(09-28-2020, 11:32 AM)Kane Wrote:

(09-28-2020, 11:21 AM)NeptuneBeachBum Wrote: I reread it now... I assumed because we were discussing the specifics of that play, that your comments were pertaining to that.  I see this year's defense as much worse than last year.  We are giving up 4 more points per game already on average, but last year's defense was not very talented either.  Stats notwithstanding, this defense appears worse to the eye test (particularly pass rush) than last years... would you agree?  And "most of the year before", meaning 2018, we were the #5 ranked defense in the League, so I strongly disagree with your statement comparing our D now to then.

But last years defense had Campbell and Dareus (pre injury) and Bouye and Yannick (and Ramsey for a couple games)
All the guys we had lost and were going to be the reason why our defense was so bad this year

Many of the guys that were key to our successful '17 and '18 defenses. So the roster talent was relatively the same from '18 to '19.
And many stars of the '17 defense were very critical of the DC and his scheme and play calling, so there's that.

I don't think it's all on Wash. Caldwell certainly gutted the defense and skewed young and cheap in the secondary and the DL. We all knew they wouldn't be great this year. Run D is greatly improved already this year while our pass rush is almost no existent, which makes coverage look worse than it is (not that it's been great, the FS has been a liability, Henderson had a bad game vs the Phins, and Hayden has been having his worst year). I think lacking Campbell and Yannick are showing a great deal right now. Allen is still young but ain't getting it done and Chaisson hasn't been used much and is a rookie.
These things can be addressed with time and the draft, and maybe a dip back into free agency.

But the coach and scheme has been relatively the same for awhile... D coordinator since 2016. And in 4+ seasons we've seen more bad than good no matter the talent of the roster.

In 2019 it was not the same team or talent level.  Malik was gone.  Ramsey only played 3 games and was a malcontent and team cancer until traded.  Dareus might be at the end of his career... played 5 or 6 games in 2019 and his career could be over.  If not, his value certainly will not be as high as it was. Calias was in Year 12 of his NFL career and was a solid player but not who he once had been.  Bouye was a guy who benefited in 2017 because of our pass rush and has not had a season like that before or after that year... just an average player imo.  I will give you Yannick... having him on one side helped Allen on the other last year.  You can see his lack of presence is now hurting Allen.

The route we took to build that D-Line via free agency was not sustainable for long.  It costs a lot of money and veteran play tends to diminish as they get deeper into their careers.  You can say the names of players on the roster are the same, but the talent drops.  Dareus and Calais in 2019 were not the same players they were in 2017.  Calais did not drop as fast or far as Dareus, but he still dropped.  What's the saying?  "You can't step in the same river twice".  It applies to football rosters each year as well, especially ones relying on high-priced aging veterans.

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