I think there’s reason on both sides. Those jumping to defend PC and JS need to remember that somehow these guys built the worst run defense i have ever seen- college or Pro. It was insane to watch CMC rip 8 yards a carry minimum relentlessly when the entire hallmark of a PC defense is stopping the run. When you go back through the last decade the only games that gave us true fits were the ones where short yardage running plays were too easy. This strained the secondary too much and opened up short yardage passing, which strained the entire defense too much and opened up big plays. A vintage PC team stopped the run first and foremost, which forced slightly deeper routes across the board playing into the hands of rangy, opportunistic corners.
While i think the OP is taking away a bit too much of the legacy of the duo, i think there is a point to be made. If you wanna rant about the spoon pick, ok, an average GM would have taken Carter and quite honestly probably filled a bigger hole. All in all their cardinal sin imo was allowing the LB corps to get so weak. Going all in on brooks was fine but when he went down several times we crumbled like a cookie.