game Changer(JJ WATT)
This will answer your question

 

This defense is design to let the offense move down the field and hope they make a mistake moving the ball. Lebeau wants to tackle the catch and don't get beat deep. that's what he instills in his defense.

Now maybe that changed because of the talent (or lack their of) on the team over the past couple of years.

When we had Lloyd and Greene on the outside and Woodson and Lake in the Secondary we were attack mode and pressure mode. We had exotic blitzes that would change weekly. You didn't see that "fire zone blitz" every other play (every team in the NFL knows how to defend now) we use to see corners coming with DL dropping in coverage. We use to see linebackers coming from every where on the field with safeties covering zones.

Hopefully Jarvis Jones and Lamar Woodley can provide some pressure. If they can't we are definitely in trouble.

 

I'm thinking that seems plausible.

I still have my Kirkland jersey love how you'd see him down-field covering a RB or TE