Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

overall, in week 1, the saints "d" played better than the Offense, that is something i am not accustomed to seeing, due to the stinky defenses of the past two years i was expecting the same thing this year, and in week 2, the defense played even better, and the offense clicked, so i think that Rick Venturi, is starting to do his job and give us a defense that can kick some booty, so the question is, will venturi keep doing his job like he is supposed to, or will we be looking for a new Def. Coordinator this upcoming offseason?

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

Going into week 3 of the 2003 season Saints defense ranks 9th.....I don`t think we could ask for much better. If our offense plays up to their potential, nobody should out score us.

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I agree.

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I believe that our 9th place statistical ranking is skewed by some factors that make us higher than we should be.....but I have to give credit when it\'s due. We are looking very good on third down plays, forcing the offense where we want them to have to beat us to pick up the down. We have gotten alot of production out of a banged up DL and I\'m really surprised by that. I think that has keyed the seeming transformation of our defense. I can\'t really say I think our LBers or secondary are much improved because they sure get a chance to look better playing behind a DL that generates consistent pressure.

I\'d love to see Venturi let them be more aggressive after the QB in blitzing but I will say I\'m surprised at how much better they look than I prredicted, so hat\'s off to Rick at this point.

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I think Venturi might be hangin around for a little while, i really dont think he will lose his job. at least not this year.

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I also think our defensive ranking is skewed. After last year it was apparant that the defense needed a major overhaul and more speed. I don\'t think it was possible to go out and get a probowl player to filll every area of need on the defense. I commend Haz and company for addressing the defensive line first. I think there are many teams in the NFL that have so-so secondarys that excel because the D-line consistanly gets pressure on the QB.

This defense is probably a year away from being dominite, but I think with the offense we have, that the new defense will give this team a realistic chance at going to the playoffs. Then anything can happen....




[Edited on 20/9/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

[Edited on 20/9/2003 by BillyCarpenter1]

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

No, it definitely isn\'t possible to field a Pro Bowler at every spot, although you can make guys look like them......(see Dexter Jackson) by having a great DL.

I do think the one thing we are missing on this defense is one bonafide superstar. That one player that everyone else can rally around their example. It\'s one thing to have vocal leadership, and that is very important. Darren Smith seems to be a good veteran leader the players can look to when things are tough. He\'s been around. But I think to truly be a great defense we will need one standout player. Who knows, maybe Charles Grant can be that guy. Every game I watch he gets better.

That was the whole reason I really wanted to see Spikes here. I agree that we probably didn\'t have a shot in hell of getting him, but that is the caliber of guy that this defense needs to go to upper level. As Madden 2004 would put it....\"a playmaker\".

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

i disagree lummox

look at the patriots defense the year they won the super bowl, they had a lot of solid guys but no \'playmaker\' as you put it, yet their defense was one of the best that year, granted they have belichick, but again if you look at baltimore last year they were solid on defense even without their \'playmaker\' lewis

i think the most important factor on defense is trust, a players trust in his teamates and their abilities on defense, i hope that with the majority of our defense being young and most having joined the team within the last 2 years that they feel a comradery and build that trust quickly

so far so good, i think the titans will be a good test as long as mcnair plays

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I\'ve been waiting on Charles Grant to emerge as a leader on this defense. I agree with you LummoOx that this team needs the elite player on defense, that his play on the field does his talking for him.

Willie Whitehead sure seems to bring some fire and emotion to this defense. Let\'s hope it continues against the Titans. Willie has always impressed me when he has been given a chance to play.

Is Rick Venturi Doing A Better Job With The Defense?
 

I wasn\'t saying you can\'t win without the standout superstar rusta, but to someone has to take it to the superstar level every game. Whether it\'s a combination of guys over the course of the year, or ne guy all year long.

As for the Pats in the bowl, Ty Law has always been, in my opinion a top 10 CB, and he was like a blanket in that game. I don\'t think any corner could have played better than he did that day. For Baltimore Chris McAllister was the same way all last year. He took one WR out of the game, and for a defensive coordinator, that makes the field alot smaller to defend. Having guys like Boulware, which forced alot of double teams, and rookie Ed Reed was big made them very solid. Sometimes a guy doesn\'t have to have Pro Bowl stats to make a Pro Bowl impact on the field. McAllister and Champ Bailey are good examples. The ball doesn\'t come that way, but they have great impact on the games.

And I agree that they need to be a cohesive unit. No one player will be the defense. I just see great value in a focal or rallying point that a defense centers around.