SaintsBro

They have been improving slowly but steadily -- once we fans recognize that "it is what it is" and they are just plain UGLY statistically, you/I will all sleep better...

My only beef with the defense last night was the gimmick, fakes, trick plays that SF and Kapernick ran...if you have a fake, and one guy on your defense bites and responds to it...that's OK, it happens, he got psyched out. Fool me once, shame on you etc. Don't let it happen again, blah blah blah. But if you have WHOLE SECTIONS of the defense -- 4 and 5 guys or more -- who are biting on fakes and hauling ass in the wrong direction, totally away from the ball, and they do it to you again and again, well that is a problem. And to me, it's more of a coaching and preparation issue or flaw, than a talent or individual players' issue-- you have 4 or 5 guys biting on a fake and making the same mistake, how could the coaches not know that SF does that kind of gimmicky, trick play thing offensively, all the freaking time? That's my only thing.

Rugby Saint II

The defense was better. But they still couldn't get SF off the field. I am truly dissapointed.

Danno

And probably quite easily.

AllSaints

YES GO D ! ! ! ! !

FinSaint

The Saints' D outperformed their O in this game, and gave the team a chance to win the game - they allowed 17 points, which was only a FG more than the offense did.

Oh, and before that 9 minute drive, the D was able to stop the 49ers without them scoring and gave the ball back to Brees and the O with a chance for them to tie the game, but they weren't able to do that.

st thomas

100000000000 pct agree

Marlboro Man

I'll give them that they played a good game and I don't put this loss on the defense but dang man, after 11 games and they STILL CAN'T TACKLE??? It's really disgusting. Like I've said all year about what these players say, TALK IS CHEAP. Try stepping up and actually improve your tackling. Y'all have to realize too that what you're talking about is only 30 freaking yards less than 400 anyway so not that impressive.

FinSaint

The poor tackling is a concern, but that is something that you'll see watching any NFL game at the moment. I don't know if the new restrictions on practices had this affect on the game or whether something has changed in the way that tackling fundamentals are being taught to players at the junior and collegiate levels, but there's definitely been a decline in the level of tackling across the whole league, and that is very concerning from a fan's point of view.

As it pertains to the defense, the amount of yards they gave up wasn't ultimately great, but, on the other hand, the yardage doesn't matter in the end, but points do. The three biggest defensive stats in my opinion are 1) points given up; 2) turnovers; and 3) time of possession. All of those three were negatively impacted by the Saints offense this Sunday, which is why it's harder to really blame the defense for the loss or for the yardage given up. Also, the Saints' special teams played well and were able to produce a turnover which resulted in one of the TDs for the Saints offense - giving them a really short field to cash it in. If you calculate that fact in with the whole performance, the Saints' offense really had a fairly lackluster game against the 49ers.

The Saints' defense isn't great, far from it, but they've improved a lot from what they were, and if they keep improving - they might just become good enough to take on some of the pressure of winning a game off from the offense's shoulders in the coming weeks.

"I'm not bashing people, I'm bashing their opinions because in my opinion their opinion is wrong" - Danno

bobdog86

Those that can't tackle will more than likely be gone. I'm sure through the off season, each defensive player will be closely evaluated and heads will roll. I'm confident there will be a few of our D players playing in either Canada or the Arena league, or maybe Carolina. The first time I can say the defense wasn't the biggest disappointment Sunday, it was the Offense.

Crusader

I just realized that since Vilma got back the defence has improved and I have seen less and less of Shanle on the field...

I really liked Scott Shanle when he first signed with us and he is the type of player that brings his lunchbox every day and goes to work. Sadly he just isn't good enough anymore.