Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Opening Statement: “I’m obviously very disappointed in the way we played. It was a challenging game. We knew that going in. It’s not an offense that you anticipate shutting down, but we needed to slow it down and we didn’t do it. There were a couple of good moments there, but they were few and far between. We’re all responsible and accountable for it. It all starts with me. We’ve been working on that all day long. We approached it a certain way, because we knew the quarterback we were playing and this is one of the top passing teams in the league. They shifted gears a little bit with the two tight ends and two wideouts, so we were adjusting on the sidelines. I certainly could have done a better job at that. When all was said and done, we did not play well enough to win.”


Is it more frustrating when you try to combat a scheme that changes rather than missed tackling?

“There are a bunch of fundamental things there that we need to get better at and I know that the players, because I know that the group will take accountability for certain things, but I want to make sure I take my share of accountability. I think we all do that. But it all has to come together somehow, someway. Everybody basically has to do their job and do it better for us to get there and get better.”

Was Denver’s rushing total partially a function of you being worried about their passing attack?

“I’ll be honest with you. Early on, it was. There were some six and seven-yard runs that would typically and normally be three or four-yard runs, but what Peyton (Manning) was really good about at was seam routes, right down the seams. We were determined to take those away and we basically did for most of the game, but in doing that, you pull a guy out of the run game, it makes it more challenging. We knew there was going to be a little bit of what we call leaky yardage, but we were willing to give that up to take away his big throwing ability, but where we failed is that he had some big throws there. You can’t decide to take that stuff away and have it happen anyway. Now you’re fighting two battles, the run and the pass. I don’t know how much we would have done differently. One thing about playing a team coming out of the bye week, they can always change and they did a little bit. I was surprised to see when I looked at the halftime stats that there were 20 runs and 16 passes. They typically throw the ball more than that. They approached it a certain way and we had to adjust.”


Overall, how do you feel the in-game communication of your defense is going, especially between the secondary?

“That wasn’t a real big issue with each other. We had one where we called a coverage and should have been something different. We were off on one thing, because the secondary wasn’t on the same page with the linebackers, just one time. It didn’t kill us. But that really hasn’t (happened). I can’t say that that’s been a big issue. There’s going to be a few of those in every game. Teams that are undefeated will tell you the same thing. Sometimes that gets covered up when someone makes a great play somewhere. But, I don’t think that’s a big issue.”

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Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

It's good you believe in them spags, because we don't believe in you or the players

Don't say all this "it was a challenging game BS, just own up to it and say we looked like total crap"

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

I didn't even read this. What else is he going to say " that this unit is the worst Athletes he has even been around." Come on

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

This is a lot like the QB coach for the Jets saying Tebow has good mechanics... I understand you are trying to sell an idea but it really erodes your credibility.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

I could be wrong, but it seems like you mention Tebow a lot when it doesn't even pertain to the topic. Are you a Tebowphobe?

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

At some point you have to stop apologizing for the problem and actually fix it. We know you're responsible. Enough with that. Fix it.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

I may have missed it, but did anyone mention that maybe he believes in the guys, but the question that begs to be asked is if the guys believe in him?

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

That's great to hear, Spags. And I believe I can fly.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

How can u fix something without having the talent to fix it?

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

You don't "fix" a defense this bad, but you can make it at least competitive. We couldn't have won 13 games last year with this defense. The thing is we have the same players, plus Lofton, Hawthorne and Bunkley (I realize Hawthorne has been out), and have still somehow transformed into the worst defense in NFL history through 7 games. That doesn't speak well for anyone, players or coaches.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

We are so screwed on defense

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

This D was bad last year too. This is why GW blitz almost every damn play because we can't cover or get pressure on the QB. Spags need to stop believing in the D so much and start doing what GW did cause playing a traditional D isn't something this team can do.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

That was my point, guy. I know they weren't good last year, but they were at least competitive enough to compliment the offense. That's why Spagnuolo has to shoulder a lot of blame, along with the players, for not recognizing that his scheme just isn't going to work right now. And now the offense is failing right along with them.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

I'm glad he believes in them... because besides may 3-4 I think they're all trash.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Sounds like he's part of the problem after all.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Throw them under the bus Spags. They aren't executing your plan, whether it's through missed communication or missed tackles.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Isn't this the same guy who said he has never experienced a defense this bad and therefore isn’t quite sure where to start fixing it?

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

If you read the actual interview, what he said, and not the headline of the other article that puts words in his mouth and paraphrases from the same interview, you'll see that he never said either of those things. He said that usually his defenses play pretty good, and he wasn't used to it (ie losing or being blown out), not that he'd never experienced a defense this bad before. He didn't say he doesn't know how to fix it, he said he can't put his finger on figuring it out NOW, less than 24 hours after the game and the flight back.

It's the same exact interview and the same quote, with a different headline.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

We have to make a decision. Throw the scheme plan in the toilet and just return to being a blitzing team to generate pressure and hope that alleviates the exposure of our coverage and tackling deficiencies. Option 2, hold fast to the the new scheme and just die slowly for the remainder of the year until he can blow up our personnel and start drafting and bidding in FA on scheme matching players. We have too many square pegs for too many round holes to do what he wants to do right now.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

LOL that's it exactly, they need to do like in Apollo 13 and just dump a box of spare parts and crap on the table and cobble something together, have Joe Vitt and Spags and the coaches spend a weekend cooped up in a room, figuring out how to fix the damn thing and radio the instructions up to the players to get this bird home.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Well....that's one of us. LOL

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

so are you guys ready for a 3-4... Its time to move on from the 4-3

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

Run Sapg's scheme. Determine which players he can work with and which he can't.

Re: Steve Spagnuolo: "I Believe in These Guys"
 

I agree start working on next years defense now. You really cant get any worse than the Front runners for the worst defense ever in NFL history.

Really, think about that. There is no excuse to have the worse defense in NFL history, unless your worst coaches and players. I mean, worst in the league is something else , but History?!!! LOL.

Thats hilarious. I truely believe Sean would have looked at sprags in the 2nd half pulled out a gun and shot him.