My only beef with the D is not getting off the field on third and long with any kind of regularity...
The play calling is almost in preseason mode. I haven't seen the blitz come from unusual positions for weeks. Basic packages are being played more often. Both sides of the ball. The record has a lot to do with that. I wouldn't worry too much. That with injuries have led to our struggles on defense in my opinion.
No one should be happy with the performances the last couple weeks but saying " exposed" is just silly given the entirety of the wade's career as a defensive coordinator.
I know, but before this game, we had the best 3rd down defence in the league. So hopefully we can bounce back. I think we as fans are spoiled.
Before the last game ya mean. Several times against the Jags we gave up third and long conversions...
I think the way to beat the texans is through the air. Actually that is the way to beat any NFL team. Have a great passing offense. NE and the Giants both had crappy defenses and running games and they made the Superbowl.
No. We had the best 3rd down defence in 30 years. Obviously, it slipped recently. http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/downs/sort/thirdDownConvPct/position/defense This was before Detroit. http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-third-down-conversion-pct After Detroit. Still first in the league. We were historically good, now we are still best in the league. We took too much for granted.
I love how the word exposed gets thrown around so easily. The Texans allowed 15 points combined in weeks 8 and 9. Also, for being so "exposed", how come the Jags or the Lions couldn't score jack when it really counted?
Now I don't care about overall season stats. Our ability to stop the other team on third down in week 2 has no bearing on how good we are at stopping it next week. The last two weeks our third and LONG defense has been really bad....
NFL has a problem with sample size more than any other sport. If Hakeem's Rockets gave up 110points in consecutive games, it would be thought of as an outlier. But there are only so many games in The NFL, so it's magnified. IMO, only two things matter at this point. One is home field, the other is health. I don't really care about the road to those things. Remember how we lost to Indy and Carolina last season? Then we killed the Bengals, and almost beat the Ravens in the playoffs.
I think one of the bigger problems today was Phillips kept blitzing. Detroit is the least blitzed team in the league for a reason. Phillips unfortunately only knows one style of defense and that is to blitz on almost every play (we lead the league in percentage of plays that are blitzes).
Right, but considering our strength of schedule (which has been harder than what people have expected), it is reasonable to assume these two games against subpar opponents will hopefully be outliers in the big picture of 3rd down defence, and it looks like that. We did beat the bears, ravens, and broncos, all quality wins. But the fact that we are still #1 despite two subpar games really shows something about this defence.
I think our secondary can be mediocre at times. Their WRs were getting so much space after the catch. We definitely miss Jonathan Joseph.
Our defense has stepped up when needed this year but also our offense has stepped up when needed. For me it was exciting watching these last two games as high scoring affairs with Andre Johnson and Schaub getting big numbers. I remember it used to be a high scoring offense a few years back and we have been spoiled the last year and a half with a great defense. It leads me to a question. Would you rather win with a high scoring offense and little defense or a great defense and little offense needed? I think it's great that our offense has stepped up when the defense has been less then stellar.
didn't you refer to Matt Stafford as an elite QB? it shouldn't surprise you then that he shredded us. now JAX is a different story.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS BRADIE JAMES.. HE FILLS THE WRONG GAPS ON PLAYS AND THEY RUN THE BALL RIGHT AT HIM EVERYTIME... WATCH THE FILM