19 sacks in the last 4 games

[HomerJHawk]

19 in the last 4 games.
8 in the first 5 games.

Currently 4th place for total team sacks on the season.

Yeah, we're headed in the right direction. This is shaping up to be a fun year.

Go Hawks!!

 

[toffee]

19 in the last 4 games.
8 in the first 5 games.

Currently 4th place for total team sacks on the season.

Yeah, we're headed in the right direction. This is shaping up to be a fun year.

Go Hawks!!

AND AND AND we are doing it without big name marquee pass rushers. For fans of other teams, no one can name even one of our sack artists. Make no mistake, this is a team effort.

 

[renofox]

AND AND AND we are doing it without big name marquee pass rushers. For fans of other teams, no one can name even one of our sack artists. Make no mistake, this is a team effort.

AND AND AND we are doing it with very little blitzing. Can't remember where I saw it but some article said we were near bottom in blitzing AND near top in sacks last 3 weeks.

I didn't see much blitzing today, either.

 

[CallMeADawg]

AND AND AND we are doing it without big name marquee pass rushers. For fans of other teams, no one can name even one of our sack artists. Make no mistake, this is a team effort.

Nwosu is not a nobody. Loving his play but he was great at LA when he got the chance to play, he was just behind very good rushers that limited his play time and we swooped in and snagged him on a very good deal.

 

[Smellyman]

And doing it without Taylor the last two games

 

[fenderbender123]

And we are continuously improving. A few weeks ago we beat Arizona, but we were at home and they didn't have Hopkins. Well, we just went on the road and held their offense (with Hopkins) to 14 points. This defense is championship caliber.

Also, I didn't like that illegal contact call on the interception. It looked like the receiver ran into the db (don't remember who).

 

[HomerJHawk]

And this is how you play complementary football. D helps the O. O helps the D.

 

[toffee]

And this is how you play complementary football. D helps the O. O helps the D.

Indeed, we won the time of procession: 34:31 vs 25:29. Notice how Zona's defense couldn't stop the runs in the 4th? Our defense must enjoy resting on the sideline and warch the Zona defense huff and puff.

 

[renofox]

Indeed, we won the time of procession: 34:31 vs 25:29. Notice how Zona's defense couldn't stop the runs in the 4th? Our defense must enjoy resting on the sideline and warch the Zona defense huff and puff.

It's a nice change to see the shoe on the other foot.

One of many reasons the Defense is looking so good.

 

[toffee]

Nwosu is not a nobody. Loving his play but he was great at LA when he got the chance to play, he was just behind very good rushers that limited his play time and we swooped in and snagged him on a very good deal.

I never heard of him before we signed him, in fact, I googled him after the signing. I like to think he was unknown to most fans, but regardless of the past, he is making a name for himself. He is making history, and all 12s love him.

 

[renofox]

I never heard of him before we signed him, in fact, I googled him after the signing. I like to think he was unknown to most fans, but regardless of the past, he is making a name for himself. He is making history, and all 12s love him.

Same here.

 

[BASF]

And we are continuously improving. A few weeks ago we beat Arizona, but we were at home and they didn't have Hopkins. Well, we just went on the road and held their offense (with Hopkins) to 14 points. This defense is championship caliber.

Also, I didn't like that illegal contact call on the interception. It looked like the receiver ran into the db (don't remember who).

To be honest, the Cardinals have not had a winning record at home since 2017. That stadium is not a home field advantage for them.

 

[toffee]

It's a nice change to see the shoe on the other foot.

One of many reasons the Defense is looking so good.

Most players on the defense, I would guess, do not miss Russ.

 

[CallMeADawg]

I never heard of him before we signed him, in fact, I googled him after the signing. I like to think he was unknown to most fans, but regardless of the past, he is making a name for himself. He is making history, and all 12s love him.

He wasn't unknown because you didn't know him. He was a second round pick out of USC with a ton of upside. Just hard to get on the field for extended playing time with the Chargers rushers.

 

[BlueTalon]

Most players on the defense, I would guess, do not miss Russ.

I'm betting most players on the offense aren't missing him either.

 

[fenderbender123]

To be honest, the Cardinals have not had a winning record at home since 2017. That stadium is not a home field advantage for them.

It's more of an advantage for them than when they play in Seattle.

 

[Smellyman]

And we are continuously improving. A few weeks ago we beat Arizona, but we were at home and they didn't have Hopkins. Well, we just went on the road and held their offense (with Hopkins) to 14 points. This defense is championship caliber.

Also, I didn't like that illegal contact call on the interception. It looked like the receiver ran into the db (don't remember who).

and I believe it was after the throw, so is should be moot anyway

 

[Own The West]

And doing it without Taylor the last two games

Taylor wasn’t getting the job done. Glad to see Mafe/Irvin getting his snaps.

Another wrinkle today, we played more base and less nickel. Was that to help contain Murray or are the lights finally coming on for Barton?

 

[Smellyman]

Taylor wasn’t getting the job done. Glad to see Mafe/Irvin getting his snaps.

Another wrinkle today, we played more base and less nickel. Was that to help contain Murray or are the lights finally coming on for Barton?

True, but they started to mostly only use Taylor on passing downs and he was turning into a terror again. doing that was part of the turn around for the D as a whole. Taylor was abysmal at setting the edge and Irvin/Mafe are great at it.

 

[keasley45]

Love it all. Have to admit though that I feel bad for B Wags. Yes. I know it's a business. But man, if there's a guy who'd deserve to feel this resurgence after being the captain of defenses over the last several years that struggled to be on the margins, it's him.
KJ was already a year removed. Bobby had to live through the dumpster fire that was last year. And he jumped from one lost season, to another that is quickly shaping up to be a disaster for the Rams.

As to the Hawks, the thing that's great to see is how deep the playbook is. Over the first 3 wins, you could see them perfecting a few 'goto' plays. Since, the plays have come from deeper in the playbook and there have been variations on things they've done prior.

Shane also has a great feel for when to go back to the well when he anticipates certain looks / packages from the D - and Geno is getting really REALLY good at pulling up plays and audibles that are perfect for the looks he's seeing.

My two favorite plays - both big catches by Fant. The first one was a shallow cross out of a spread set, with Fant coming across the field from left to right. Geno hit him perfectly , near side, in stride, so that all he had to do was turn upfield. Man coverage - easy win for Fant against 95% of LBers in the league.

The 2nd had Fant looking like he was pulling to block across the backfield from left to right (obvious passing play out of a run set), and again Geno hit him as he came into the right flat and he turned it up field for a 50 plus yard gain. Again, man coverage- easy win.

Both plays will be soooo hard for defenses to defend because the guy is just so fast.

It's also really nice to see our OC and QB working together to actually BEAT defenses via scheme and line adjustments. That chess match and ability to make nuanced adjustments that exploit a defenses weaknesses series to series or play to play are things our O has never really had until now. Hass could do it but was way past his prime. TJack - just a try hard dude, but nit the heady player that Geno is. Russ... great football player, but nowhere near the cerebral dude that we have now.

6-3 on the way to #7. What was our win total last year???