sven233

Just covered this in another post, but for the most part, I like the philosophy we have on defense. Do I wish things would get changed up once in a while during games? Absolutely. But, fundamentally, the system is fine. HOWEVER, the problem is this philosophy relies on your defensive line being a terror. You have to get constant pressure with 4 guys and you have to be able to hold up against the run. Right now, our DL does neither of those things well. We have pretty good players on our defensive line. But we don't have 1 absolute game wrecker when you should probably have 2 at least to run the system we want to run. We are also too light up front which creates problems stopping the run. So, yeah.....we need a lot of talent added to this defensive line to make this system work to its optimal level. We need a terror off the edge and a couple of big behemoths anchors up front that can clog the middle of the line. The thing is against great QBs, this is even more important. You can get away with having an average defensive line and playing this system against your standard QBs and average offensive lines. But in the Playoffs, you play the greats. And the greats can all make every throw on the field when given the time. We just saw this last week with Stafford. When you never touch him, or even breathe on him for that matter, he made every throw to perfection and the WRs made tough catches. But, if just once our DL could have affected him and made his life less than perfect in the pocket, maybe one or 2 of those throws are off just that fraction of an inch and aren't completed. It would help if McDermott changed things up once in a while and showed different looks, but that isn't who he is. So, it's going to be on Beane to go get a couple of game wreckers up front that can affect the QB consistently and not just once in a while. It would be great to get a couple of DTs that can push the pocket and clog up running lanes at times as well to make it easier on the LBs to make plays.

The thing is, every week we see defenses throw multiple looks at teams. Just look at what the Chiefs have done the last several years with Spags. He changes things up on almost on almost every series and in every situation. Even this year with them not having the same talent they have had over the past several years, for the most part, they are great. Up until the Bengals lost all of their talent on defense this year, they did the same things. The 49ers, before all of their devastating injuries, did a lot of exotic scheming at times. Most of the top defenses change things during games. And I'm not saying McDermott never changes anything ever. I am saying he very rarely changes anything DURING games. There have been multiple games this year where RBs aren't even being touched until they are 7 yards past the LOS yet he never adjusts during the game. You cherry picking a couple games here and there from years ago doesn't show that he adapts to in game situations. The fact is, when TJ is healthy, he is always on the field. And in the Playoffs, it's 1 and done. There are no redos later in the season to correct what went wrong in the last matchup. You have to get it right the first time and adapt in game to stop the other team from mauling you in the run game if that is what is happening. Again, I am not saying to not do what you do best. We absolutely should. But once in a while, you have to show something different, especially when what you are doing is getting wrecked during a game.

Lots of talk about McDermott and his scheme going on here. Here's the thing. What we see week in and week out is his system. He may not be calling the plays, but it is his system and it is the same system that he has used since he got here. He truly believes that the best way to win games is to play 2 deep S and have TJ on the field and play nickel defense instead of 3 LBs. And quite honestly, I agree with him at a fundamental level that this is the right way to play against many teams. HOWEVER, the problem I have with McDermott is he NEVER changes it up. Even if you want to run what we run as your base defense, any great defensive coordinator is going to show different looks, different personele, and different strategies at some point during a game. He never does this. It is his philosophy to play that defense every snap of every game no matter what is happening is that game and it gets him in trouble against teams that pound the ball. The problem with giving teams light boxes to run against us is that not only are the numbers less up front, but our defensive lineman and LBs are just light in the pants as it is. They can be knocked off the ball real easy by good running teams because they just can't hold up physically. Sometimes games call for putting a 3rd LB out there instead of worrying so much about the pass with Johnson, but he just never makes that adjustment no matter what the situation is or whether they have given up 200 yards on the ground already. He never adapts to what the other team is doing. That's why you see very little man to man, why we are one of the lowest blitzing teams in the league, and why when we do lose, we tend to get destroyed in the process. Honestly, it is a little strange. I mean, the goal on offense, is to throw as many unique and different looks at the defense as possible. Different formations, personele groups, eye candy, etc. You would think that doing the same thing on defense, at least once in a while, would be a good thing. Start making the offense think about what you're doing on defense rather than just what they are trying to get done offensively. I am not saying you have to be as exotic on defense as you are on offense, but there is no reason you can't play your base defense 70% of the game and then use something different for the other 30%. But McDermott has proven that he will only run his base defense 100% of the time. Just what he believes you need to do to win. And, I suppose if you had a dominant defensive line, that would be a pretty smart way of doing it. The problem is that our line is not dominant. We have good talent, but we don't have game wrecking talent anywhere up front and that is what you need to run our base defense all the time. Like I said, fundamentally, I agree with his philosophy. I do think our best personele package and system is what we run and for the most part, we run it very well. But any good defense shows something new on occasion and we just never do. We are very easy to gameplan for in a lot of ways. I mean, our opponents almost every week say it leading up to the game. They say they know what we do because it is the same system week in and week out, but our talent does run the system extremely well and because we are fundamentally sound most of the time, we are tough to play against for teams that throw the ball regularly. Heck, even last week against the Rams, so many of those throws and catches were just absolutely perfect and there was just nothing you could do. Because Stafford had all day on virtually every play, they could make every throw and catch precise and on target even though many times our coverage was right there and just beaten by perfection. If our defensive line would have gotten any pressure at all, that game might look a lot different, but they were a no-show. But teams that don't live and die by the pass don't have those same concerns against our defense. I think just throwing 3 LBs on the field on early downs sometimes wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And with our athletic LBs, we can still play coverage if necessary in those situations. Just change it up once in a while.

The defensive adjustment was to get to Stafford. The fact is, many of the catches that Nakua made were elite, high level catches that only a few WRs in this league can make. To say Nakua is not that good is an absolute joke. He is an elite WR and his numbers back it up. That said, he made several catches that were next to impossible to make. But what allowed this to happen? The fact that Stafford got to sit back in the pocket, never touched, and rarely even having to move at all. Stafford is an elite thrower of the football, especially when he can just stand there and throw the ball on time and in rhythm. Of course, he was brilliant in that game because our line never breathed on him, let alone affected a single throw. So, what was the adjustment? How about forcing Stafford to move and not be able to thread perfect passes into Nakua and Cupp all day. So many of those passes were well defended and we're talking fractions of inches from being incomplete. That is more on the defensive line not even getting close to Stafford and maybe forcing him to be just that little fraction off. Now, I will say, even the couple of times we did blitz to try and get pressure, we got stuffed and never got close. Our line got their butts handed to them and that's the primary reason the Rams WRs had big days. Our entire defensive system relies on the fact that we don't think you can be absolutely perfect all the way down the field because somewhere along the way, we're going to force you to not be perfect. But when there is zero pressure created, and you are facing a QB that can make any throw at any time under perfect circumstances, and you are playing elite WRs that can make the tough plays, that's when our defensive philosophy fails. It's why it has failed every year in the Playoffs against elite QBs. Our defensive line disappears and these elite QBs get to sit back, relax, and deliver perfect throws to the holes in the zones. Unless our line affects the QB in some way, we will always have bad days on defense against great QBs and WRs.

Look.....here's the thing. I am really pissed off about how this game went down. I hate that McDermott and the defense literally blew up an all time career performance by their superhuman QB and that he can't enjoy it. What does it mean in the long run? You can probably kiss the 1 seed goodbye, especially if the Chiefs beat the Chargers. Throw on top of that, we are about to go back on the road and play the hottest team in the league next week with a pretty comparable offense that has been way better all season than what we just played tonight. That doesn't breed a ton of excitement or confidence heading into next week and the playoffs. Until this team finds a way to stop getting gashed in the run game, and finds the willingness to change up your defensive plan when what you're running isn't working, we aren't going to win anything. McDermott has 4 weeks to find a way to adapt and fix things. As much as he doesn't want to do it, or flat out refuses to do it, he has to explore fundamental changes to this defensive scheme. This light box, soft zone, crap will never shut down the good offenses in the post season. It never has and it never will. Allen is the best player on the planet, but even he, with 400+ yards and 6 freaking TDs can't bail out the ineptness of the coaching staff.

I just feel awful for Allen having to sit there and take questions in this pressed and still have to put the blame on himself for the loss after he just put up perhaps a career best game. Seriously, over 400 yards and the first player to have 3 rushing and 3 passing TDs in a game in NFL history. This dude holds countless NFL records like this and is being sabotaged by his average to below average head coach who is still making the same, if not worse, mistakes since his first year as head coach. It's like Allen is Superman and the only person that has any kryptonite is his own head coach. Just feel for the guy that he can't enjoy what he did in this game. It's astonishing that McDermott and this defense couldn't find a way to win this freaking game.

Allen had 424 Yards and 6 TDs...... and he has to take a loss because of his "defensive specialist" head coach..... Just insane. But hey, great game offense. Not taking away from anything you did today. The defense can go kick rocks, although they would probably miss the rocks and fall over. I'm sure McDermott would still be clapping for them, though.

McDermott is just a liability..... Can't get a stop on defense. Doesn't know how to accept/decline penalties properly. Has no idea to to handle clock management. He single-handedly cost us this game with his decision making. Just awful. He's done the same things since he showed up here and hasn't learned a single thing from any of his many mistakes.

McDermott once again finds a new way to lose games. Why in the blue hell do you accept that penalty. Just terrible coaching.

Allen is going to go for almost 400 total yards and 5 tds and lose because the defense can't stop a nosebleed. Just unfair sometimes.....

Holding, but these refs have been terrible for both teams all day. Rams should just go for it.......

It's his defense. I am not sure it would look much different. This is the same soft zone we have played since he got here.

The Rams would have scored on offense anyway. They just saved us time by scoring on the punt itself.

Crazy to think that in order to win this game we have to score at least 2 TDs and, at minimum get 2 stops on defense in 1 quarter when we haven't gotten one stop yet.

*55

Just embarrassing defensive play all around. Only real hit we have seen out of our defense all day and of course we hit and hurt our own players....... I'd say it's time for Elam to shine, but he's scratched. This defense isn't beating any great offenses in the Playoffs. Think today is bad? Just wait until next week when we have to play Detroit's explosive offense.

Just crazy...... But unfortunately, we have to play defense again.

Nothing like a good old first and 30.....

All this talk pregame as to why McDermott is not in the Coach of the Year discussion. You are seeing why today. His defense gets exposed by good offenses. While it is out of hand already, it's going to get even worse if you don't open up the offense at all as well. This offense isn't built to score quickly anymore. They are more methodical than in years past. Just weren't prepared at all coming into this game.

Sometimes there's nothing you can do. Nakua is just better than TJ. I mean, most QBs don't throw that ball, but Stafford does because he knows his WR is just better than our guy.

Just an awful series. Starting to think this just isn't going to be our day. Looks like guys are just going through the motions out there. Not a great game plan on either side of the ball. Out-coached badly in this game.

Time to completely change up this defense. 3 LBs, and start pressing these WRs. Send pressure at Stafford. The couple times we did in the first half, Stafford unloaded the ball early. You want to keep TJ on the field? Fine. Take Hamlin out, go to a one high safety and live with what comes but force them to work for it. This light box, zone defense that we run plays right into the strengths of the Rams offense.

Our defense is so bad that 1 guy is going to beat us.......

I don't think I have ever seen a defensive line get gashed in the run game more than ours has. Untouched forever in these holes.

What a play design. Props to Brady for building off of one of our best concepts.