Just want to throw my two cents in:
I agree we need better pass rush, but I'm not ready to say that Bruce Irvin is not the answer. We've seen 1 season of Bruce Bruce. Give the dude a shot.
Aldon Smith is the outlier when it comes to pass rusher development. It usually takes a pass rusher a year or two to develop. JPP recorded 4 sacks in his first season. Those 4 sacks came in 2 games. Today? He's that elite, unblockable type of pass rusher that you speak of.
Of bigger concern to me: interior pressure from a DT, and as Kearly mentioned in an earlier post, Red Bryant. I love big Red, but having him on the field means that the Hawks are essentially rushing 3 on any given down as he is NO threat for pass rush. IF we are going to move forward with this strategy, then we better be LOCK DOWN in the run game, and we were not. Not today, not for second half of the year. I think Red was playing hurt most of the year, so it's possible he could come back with a vengeance, and he deserves the opportunity - but I would like to see us explore the possibility of a more traditional 4-3 front 4, while retaining the LEO.
