I'll go back and read this entire thread, but I just gotta put in my 2 cents...

 

The talent level is lacking on the D.  Each corp, the D Line, the LB's and the Secondary has weakness in it.

 

The weakest corp is the Line, with really no true play maker.  Our LB's have strenghts and weaknesses.  Smith is a beast.  Poz is great against the run.  But the LBs overall cannot play cover zone to save thier lives...  As for the Secondary, House is good. Colvin is also pretty good.  But our Safeties kills us.  

 

I just re-watched a 3rd down play from the 1st tack TD drive.  If anyone still has the game on DVR, go to 5:40 of the 1st Quarter.  It's 3rd and 5.  Cyp is at the LOS, #12 comes in motion, and all of a sudden the entire play get's confused.  Cyp moves back into a center field safety position and is telling Colvin to go cover the spot he just vacated.  Colvin is lost in coverage as the ball is snapped and Poz is left in no-mans land trying to cover his location in the soft zone.  It's an easy pitch and catch for Mariotta for the first down.

 

Cyp vacated the spot that would have blown up the play.  The entire D looked confused once #12 for the tacks went into motion.  It's like the D still hasn't figured out this scheme.  Yes, there are talent issues.  But after 3 years, and we still see confusion on certain plays, it just makes you wonder what the heck they do in practice...

 

Oh, and the first TD pass by Mariotta....  Ugh...  The zone D just isn't working.

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