Offense or Defense

[Kirkendall]

Our defense sucks. We had the 10th best offense in the league and 28th in defense. Do the math, we need desperate help on defense and with the current trend we will be left with out a playoff hope and fall into the same cycle of drafting the "great players". We need defense, some serious defense.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Yup, I added up the numbers, and got your answer too. DEFENSE!! DEFENSE!! DEFENSE!! And even more specifically on the defensive LINE!! LINE!! LINE!! Although a kick ass linebacker wouldn't hurt either.

[Kirkendall]

And even more specifically on the defensive LINE!! LINE!! LINE!!

This is the nucleus of any game at any time. Why can a Quarterback find the open receiver or a running back find that open lane. When you have a good set of fatty bull rushing Defensive tackles, they close the rushing lanes -- more accurately don't allow them to open at all -- and close the lanes for the QB to see anything over their big fat heads and big fat paws.

1. It doesn't force the secondary to step up to the line. Instead they can focus on the passing while the front seven take care of the rushing attacks. By default this puts the secondary need in the draft to second. Even Bailey and Woodson get beat when matched one on one. Overall, the secondary reaps the rewards.

2. You push the O line back and you have a QB without any passing lanes. This is the best because the QB has no looks, can't see whose open and Clemons and Smith reap the rewards. The defensive ends reap the rewards.

3. Having big fatties at the line, forces the Oline to put 2 guys on both forcing more lanes for the LBer to roam. Why do you think Urlacher had that great season in 2001 and 2002? Washington and Traylor allowed the linebackers to roam free. The linebackers reap the rewards.

Anyone else want to add to this list?

Trust me when I say, the linemen are the least noticed position, most people can't name five that are NOT on their current team and people laugh at me when I saw the linemen are the winners and losers to any and all games. They should get the most credit when the game is won and the most blame when its lost.

[HoosierCat]

Yes, our defense stunk. And yes, the line's the place to start (DT or DE in the 1st, IHMO). But let's not lose sight of the simple fact that even if we had had one of the *best defenses in the league* last year, we still could easily have gone 8-8. In our 8 losses we averaged fewer than 14 points; the league's best D's (Tampa and Miami) gave up over 16 a game on average.

The o-line, especially depth at LT, is a huge issue (see Rehberg, Scott, Sucks). Our offensive production dropped with a resounding thud if Warrick was out hurt or CJ was on the sideline getting fluids. Even if K-wash does keep coming along we need another answer for the slot, too. At TE, as Kirk's pointed out, we have one player in three bodies. And we're going to need depth (at least) at RB.

IMHO, especially if our FA dollars are spent on defense (i.e a corner like Plummer or maybe a true MLB), we cannot ignore offense on draft day. I would not at all be surprised to see them grab a C like Ricker in round 2 and maybe the best available TE or RB or WR (again, depending on how things work out with CD/Rudi and Warrick, who's reportedly going to have more knee surgery) in the 3rd.

[JBrooks]

Trust me when I say, the linemen are the least noticed position, most people can't name five that are NOT on their current team and people laugh at me when I saw the linemen are the winners and losers to any and all games. They should get the most credit when the game is won and the most blame when its lost.

I completely concur. I've said in numerous other threads that the DE and LB are the guys who get all the glory when you have big DT's stuffing up the middle. The DT's don't get the stats, but are vitally important to freeing up the other guys to get their work done and get the gaudy sack numbers, tackles, INT's.

Look at New England. Nobody thought much of Vrabel, Bruschi and even McGinest was supposed to go downhill, but with Ted Washington and Richard Seymour (sometimes) in the middle, tying up the O-lineman, these guys are free everywhere to make plays...UNBLOCKED.

I agree. Lineman are huge, literally and figuratively.

[jjakq27]

I've said in numerous other threads that the DE and LB are the guys who get all the glory when you have big DT's stuffing up the middle. The DT's don't get the stats, but are vitally important to freeing up the other guys to get their work done and get the gaudy sack numbers, tackles, INT's.

That's how the Ravens were able to shut everybody down in '00. They had Siragusa anchoring the middle and that left Sharper and Lewis free to fill the gaps or chase people to the outside.

I know Coach Lewis was trying not to interfere with Coach Frazier and the development of the defense but I don't think he will stand by and let them be the weak point of the team. I look for more turnover especially at interior D-line and DB's.

How many of us would have ranked the defense last in overall performance between offense, defense and special teams going in to 2003? I personally expected them to be the strength of the team.