The Defense - Again, the Defense :(

[Carolina_Packer]

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/p...defense-092914

What do you make of McCarthy's quotes from this article? Obviously, he's not going throw people under the bus in the media. He can't totally deny it and say it's great, but he also can't be too brutally honest either. I hope he's right that what they are seeing is correctable. Why is it so hard to get this thing right? I wonder if they will sell out a bit more to stop the run against MN. Hopefully they will force Ponder to throw on Thursday.

[Fritz]

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/p...defense-092914

What do you make of McCarthy's quotes from this article? Obviously, he's not going throw people under the bus in the media. He can't totally deny it and say it's great, but he also can't be too brutally honest either. I hope he's right that what they are seeing is correctable. Why is it so hard to get this thing right? I wonder if they will sell out a bit more to stop the run against MN. Hopefully they will force Ponder to throw on Thursday.

This gets to something I've been pondering lately: first, why do MM's teams start out so slowly, and secondly, what's up with - for, I think, the third week in a row - MM saying that the defense was surprised at some of the stuff other teams threw at them.

First, why the slow starts? I don't read much from other coaches saying that it's okay, it's still early, we're ironing out the bugs (which is the sense I get from MM). I remember hearing interviews with Joe Gibbs when I lived in Maryland, and he always, always emphasized the importance of winning the first game. I know it's a marathon and all, but it's as if MM expects his team to not really have their shit together in the first quarter of the season. I'm sure he wants to win, but does he see the beginning of the season as part of the development of the team, more than other coaches do?

Secondly, what does it say that MM seems to have been surprised at the stuff other offenses are throwing at them? He said this after the Seattle game, and he said it again after the Bear game. Unscouted looks, tried some things we haven't seen - I really don't hear much from other coaches along this line. WTF is going on with this?

[denverYooper]

This gets to something I've been pondering lately: first, why do MM's teams start out so slowly, and secondly, what's up with - for, I think, the third week in a row - MM saying that the defense was surprised at some of the stuff other teams threw at them.

First, why the slow starts? I don't read much from other coaches saying that it's okay, it's still early, we're ironing out the bugs (which is the sense I get from MM). I remember hearing interviews with Joe Gibbs when I lived in Maryland, and he always, always emphasized the importance of winning the first game. I know it's a marathon and all, but it's as if MM expects his team to not really have their shit together in the first quarter of the season. I'm sure he wants to win, but does he see the beginning of the season as part of the development of the team, more than other coaches do?

Secondly, what does it say that MM seems to have been surprised at the stuff other offenses are throwing at them? He said this after the Seattle game, and he said it again after the Bear game. Unscouted looks, tried some things we haven't seen - I really don't hear much from other coaches along this line. WTF is going on with this?

Other coaches have to resort to trickery. The Packers just line up and beat you (or 2 teams, anyhow...).

[Fritz]

Other coaches have to resort to trickery. The Packers just line up and beat you (or 2 teams, anyhow...).

We wish. I'm just surprised that MM and Capers can be so apparently easily surprised by what other teams have concocted.

And I'm surprised at what appears to be a somewhat lacksadaisical attitude toward the importance of the early games. It's like the first four games are MM's science lab.

[Carolina_Packer]

We wish. I'm just surprised that MM and Capers can be so apparently easily surprised by what other teams have concocted.

And I'm surprised at what appears to be a somewhat lacksadaisical attitude toward the importance of the early games. It's like the first four games are MM's science lab.

Unless MM is just saying that about being surprised to cover for how lousy the gap discipline was. PB mentioned that players were swarming to the ball, right out of their gap responsibility!

Is this too simplistic to ask, why doesn't the defense take more time to diagnose what the other team is trying to do (containing) instead of seemingly attacking on every play and (often) flying out of position?

This 1. Diagnose 2. Briefly Wait 3. React instead of this 1. Attack 2. Say "Oh Shit!" 3. Turn and Chase

[Guiness]

Unless MM is just saying that about being surprised to cover for how lousy the gap discipline was. PB mentioned that players were swarming to the ball, right out of their gap responsibility!

Is this too simplistic to ask, why doesn't the defense take more time to diagnose what the other team is trying to do (containing) instead of seemingly attacking on every play and (often) flying out of position?

This 1. Diagnose 2. Briefly Wait 3. React instead of this 1. Attack 2. Say "Oh Shit!" 3. Turn and Chase

Which one does 4. Profit! go after?

[Fritz]

Unless MM is just saying that about being surprised to cover for how lousy the gap discipline was. PB mentioned that players were swarming to the ball, right out of their gap responsibility!

Is this too simplistic to ask, why doesn't the defense take more time to diagnose what the other team is trying to do (containing) instead of seemingly attacking on every play and (often) flying out of position?

This 1. Diagnose 2. Briefly Wait 3. React instead of this 1. Attack 2. Say "Oh Shit!" 3. Turn and Chase

I don't want this post to appear to be attacking you - because it's not - but for years one of our complaints with this defense (and I was one of the ones complaining) was that it was too static, too read-and-react. After Kaepernick torched the Pack in the playoffs a couple years ago, the defense seemed to go even more toward this "hold your gap" mentality to try to contain. One of the problems three years ago, I think, was Raji not doing this and penetrating a lot against Minny, allowing Peterson to run wild. We also complained (myself included) that all this work to not have any holes in the pocket for QB's to run through meant nice clean pockets for the passer.

So MM has changed it up - more penetrating, more shooting gaps. And now this shit it happening.

I don't know what the hell to think any more. I couldn't stand that contain stuff the way it was run, because it seemed to mean that opposing QB's had all day to throw. Now Capers is getting pressure with only four, but apparently at the expense of allowing running backs gaps as wide as a porn star's.

I'm frustrated, frustrated, frustrated by this defense. I hope to goodness Capers is gone after this season. In the meantime, are we once again falling back on "it's the fundamentals"? Can't our staff teach them as well as other staffs that are not alllowing 170+ running yards per game?