Will Defense Turn Around This Year???

[Renegade7]

We need a feel good thread...

 

I didn't believe we'd hold Green Bay to under 30 points in their house, not the way we were playing, let alone 24. 

 

But the defense limited WJ3s snaps, moved Collins to linebacker, gave Curl more reps at his natural position to name a few changes.  Communication problems slowed down, we got 4 sacks, Jamin Davis had his best game. 

 

We held them to only 304 yards of offense when we were allowing 406.  That is unmistakable progress, even if it's only one game.  As many people that wanted to fire JDR, I wasn't one of them, and I'm glad I didn't because they finally making the changes many people were clamoring for.

 

Whether it be pride that took too long or acceptance that finally did it, I have to give credit where credit is due.  But its one game, we'll see if they can do it again against the Broncos, could be a coming out game if they play like this again, Broncos are that bad.

 

But is this defense really turned around? Can we get back to where we were last year, even if not statistically because we've screwed up our average?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Nowhere to go but up.

 

I'd really like to revisit this after the Bucs game.  How our defense does against Brady and his super-friends will tell us what we need to know.  I'm not expecting a win, but if we can play against them like we did today, that will be a good sign moving forward.  

 

Moving Collins to linebacker and more Curl should help things.  I still think our corners are suspect but they can be helped if we can generate more pressure up front.  

 

I hate moral victories but at least the defense did look better today.  Hopefully they can take what they did today, apply it to Denver and improve.  

 

Then again, if the defense improves markedly, you've still got a problem...two straight seasons of starting out mediocre to poor and having to get a significant chunk of the season out of the way before the unit starts to gel. Gotta figure out a way to get them cranking from Week 1, not starting at Week 7 or 8.  

[Springfield]

When you’re dead last, anything is an improvement. Maybe they’ll be the 25th best defense instead of 32nd?

 

The scheme ****ing sucks and they players are square pegs being stuck into round holes.

[Renegade7]

10 minutes ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

Nowhere to go but up.

 

I'd really like to revisit this after the Bucs game.  How our defense does against Brady and his super-friends will tell us what we need to know.  I'm not expecting a win, but if we can play against them like we did today, that will be a good sign moving forward.  

 

Agree to this being a true litmus test for this years defense and changes they've made so far.  We didn't shut them down last year, we won't this year, but sub25, we stand a chance. Sometimes thats all you can ask for against QBs like Rodgers and Brady

[Spaceman Spiff]

6 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

 

Agree to this being a true litmus test for this years defense and changes they've made so far.  We didn't shut them down last year, we won't this year, but sub25, we stand a chance. Sometimes thats all you can ask for against QBs like Rodgers and Brady

 

Yep.  I won't judge the Bucs game so much on the final score as I will on things like...are we able to get some pressure on Brady?  Can we get 2 or 3 sacks?  Can we make him move around in the pocket?  Force turnovers?  Not be such a pushover on 3rd down?  

 

In addition to playing better today, I felt like we had less penalties overall, too.  IMO, that's a good sign.  Didn't shoot ourselves in the foot nearly as much.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

Yes.  Not dominant, but trending way up.

 

They will look dominant at times, like against Sam Darnold's Carolina.  But that's just one opponent.

[Warhead36]

It can't possibly be as bad as its been. We've had the worst 3rd down D the NFL has seen since 1991. Law of averages says that means we'll start being a lot better on 3rd downs. We've been generating pressure so we're due sacks as well.

 

But I don't see our statistical rank approaching anything close to last year. We just played too many backup QB/OLs last year. This year we're playing a murderer's row of elite QBs. We still have to face Brady, Carr, possibly Wilson, and Prescott twice.

[hail2skins]

I think the offense's sustained drives which unfortunately includes a blocked FG and two instances of turning it over on down (including from the half-yard line!) limited GB's possessions and made the D's performance look better than it was. Make no mistake, they still sucked.

[FootballZombie]

I've been seeing this for the last 3 weeks. While the D has not been "good" they have given the team an opportunity in each of the last few games but were hung out to dry by the offense.

 

With average O performances we should have had significant leads vs NO and KC based on the opportunities created by our D. They also did not do too bad at all vs GB

 

 

We are seeing the Dline turning more pressures into sacks and we are seeing less blown coverage.

While still not good, you can clearly see the D improving.

 

This trend will not continue unless our O improves however. We cant walk out there and only put up 10 or 13 points and not expect our D to give up 30. They need support.

 

[Wildbunny]

4 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

But the defense limited WJ3s snaps,

WJ3 was out due to injury so that might not be a benching type of move.

 

Still I like Danny Johnson making open field tackles with force.

That was quite of a change to see from this Defense.

 

And as much focus Chase Young is in this defense, Jonathan Allen is clearly the boss around here. Guy just plays football and he's been excellent this year. Like Payne.

[Koolblue13]

Collins actually looked really good at LBer and lead the team in tackles. He was caught trying to be tricky a few times, which has been an issue all year. Holcomb played really well again, too. Davis is trending up every week as well.

 

I think starting Danny and having Curl full time SS really gets these underdog players with chips on their shoulders excited. WJ3 needs to stay off the field and probably out of the locker room too. 

 

Juste had himself a school day yesterday and did really well. He's a beast in run support. Just a rookie learning the ropes against the best and did well. 

 

There were a lot of positives from yesterday from the back 7, which hasn't been the case at all this year.

 

CB, FS are huge holes. We have another hole at LBer and although I've been saying that it's at MIKE, I think Davis will have that taken care of. Sam is much easier to replace.

[Wyvern]

Part of being "2020 good" was a result of the 2020 schedule, and even some occasions where Washington's defense faced a backup QB. 

 

But I feel the defense is starting to get and could reach the level of defensive strength it had in 2020. 

 

A factor impacting this prediction will be how often the defense gets trotted back into the field.  Also, due to the poor start, the season's overall defensive numbers would be hard-pressed to be as good as 2020's. 

 

But, IMHO, the defense will the itself as a big factor for opponents  to contend with by the end of this season.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Wyvern

[kingdaddy]

"Historically bad" was the graphic shown during the game yesterday. 

Jamin Davis getting trucked by Marcedes Lewis is not a good sign for our defense. That was downright bad.

[zCommander]

Unless they all of sudden start tackling better and running towards the opponent to tackle them instead. Gotta figure out how to stop on 3rd downs. Currently the team is at 56.86%. 32nd in the league. Last year we were at 37.83% and 7th in the league. 

[Chris 44]

4 minutes ago, zskins said:

Unless they all of sudden start tackling better and running towards the opponent to tackle them instead. Gotta figure out how to stop on 3rd downs. Currently the team is at 56.86%. 32nd in the league. Last year we were at 37.83% and 7th in the league. 

I keep getting that same feeling like the opposition kinda toys with us and then pulls away as and when it needs to. It makes the defense look better than it really is. The better opponents seem to almost know that they can march down the field and score when they need to. I dont know, maybe just me being frustrated?

[Renegade7]

1 hour ago, Chris 44 said:

I keep getting that same feeling like the opposition kinda toys with us and then pulls away as and when it needs to. It makes the defense look better than it really is. The better opponents seem to almost know that they can march down the field and score when they need to. I dont know, maybe just me being frustrated?

 

NFL teams don't have time for playing with their food. They need to make adjustments like everybody else.  I get the frustration, but Green Bay didn't have their way when they wanted to, that would've been double the points, which I've seen them do to other teams

[Koolblue13]

I thought our defense played pretty well yesterday. 

[PartyPosse]

1 hour ago, kingdaddy said:

"Historically bad" was the graphic shown during the game yesterday. 

Jamin Davis getting trucked by Marcedes Lewis is not a good sign for our defense. That was downright bad.

Marcedes is 6’6 265 Pounds and someone who’s been around the game. It’s gonna happen. I remember seeing Vernon Davis do that to a couple highly touted rookies too.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Defense fluctuates year over year (which is why you shouldn’t build that way but that’s another story). They’ll probably end up middle of the pack this year and maybe get back to good next season. 
 

Just can’t rely on defense in today’s league.

[ExoDus84]

1 hour ago, BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93 said:

Defense fluctuates year over year (which is why you shouldn’t build that way but that’s another story). They’ll probably end up middle of the pack this year and maybe get back to good next season. 
 

Just can’t rely on defense in today’s league.

 

I don't think we'll end up middle of the road. We're currently dead last in points allowed, passing yards allowed, and 3rd down % given up. We're 31st in yards allowed in total. It might improve solely because we play the giants, eagles twice, Denver and Carolina, but that's because those teams are **** with medicore to bad QB play.

 

This defense, when facing good competition, has proved itself inept.

[Warhead36]

8 minutes ago, ExoDus84 said:

 

I don't think we'll end up middle of the road. We're currently dead last in points allowed, passing yards allowed, and 3rd down % given up. We're 31st in yards allowed in total. It might improve solely because we play the giants, eagles twice, Denver and Carolina, but that's because those teams are **** with medicore to bad QB play.

 

This defense, when facing good competition, has proved itself inept.

I mean the Giants already lit us up for 29 and should have had more.

[ExoDus84]

5 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

I mean the Giants already lit us up for 29 and should have had more.

 

Sad to think we're one offside penalty away from 1-6.

[NoCalMike]

Honestly the D-line already has started to improve.  I think Olson said it best or maybe it was the other guy (and trust me, Olson didn't have much quality input yesterday) when talking about the D-line.  It isn't just about having 4 good lineman, it is about attacking the offense as a true unit.  It's about awareness of what your teammates will be doing on the play so that you are working together with a shared responsibility.   You saw way too often early in the season all 4 guys were rushing upfield leaving so many passing/running lanes open, no one filling haps.  That did happen once against the Packers on the big rush by Rodgers, but for the most part they did a much better job rushing the passer as a unit.  Hopefully that trend continues.

[Riggo-toni]

The defense has been turning around all year - it's the only way they can get a glimpse of WRs running with the ball into the endzone

[PartyPosse]

It’s gonna be the same thing every week. We’re gonna get solid performances from the front 4, it’ll be low Scoring, OCs will make the adjustments at halftime (in other words quicker throws, predictable soft areas in the secondary) and suddenly opponents have 25-35 points. Nothing any of the front can do. Offenses still can’t run against us but why would they when there are always guys running open in the secondary?