You know they arent just playing the same defense as always right? Its not like they are trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. They are trying to capitialize on the speed they have on defense and adjust the scheme for it, they just arent doing what they want to do very well yet.
Its not, welp the same old defense isnt working.....looks like lebeau is washed up, hell i WISH it were that easy. They are making adjustments and its a work in progress. I know you are infatuated with the 43 (most of which are pretty JV defenses imo) but that takes a transition time to adjust to as well, and this team would look ridiculous running it with the current crop of dline.
People just see the defense struggling and say OMG THEY NEVER CHANGE OR ADJUST FIRE THE COACHES.
But realistically THIS defense right now is substantially different than the aaron smith/casey hampton defense. They line the DEs up at 4-tech which is directly over the tackles, not 5 tech which is the gaps outside of the tackles and mcclendon almost never players 0-tech like casey hampton, he is constantly playing gaps one or three (which he should). The problem is, Heyward and especially Cam Thomas are playing like ****, they have adjusted in a way that should be able to crash through a zone line but they are being washed out. Teams are feasting on Heyward and Worilds in the run game (worilds makes sense to me, but heyward needs to be better than what he is)
Timmons isnt really playing "buck" like hes slated too, you see him taking a lot of mack responsibilites too which I am not sure why, might not be full trust in shazier yet (and they shouldnt, hes shown flashes and then disappeared and has been a weak tackler so far).
The corners are pressing every now and then, and it IS working along with the safeties playing cover 1 and cover 2 more than ever after their cover 3 looks were getting torched last season. This way the safeties are lining up has been pretty successful on 3rd and long, but they have been getting GASHED on 1st down in the run game making those opportunities few and far in between.
Now if mcclendon gets some playing time i would expect him to play a more traditional 0-tech, which has me very curious
Heyward needs to pick up where he left off last season, his play right now is a major detriment to the defense right now...if he picks it up everyone except cam thomas will probably look a little better (cam thomas excluded because hes that bad).
Jarvis Jones has been rock solid as a run defender, he sets the edge very effectively, they run away from him most of the time....because apparently once you get a hand on worilds he is out of the play.
Pressure on the QB is an issue from every player, and there are no exceptions. I would like to see them blitz mitchell and shazier a little bit more. Troy gets so much attention on blitzes it has rendered it completely useless
So things i would like to see:
1. Mccullers getting even a few first down reps (he can at least dictate the direction of the play a bit)
2. Blitzing from Mitchell and Shazier
3. Heyward just flat out playing better. Hes been getitng beat up and has still been one of our best dline...he needs to be better and be held accountable for his poor play so far, i thought he was going to enter this year being one of the best DEs in the league, he hasnt.
Edit: oh, and a little Shamarko would be nice. Ike and Gay are playing decent, Cortez is playing like **** (awesome right? Gilbert and Cortez playing like ****.....)
Its not, welp the same old defense isnt working.....looks like lebeau is washed up, hell i WISH it were that easy. They are making adjustments and its a work in progress. I know you are infatuated with the 43 (most of which are pretty JV defenses imo) but that takes a transition time to adjust to as well, and this team would look ridiculous running it with the current crop of dline.
People just see the defense struggling and say OMG THEY NEVER CHANGE OR ADJUST FIRE THE COACHES.
But realistically THIS defense right now is substantially different than the aaron smith/casey hampton defense. They line the DEs up at 4-tech which is directly over the tackles, not 5 tech which is the gaps outside of the tackles and mcclendon almost never players 0-tech like casey hampton, he is constantly playing gaps one or three (which he should). The problem is, Heyward and especially Cam Thomas are playing like ****, they have adjusted in a way that should be able to crash through a zone line but they are being washed out. Teams are feasting on Heyward and Worilds in the run game (worilds makes sense to me, but heyward needs to be better than what he is)
Timmons isnt really playing "buck" like hes slated too, you see him taking a lot of mack responsibilites too which I am not sure why, might not be full trust in shazier yet (and they shouldnt, hes shown flashes and then disappeared and has been a weak tackler so far).
The corners are pressing every now and then, and it IS working along with the safeties playing cover 1 and cover 2 more than ever after their cover 3 looks were getting torched last season. This way the safeties are lining up has been pretty successful on 3rd and long, but they have been getting GASHED on 1st down in the run game making those opportunities few and far in between.
Now if mcclendon gets some playing time i would expect him to play a more traditional 0-tech, which has me very curious
Heyward needs to pick up where he left off last season, his play right now is a major detriment to the defense right now...if he picks it up everyone except cam thomas will probably look a little better (cam thomas excluded because hes that bad).
Jarvis Jones has been rock solid as a run defender, he sets the edge very effectively, they run away from him most of the time....because apparently once you get a hand on worilds he is out of the play.
Pressure on the QB is an issue from every player, and there are no exceptions. I would like to see them blitz mitchell and shazier a little bit more. Troy gets so much attention on blitzes it has rendered it completely useless
So things i would like to see:
1. Mccullers getting even a few first down reps (he can at least dictate the direction of the play a bit)
2. Blitzing from Mitchell and Shazier
3. Heyward just flat out playing better. Hes been getitng beat up and has still been one of our best dline...he needs to be better and be held accountable for his poor play so far, i thought he was going to enter this year being one of the best DEs in the league, he hasnt.
Edit: oh, and a little Shamarko would be nice. Ike and Gay are playing decent, Cortez is playing like **** (awesome right? Gilbert and Cortez playing like ****.....)



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