Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

How did we win 13 games in 2011 with less talent than we have now?

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

I don't see regression. Injuries are stifling the defensive development & that is a concern.

10-6 very doable
12-4 possible but unlikely.

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

Like it's been said, we're gonna lose the "gimme's" and win the ones folks say we can't/won't win. Hate predicting a record, but we'll win more than we lose. The D will get shredded the first half of the year, but the O will be clicking. Special Teams will be the downfall in losing a "gimme" game and at least one division game (Thank you, Greg McMahon, you twerp). Pretty optimistic overall, but as long as McMahon remains the Chief Idiot in Charge of ST, we will not be as good as we could be.

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

There were a heck of a lot of smoke and mirrors with that '09 defense. Just sayin'. A lot of flames and turning cranks behind the curtains, off camera Wizard of Oz type stuff was going on. Even the whole bounty talk was kind of phony and fake, from the get-go. People were skeered of us, skeered of that defense, but other than Sharper, was it really that skeery? And that defense got us to 13-3. The later ones were even worse.

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

Totally different year, team, coordinator, schedule, etc etc. Anything could happen but I doubt it. We dont have much more talent on D anyway.

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

What are you smoking?

We have loads more talent than we had then; Hicks, Jordan is getting closer to his peak potential, Jenkins, Vaccaro, Lewis, Lofton, Hawthorne, Humber, and that's just right off the top of my head

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

Yet 2012 isn't?

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

My deciding factor in each game is who has the better coach , QB and secondary ... Formula has never steered me wrong ... There are no games on this schedule that we don't favor those 3 things by 2-1 ... If our defense plays lights out this year , were winning the Lombardi ... I don't see many teams out gunning us ...

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

It's abt time someone shuts up Mercury Morris and keeps his champagne corked!!!! We're gonna break the '72 Dolphins' record with our own no-name defense :)

Re: God help the optimist...GAME BY GAME PREDICTION
 

This is the kind of junk I would expect to hear from fans of other teams who just look at statistics and are like "oh they had a bad defense last year, must have no talent." That is so far from the truth it's laughable. Do you honestly think Jordan, Hicks, Greer, Vacarro, Lofton, Hawthorne, Bunkley wouldn't even make another team's 53 man roster? That is ludicrous talk.

DL - We've got two of the best young defensive linemen in football in Hicks and Jordan. One of the league's top nose tackles in Bunkley. Young depth in Jenkins/Foster/Walker and some solid vets with Johnson and Richardson.

LB - Don't get me wrong, there are some weaknesses and some unknowns. But Lofton, Hawthorne, Vilma and Haralson are all solid, dependable players and you can expect a reasonably high level of play from them. We've seen Galette and Wilson excel as pass rushers in part-time roles. enough that we know they can contribute and won't be a liability. Humber has always had great talent, now starting to put it together.

DB - Worst part of the defense, maybe. But we've got three solid man-to-man corners in Greer/Lewis/Robinson, a great-looking young safety in Vaccaro, and even Jenkins and Harper despite their sometimes struggles both have the ability to play well in a defense geared toward their strengths (ie an aggressive, blitzing style).

I am not saying they are elite, but somewhere in the 15-20 range this year should be just about right, and with all the youth and inexperience there is a lot of room to get better in a hurry. The future of this defense is with guys like Jordan, Hicks, Vaccaro, Hawthorne, Galette, Wilson, etc and that is a great place to be.