Defense #1 Priority on Off-Season

Sando's latest blog entry that underlines the need to address defense in the off-season. No need to elaborate as the blog post explains it succinctly.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/ ... ms-worries

You don't need much IMO other than much the same problem that's plagued the Skins this year...lack of a top notch pass rusher that demands double teams.

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

DE, OL and WR are the biggest needs

Late game collapses by the defense in my opinion points directly to the lack of a consistent pass rush. With a backup QB in the game, the Seahawks blitzed with great effectiveness against the Redskins. However, you cannot rely on blitzing throughout a game to generate a pass rush (especially against the top-tier QB's). As much as I would love to see a game changer at WR, the current group is more than adequate when the play-calling actually allows RW to throw the ball. Interior pressure seems to be the most lacking, so I would make DT the number one priority, followed by DE, OL and then WR. You have to dominate in the trenches.

pass rush??? didn't we try to address that with Bruce Irvin?
or just need to get someone as a substitute for Clemons? I think he will be healthy and good to go next year.

my vote would be to get more beef upfront to stop the run, since we are going to play elite 49ers O-Line 3 times next year .

Another thing I noticed about your line...Red Bryant and Alan Branch don't collapse the pocket as well as guys their size should. Maybe bring in some more beef to rotate in at DT.

Without breaking down game tape, I believe most of the issues stopping the run have been off-tackle or outside runs (besides the "scheme" issues in the first 49ers game, which was a LB issue). In my opinion, the line in general is not dominate. The line does not collapse the pocket consistently and in many cases, the ends are being sealed to allow RB's to break outside runs. Improved line play across the board will allow LB's to fill the gaps and make plays in the backfield on runs or drop in coverage if better pressure is created with a 4-man rush.

RiggoReincarnated":o3idxyhh said:

You don't need much IMO other than much the same problem that's plagued the Skins this year...lack of a top notch pass rusher that demands double teams.

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

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Elite? All these guys are pros.. You cant give ANY qb time. We made Bradford look like Brady.

RiggoReincarnated":3w2t9pnt said:

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

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Actually, every good QB we faced this year had to get their yards in the middle of the field, attacking the linebackers, to regularly march down it. Go re-watch the Packers, Patriots, Lions, etc. games against us this year on NFL Game Rewind, if you want. Very little given up outside the numbers against some very good QBs.

Bipolar":3aw6pmje said:

pass rush??? didn't we try to address that with Bruce Irvin?

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Honestly I don't think it was enough.

Now with the Clemons injury, in combination with his age? Can he be counted on to return to full strength? And we also need pass rush from the inside, badly.

I'd be ok drafting 2 pass rushing d-lineman in April.

Just draft pass rushers 1-10 in the draft, bound to hit on one.

RolandDeschain":2ls6s8cw said:

RiggoReincarnated":2ls6s8cw said:

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

Click to expand...

Actually, every good QB we faced this year had to get their yards in the middle of the field, attacking the linebackers, to regularly march down it. Go re-watch the Packers, Patriots, Lions, etc. games against us this year on NFL Game Rewind, if you want. Very little given up outside the numbers against some very good QBs.

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Sherman was owned yesterday.

RiggoReincarnated":tm27nl5w said:

Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Someone didn't watch the game

RiggoReincarnated":29ra0osl said:

RolandDeschain":29ra0osl said:

RiggoReincarnated":29ra0osl said:

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

Click to expand...

Actually, every good QB we faced this year had to get their yards in the middle of the field, attacking the linebackers, to regularly march down it. Go re-watch the Packers, Patriots, Lions, etc. games against us this year on NFL Game Rewind, if you want. Very little given up outside the numbers against some very good QBs.

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Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Not fair to put it that way. With our pathetic pass rush, quality WRs like White and Julio are going to get open eventually, even if Revis was covering them. Eventually, they find a way to get open. I agree that Sherm did not have his best game, but he was doing his best under the circumstances and making some plays

Missing_Clink":2plmxmmz said:

RiggoReincarnated":2plmxmmz said:

Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Not fair to put it that way. With our pathetic pass rush, quality WRs like White and Julio are going to get open eventually, even if Revis was covering them. Eventually, they find a way to get open. I agree that Sherm did not have his best game, but he was doing his best under the circumstances and making some plays

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Sherm was fantasic yesterday. Other then him tripping and falling down resulting in a Roddy White TD, what did he do wrong during the game?

RiggoReincarnated":1z4lbygh said:

RolandDeschain":1z4lbygh said:

RiggoReincarnated":1z4lbygh said:

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

Click to expand...

Actually, every good QB we faced this year had to get their yards in the middle of the field, attacking the linebackers, to regularly march down it. Go re-watch the Packers, Patriots, Lions, etc. games against us this year on NFL Game Rewind, if you want. Very little given up outside the numbers against some very good QBs.

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Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Really? Wha? How? :roll:

How many passes did he bat down? He was a monster in that game, I saw multiple tweets from national media talking heads praising him, during and after the game.

He was dominate for most of the game.

The 1 TD he did give up, the receiver was celebrating and getting in his face. That's just how good he is, receivers actually celebrate beating him.... it's so uncommon, it's actually a big deal. How often do you see that?

Most of the problem with our pass rush, I believe comes from the interior. Too many times I see Irvin and Clemons curling the outside not allowing the QB to scramble. Instead, they step up and beat us because we don't have anyone pushing up the interior to force them into our DE's. Or they stand in the pocket and beat us. They don't make those throws down the middle if they have someone from up the middle getting to them. It hurt us when Jones went down in my opinion. Even though he didn't have a stellar season he still provided enough push to clog up the middle, this stopped after he went down.

On Sherman...If making one mistake as a corner is getting owned, I'll take that all day. Corner is by far the most demanding position on defense as you are running backwards, watching the QB, trying to anticipate a route and then making a play on the ball. Sherman was lights out.

Hawkfan77":3th0sj1f said:

RiggoReincarnated":3th0sj1f said:

Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Someone didn't watch the game

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if being owned means giving up two catches out of 6 targets then ya i guess he did.?????/

think you might be a little confused as to what being owned means.. other than a few big plays, your elite recievers did nothing yesterday.. Gonzalez is what killed us...

RiggoReincarnated":1p4zmjdd said:

RolandDeschain":1p4zmjdd said:

RiggoReincarnated":1p4zmjdd said:

Elite QBs will pick apart any secondary, even yours, if given the time.

Click to expand...

Actually, every good QB we faced this year had to get their yards in the middle of the field, attacking the linebackers, to regularly march down it. Go re-watch the Packers, Patriots, Lions, etc. games against us this year on NFL Game Rewind, if you want. Very little given up outside the numbers against some very good QBs.

Click to expand...

Sherman was owned yesterday.

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Trolling isnt your strong suit.

Seaswab":1jymrd7w said:

Just draft pass rushers 1-10 in the draft, bound to hit on one.

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Draft 10 defensive linemen and acquire 3 more from Free Agency.