DEFENSR
 

I've been saying all the long Charlie Clemons is not the answer in the middle. With a d/line like ours we need a Ray Lewis or Urlacher type in the middle. Clemons is constantly out of position and he is not a point of attack type linebacker. :mad2: And because our linebackers are so week it really exposes our equally as week corners. Does anybody know the latest on Dale Carter :question: . I can see in the draft 2 our of the 1st 3 picks will be defense(barring what Ricky does). Good thing we have a bye week so Grady Jackson who is a monster in the middle can heal. Hand definitly has to pick up the pace, he has to do a lot better than he has been. My suggestion is to bench Clemons move DSmith to the middle and start James Allen you will see a differance. DSmith was the man in the middle during our division champion season.

DEFENSR
 

As far as Dale Carter is concerned ESPN.GO.COM says the Saints think Carter will be back after the bye week. Darren Smith isnt the awnser in the middle either. The Saints will have to go out and get a linebacker in free agency or the draft. I hear they are about to give him a long term extension, so dont look for him to go anywhere.

DEFENSR
 

If all you want to do is plug the middle, you have one of the best to ever play the game on your roster already. Brian Cox is a stud in the middle. His problem is pass routes, he\'s just too slow to cover anymore. Don\'t think he won\'t hit you. Lest we forget just ask McAfee, remember during training camp,Cox hit Fred so hard he didn\'t know who he was. Put Cox in the middle, Clemons on the outside to play his best in blitz packages. Then you have Darren or Hodge on the other. Now how does that sound? You\'ve given you d-line help in the middle and a strong pass rush from the ends. Let a saftey cover the middle short routes. What a great plan, I think i\'ll do it. LOL :)

I am KING of DEFENSE! Praise me Dammit! LOL

[Edited on 29/10/2002 by JOESAM2002]

DEFENSR
 

I would like to see how Clemons plays with a decent secondary behind him. Venturi is known for developing schemes to compensate for weaknesses. I think the scheme requires to much of Charlie. It looks like he has to think about coverage to much and that keeps him out of position. Who knows. Maybe if we get Dale back things will change. If not we might have a long second half. Every team we face is sure to go after the corner opposite Fred Thomas. After that it\'s tight ends across the middle to get Clemons playing off, follwed by up the gut rushing. I think it all starts with our secondary. Fix that and we should do well. If everything stays the same Venturi has his work cut out for him.

DEFENSR
 

That sounds good Gatorman, until we get to the playoffs. Then it will get tough. Plus with the exception of the Atlanta game we are not losing on the groud. We are losing through the air. Even Atlanta kept getting third down conversion via the pass. After a while this opened up the running game. Also the high rushing stats Atlanta put up had a lot to do with Vick, who (IMHO) is more of a option halfback who can throw than and quarterback. If you take away the pass our D-line and Linebackers will do well against the rush.

[Edited on 29/10/2002 by SaintStoneyMount]

DEFENSR
 

Ok guys, what do we do? Fred Thomas is the only cover corner we have. Hawthorn, healty or not I don\'t think is the answer.Irvin is a better nickel back, but not a starting cb. Carter? who knows if or when he\'ll ever be back. I think there is an answer on the roster right now, at least i hope there is, might have to make changes in the coverages inside along with personnel changes to get the job done.One things for sure to me though, we have the 2 best safties in the league i think. These guys can\'t do it all but they sure try. Keeping the Heavy Lunch Bunch healthy will help. The bye week couldn\'t have come at a better time.
GO SAINTS :)

[Edited on 30/10/2002 by JOESAM2002]