How much longer.......

[barrett]

You guys just aren't listening. I think our defense is Richard Smith's fault. I think he should be fired and have laid it at his feet a half dozen times in this thread and twice as many in others. I also think if given better players at OLB and S he would probably misuse them. HOWEVER, at this point I will not blame him for this particular element of the defense, because there is no talent at these spots.

As for Rick Smith, God bless him. He has done a great (partial) job. And I am sure that with another season or two he will finish the job and complete the roster overhaul we so desperately needed. But obviously OLB and S are the back end of the job to him. Probably because they are two of the least valuable positions in the NFL.

Now you guys on the other hand want to go by the principal that since Richard Smith is at fault for other things he must be at fault for the blitzing. And since Rick Smith did a good job upgrading our overall talent, he automatically made our OLBs and Safeties better. The logic just doesn't lineup. It is actually possible for a guy to be mostly at fault or mostly right.

But if it makes you guys happy, I will say Richard Smith's defense is often out of position, and I will extrapolate it out until Richard Smith is the gunman on the grassy knoll.

[KJ3]

Originally Posted by barrett

I also think if given better players at OLB and S he would probably misuse them.

like....for instance...he might misuse them in...blitzing?

And since Rick Smith did a good job upgrading our overall talent, he automatically made our OLBs and Safeties better.

it wasn't automatic, it took 2 draft picks and a free agent for safety, 2 draft picks for linebacker. speaking of not listening....

look there are 2 major thoughts in this thread as to why this defense can't stop passes, can barely stop the run, can't blitz, can't cover, etc...

1. Richard Smith's scheme and it's effectiveness
2. Rick Smith's overhauling the roster hasn't quite made it around to S, OLB

to 1 i say it's effectiveness ranks about 25th. every year. even with poopooplatterplayers you would think marginal improvements would happen through familiarity but quite contrarily our defense marginally gets worse. look up the numbers. to 2 i agree, a major move hasn't really been made but several small attempts have been made, pretty successfully i would say. you would think marginal improvements would come from marginal personnel improvements but again...the numbers don't lie. thing is, we've actually made attempts at changing personnel with little result so noooowwww let's change the other thing that has sucked on some big ones for 3 years.

what really chaps my hide is that we don't need a top 5 defense to be successful in a post-season manner. we need like...a top 17 or so because our offense is the dynamic side being top 6 or whatever we are now.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by KJ3

like....for instance...he might misuse them in...blitzing?

it wasn't automatic, it took 2 draft picks and a free agent for safety, 2 draft picks for linebacker. speaking of not listening....

look there are 2 major thoughts in this thread as to why this defense can't stop passes, can barely stop the run, can't blitz, can't cover, etc...

1. Richard Smith's scheme and it's effectiveness
2. Rick Smith's overhauling the roster hasn't quite made it around to S, OLB

to 1 i say it's effectiveness ranks about 25th. every year. even with poopooplatterplayers you would think marginal improvements would happen through familiarity but quite contrarily our defense marginally gets worse. look up the numbers. to 2 i agree, a major move hasn't really been made but several small attempts have been made, pretty successfully i would say. you would think marginal improvements would come from marginal personnel improvements but again...the numbers don't lie.

Yes. Misuse as in blitzing. That's my point. When he gets the players and uses them wrong, I'll blame him. Until then I'll blame him for what he could be doing now and isn't.

If you think we have been pretty successful in upgrading these positions, you are deceiving yourself. We are awful at OLB and S.

[KJ3]

Originally Posted by barrett

If you think we have been pretty successful in upgrading these positions, you are deceiving yourself. We are awful at OLB and S.

successful upgrade as in the position is better now than it was. i've never said they are great...and i'm pretty sure i've said they are bad.

[NBT]

As I have said, I think it is too early to judge the safeties we have back there now, because they haven't played together long enough to see how they are going to jell.

[Nconroe]

I am wondering what ya'll call a fair definition of stability.

I am thinking it must be some number of years.

And this might apply to both players and coaches.

And, maybe it's just me, but haven't we been better the last 4-5 games of the past two seasons. wonder why that was and then reverted at the start of the following year.

[NBT]

I think if we don't blame Richard Smith (which I have done long and loudly) we have to lay it at the feet of HC Gary Kubiak. He scripts the way he wants the defense to play and he expects RS to implement it. Take the game against Cincy yesterday. The defense started out a little tentative, but then came on and limited Cincy to two measly field goals inside the red zone. Intensity was evident for the whole game, not just the first half. If we are rounding into a pretty good team, these next few games will show it more than the last 3.