Budsdrinker

I don't think there is anything wrong with the scouting department. It's a big difference from college ball to NFL and majority of our picks had great college careers that haven't translated to great NFL beginnings. Ellis was good at USC, Jenkins was good at OSU. How does the scouting department know they will not succeed? Everybody on this board thought Glenn Dorsey was a future Hall of Famer, what has he done? No one knows how the transition from college to the NFL will affect players until after they are in the league. Can't blame that on the scouts. Anyone remember Brian Bosworth, the second coming of Dick Butkus? How did that work out. Look, we have rookies starting that were only suppose to be rotating in and out and vets trying to learn a new scheme. I know everyone is tired of hearing about new scheme but when you have been playing one way for 3 years then have to change to another way it takes time to trust it. You see a guy that runs across in front of you and your instinct wants you to follow him but the scheme says turn him loose to the next guy, it's hard to do when it's the first year you play that type of system. I do agree we need to see more Hicks and Gallette and Wilson but you also have to take in consideration their styles of play. They are speed guys and sometimes their speed can't take them out of position on running plays so that is why we only see them mostly on known passing situations. We will get better because quite frankly we can't get any worst but it will take time for our guys to trust the scheme and not react to what they see all the time.

xan

What happened to the option for LB's? If the LB's are always in inferior positions, and can't cover a tight end, then what good is a pass rush or DBs?

Danno

LOL! You're right. The 2nd worst unit on the entire team isn't even an option?

QB's are destroying us with short passes and crossing routes abusing our LB's and thats not even a freaking option?

This thread fails miserably.

pinch

Players who are not that great to begin with are now being forced to think; the outcome isn't optimal.

lumm0x

I went with scheme, but I feel the need to clarify why. I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with Spagnuolo's scheme as a concept. We know it can and has worked for him and he's built some great defensive units. But that word is the key...."built". He has not built ours, he inherited ours with the exception of a couple first year players and a couple free agents.

Scheme is the big difference, as under Williams we manufactured pressure using the blitz of guys like Vilma, Harper, CB's and just plain overloads. We also asked the coverage LB's and DB's to man up on personnel, hoping the rush forced the pass or got there before coverage broke down. Player's instincts were to stick with a man or run downhill to the QB. Now these same players are being asked to man a zone and avoid their instincts. Guys used to containing gaps or setting the edge to allow other pressure to get there are now being told to maintain gap integrity but to pull a magic array of pass rush moves to get there themselves because no help is coming to force QB's. We don't have elite talent on the DL. We have some good but not great pieces who flat out are not the answer to get there by themselves. Gregg Williams built his defense to be just that and now Spags is stuck with square pegs to fit in his round holes. In 3 years it very well may become an elite defense. For now it's a frustrating struggle to watch guys play a scheme they are unaccustomed to, cannot execute due to lack of experience or ability.

SmashMouth

Lack of talent for Spags' system...It will take a year or two ...

Shoe.

The article makes it sound like they're going to fire Spag after one season of poor production...

Really? Really?

I just feel like the guy deserves more of a chance to attract personnel that can play the scheme he runs.

We're asking him to make chicken salad out of chicken **** and then complaining that it doesn't taste good

mutineer10

Uh, all of those options, and probably a few more ...

Rugby Saint II

I feel that this has been a very informative thread. I appreciate the members that posted links for additional information.
We must get an impact DT whether through draft, trade or free agency. Our DE's are decent(even with Smith) but they are young and improving. If we could get some pressure up the middle everything else will eventually fall into place under Spags.
It may take another year to get this defense on track after we reevaluate our team. Shanle,Smith, Ellis and Bunkley are all over paid and need to be released so we can bring in one or two impact players.

Joker

Not enough talent = Bad Defense