Simplify the defense

We've been to 3 Super Bowls in the last seven years, defensive scheme isn't the problem.

 

This arguement is really old and flawed in of itself.

Every other team who had a "top defense" last year played a schedule with QBs just as so-called "weak" as the ones we played. SF played weak QBs, Baltimore played weak QBs, Houston played weak QBS. None of these defenses played overall better than our defense. Facts are the days of total dominating shut-down defenses are over. The rules are way too slanted toward the offense to allow this.[/quote:2undpctt]

Are you kidding me? SF's defence played far, far better than ours did. They also did shut teams down all season long, including giving up only 1 rushing TD all season I believe. They were far superior to us in every way.

Our defence last year is exactly the same as it is this year, the difference is that we're playing good QB's this year and we played a lot of terrible QB's last year. Hell, even Curtis Painter put up 20 points on us.[/quote:2undpctt]

And your excuse for covering up our defense is valid for theirs as well -- they faced inept Seattle 2 times, St' Louis 2 times, Arizona 2 times, They also played the Browns, Redskins, and TB last year. They faced us with Ben barely able to walk. The best QB they faced last year was Eli. And they lost to a struggling Dallas team, Arizona, and the Ravens. We faced Brady last year and held him in check. Vick (and the struggling Eagles) put up 416 yards agains them last year (but SF won by a point, due to 3 turnoves by the Eagles). Skelton put up 21 on them. Our divisions played each other last year.

So the same points you claim skew against our defense hold true for them -- they also played alot of weak teams.

 

Yep, you're right, the game never changed and the scheme never needs to be adjusted, despite the entire league and TV analysts saying our defence is predictable.

What worked in the past may not work now. Things change, and the game has definitely changed a lot in the last 5 years.

 

that's all i can say.

 

This team has a complex defense based on the if/then scenarios of playing it correctly, but in all honesty that doesn't affect some of these guys. It doesn't affect McLendon or Ta'amu. It doesn't affect the OLBs who are either A....covering or B...rushing. It isn't that complex for those player. For Timmons and Foote and for the DBs, knowing where to be on the field can be complex.

Now all that being said, it doesn't appear that right now it matters where on the field our guys are...the OCs have found a hole or some weakness and they are exploiting it even when our guys are in the correct positions. I think that is 2 fold.

1. We are getting basically ZERO pressure on the QB. Unless we are coming with 6 or 7 guys on the blitz, we don't get to the QB right now. Even when we were healthy at the start of one game, we didn't get pressure.

2. The play calling has been pretty bad. DL seems to be out-thinking himself. He calls a blitz and the other team knows when and where it is coming from. He plays coverage, they seem to know that as well.

In all honestly, this Defense has not looked good to me since the loss to GB in the Super Bowl other than the 1 game against NE last year. That is it. I think the GB OC exposed something, some weakness and most teams now have seen that on tape and are taking advantage of it assuming they have the talent to do so. DL is going to have to adjust.

To me we have some issues:

1. Play calling
2. Intensity
3. Execution
4. Injuries
5. Talent?

#5 has a question mark above. Explain to me this. McLendon comes in and looks GREAT in preseason. We hit the regular season and he sees 9 plays out of 70. I don't get that. The only way to get some of these guys experience is to.....actually play them.