My take on the defense
 

Grady Jackson- Grady had 5.5 sacks last year and that's good for a defensive tackle, especially for his size. This year he will play along side either Sullivan or Kenny Smith, which will open things up even more for him. He will be a force for us both rushing the passer and stopping the run this year.

Kenny Smith- This is where I stick my neck out here. I think Smith has a chance to go to the Probowl this year. He's a bigger version of Le Roi Glover. Look for big things out of him this year. Haslett likes this guy and with good reason.

Johnathan Sullivan: This guy wasn't picked 6th overall for nothing. This position is about speed and power more than anything else, which he has plenty of both. He will make an impact this year.

We only need two of these guys to step up and I think all 3 can and will. What the Panthers did last year was not magic. They brought in fast and talented players on defense. That's exactly what the Saints have done.

You put these guys on the line with Grant on one side and Howard on the other and you've got all the makings for a top 5 defense.

You put Dale Carter, Mel Mitchell, Tebucky Jones, Ashley Ambrose, behind them and you get a lot of passes picked off from Qb's hurring their throws.

Bring on the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers. They are in for a rude awakening. Plus we have one of the best offenses and special teams in the league. This is the year......

My take on the defense
 

In case you missed my reply in the Mel Mitchell post...
[Edited on 29/7/2003 by tweeky]

My take on the defense
 

I need more tweeky. I need more. I know the defense is going to be better. I say top 5. What do you say. I need more. :mad:

My take on the defense
 

OK Billy, you asked for it...

Howard / Grant - Good last year, should be better this year- UPGRADE

DT- UPGRADE
Last Year- Hand/Jackson/Marin
This Year-Sullivan/Ford/Smith/Martin, Deeper, stronger and faster than last year.
Kenny Smith, now built like a DT and as fast as a DE.You\'re right, he may be pro-bowl quality.
Worst case- Ford and Jackson will still be better than last years Hand and Jackson.

LB: UPGRADE
Last year: I forget, their names were never called out while I was watching
Dropped Clemmons, added Ruff, Rogers, Grant, and Allen is coming on as most 2nd year LB\'s do.
MAJOR upgrade from last years staff. It ain\'t the dome patrol, but its better than average and a whole lot better than last year.

CB: UPGRADE
Last year, do I need to remind you of the 14 CB\'s we shuffled in and out due to injuries?
This Year :
Carter: Clean & Sober with a full camp, will better than anything we had last year
Thomas: Underrated overachiever. Was only consistent performer we had last year, should continue with stellar play
Ambrose: Experienced player who went from an A player to a B player. Not bad as your 3rd CB.
Craver: Will step up and become a solid NFL CB.

This group is better simply because they are all healthy at this point, and deeper than last year. Our DL improvements will also make this unit one of the best in the league (Yes, remember I said it 1st)

Safety\'s:UPGRADE
OUT: Knight, Bellamy
IN: Mitchell, Jones
Bigger, stronger, and MUCH MUCH faster...
Going across the middle will now result in some major concussions.
I only hope they don\'t kill somebody.

Depth: Who can argue we\'re not a deeper defense now. Many of our starters last year are now our back-ups.

My take on the defense
 

Very good tweeeky and I agree with all of it.

My take on the defense
 

I\'m surprised nobody took me to task...
I know for a fact several of you vehemently disagree... Bone Up Dudes!

I guess we\'re both spot on Billy...

But its like watching Rocky get fat! The eye of the tiger??? I\'m disappointed!

[Edited on 29/7/2003 by tweeky]

My take on the defense
 

Tweeky I\'m gonna put the neck on the block here too and say that our improved secondary will allow Howard & Grant to each get 10+ sacks this year by granting a couple of coverage sacks.

That\'s right....my money\'s on both ends to post double digits.

Just in case anyone doesn\'t feel this is a signifigant prediction....only one NFL team did it last year, to have two ends do this.

[Edited on 29/7/2003 by lumm0x]

My take on the defense
 

If we aren\'t a top 10 defense by years end, I\'ll dance around in my jock!

OK, I may do that anyway, but thats a different story.

My take on the defense
 

I\'ll fess up, I was one of the one\'s screaming bloody murder when they took Sullivan over Trufant, and I still am not completely convinced that we are rock solid. If everything goes right, then we have no worries at this position. But alot can happen over a 17 week stretchThe only CB we have that I\'m 100% on is Fred Thomas, and that\'s because, if he can play with a club for an arm, he can play through anything. Regardless of what name you throw out there, there are issues.
Dale Carter- injuries; one failed piss test and kiss his ass goodbye
Ashley Ambrose- past his prime
Keyou Craver- I\'ll take coach\'s assesments from camp with a grain of salt, especially after all the sly talk he did at the draft; the kid is young and unproven, as far as a starting CB is concerned. He showed signs last year, but didn\'t have alot of playing time.

My take on the defense
 

I made a comment a while back that Venturi didn\'t have enough talent on defense last year to be successful. Now that he aparantly has talent is everyone still Venturi hatin\' ?

Who doesn\'t think Venturi can do it this year?

My take on the defense
 

Billy, I think we are close to assembling a defense thats Venturi-proof.
One more draft and free agent season (CB,MLB,OLB) and we\'re as loaded as a Bourbon Street Ho.

My take on the defense
 

Agreed, except there is definite unknowns and alot of finger crossing positions on our defense. Guys like Hodge, Ruff, Allen, Mitchell, Sullivan, Jackson, Smith...there are alot of hopes and few knowns to be found in this batch. We need a good chunk of these to pan out and minimize the exploitable areas of this defense or we better hope that the athletic ability of this squad can overcome Venturi\'s inability to make adjustments and hide the weaknesses. I like hearing that he is keeping it simple and letting his players make plays.

My take on the defense
 

lummox,
our defense is close to being solid except for a few finger crossings?????
dude you named half the starting defense!!!!
i\'m as hopeful as anyone that our defense will be better, hell anything is better than last year, BUT top 10? i think that is way more than a stretch, a move to the middle maybe but top 10? hell no

i hope i eat those words but i doubt it, besides with our offense we only need to improve to middle of the league

My take on the defense
 

The part I was agreeing with and should have specified was:
By this I was arguing that we have potential for a very good defense, but in a realistic perspective....decent.

[Edited on 30/7/2003 by lumm0x]

My take on the defense
 

Realistically...
The difference between our 27th ranked defense and the top 10 was about 50 yards per game, or roughly one less possession for our opponents. Its quite possible to go from bottom 1/3 to top 1/3 in one season. Especially for a young, speedy atheletic team that improved EVERY weakness from the previous year.

I see a top ten finish, easy. Especially if Brooks decision making improves and we play more ball control with Deuce and the TE\'s. All very likely!

My take on the defense
 

Some of you guys are going to make me go dig up some old threads, where you were bashing me for defending Venturi. Iti\'s OK though, I\'m just happy that the defense is sounding promising. Myself and Venturi forgives you. :P

My take on the defense
 

I can\'t let up on that guy. If anyone can screw it up .....he\'s our man.

My take on the defense
 

This defese has so much potential that it\'s down right scary really. This isn\'t like 15 years ago, where camp was the only time to work on a new defense, Mini-camps and off season perparation allows a defense to be learned much quicker.

Does no one remember my post where an incrediable amout of defense that finished near the bottom moved up to the top in one year. This is not magic. This is new talent that was brought in. Just like we did.

Top 10. Write it down. Book it.