73Saint

You make a good point. I was mentioning this very thing to a friend Sunday right before the game. The plus/minus piece is huge, and we have to figure out a way to stop the "Missed Opportunities". Right off the bat, P-Rob makes a nice stab for a pick...and that's great. But then, later in the game, Shanle drops one right in the friggin bread basket, and a few plays later Carolina scores...and that sucks!

We have to try and minimize the missed opps, and take advantage of them when they come our way.

AlaskaSaints

That name keeps popping up...

Shanle.

Picture Jerry Seinfeld uttering his name in the manner of "Newman"!

But he's Benson's cousin's son, so...

Alaska

Euphoria

Yes it is VERY much his fault. You can scheme and plan all you want but unless you instill the very basics of playing Defense then it is all for NOT.

One would think that once you got to the pro level you'll be well verse in all your fundamentals but it isn't true, you have to continue to develop and hone your skills.

Belair57

I mean cmon...Prob didnt "Pick" that off...it was a gift , wrapped with a bow on it. Jason David could have picked that off. thats like saying Shanle ran someone down because hes sooo fast. Not knockin prob, becuase hes going to be good...but are we all forgeting how A. Rodgers TORCHED him, play after play after play after play after play, and the rest of our D....hes not all of a sudden a great player. neither are the Shanles of our D, when we play elite teams,this defense will struggle just like it did on opening night.

I really had high hopes for our D this offseason with all the moves, maybe thats why Im so bitter right now. I see the problem as being pretty simple. WE CANT GET PRESSURE WITHOUT THE BLITZ, so good teams will spread us out so we cant blitz. I mean look what the Jags tried to do.. they opened the game spreading us out, they just happen to suck so it wasnt all that productive.

someone please tell me why Shaun Rogers hasnt been what I thought he would be? I dont get it.

BIGEASY504

Benson's cousin's son WOW!!!!! if true that explains why we can't cut/trade or throw him away!!!!!1

strato

I tend to agree..but we did get pressure..the game comes on again tonight Im gonna watch it again...from what i saw the problem was we were playing a mobile QB and he would slide over or just flat out scramble...

I think our LBs need to contain the oustside just as much as we need to pressure the QB...im still wondering why we haven't tried using Junior G as a stand up OLB in a 3-4 set..we have Casillas who could help on one side and slide Dunbar and Vilma to the middle ..that gets Shanle off the field..I know Casillas is small ...but Harper might can help on run plays..I dunno..we just don't have the talent to do a lot of things we need to do...we need to get two stud LBs in the draft or free agency next in the worst kinda of way..

JMHO

papz

I'd like to disagree with this also. There's plenty of talent on that front 7 and in our secondary. We just aren't performing. Both coaching and players are to blame... there's plenty to go around. It's a team effort.

darstep

I agree. I think we have good talent, just not getting what we need from them.
I could probably count Jordan-Franklin-Rogers-Ellis total tackles in 5 games on my fingers.
If not, I would be pretty close.

saintfan

I don't know if it's GW's fault that we can't tackle, but it certainly is his responsibility.

Nobody has been harder on the "D" than me, and like everybody else I am hopeful that it will improve as the season goes along.

I mean, you know, it better improve, otherwise teams will run the option on us to the tune of 27+ points a game...

homerj07

More Ints & more FRs would mean better numbers across the board!!