I think this week's gameplan was exclusively to restrict Barkley, and that they did, up until the final drive. Unfortunately, that came at the expense of overselling against the handoff, and Jones was way too free to get to sidelines on scrambles or read option plays. In doing so, it was yet another way the D couldn't put him in the dirt. And that right there is the key to our faltering - we are not making QBs uncomfortable. At. All.

What was the plainest thing to see all preseason? We are THIN. Everywhere. There's no breathers, no backups suitable to spell any of the starting defenders. It's no wonder these guys are wilting by the 4th.

I think one of the biggest needs of this team is a 3-4 End who can help open up our OLB. What do we have now? Hamilton? Gotsis? Smoot? Roy Rob? No linemen fears those types of lunchpail guys. You do need those types of players on a roster, but they shouldn't be the ones you're counting on to solve your problems.

We start getting to QBs, we start creating turnovers. We stop losing close games. Apparently, Allen and Walker aren't enough to get the job done on their own, nor should we expect that of them. Unfortunately, it appears that help is not on the way, at least for this season.

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