Our defense better get with the program

[TEB11]

or we won't win 5 games all year. Our secondary is playing soft. Letting over 300 yards passing in back to back weeks isn't good and it prolly won't get any better this week based on what I have witnessed in two contests. With the exception of Robert Quinn, non is really aren't impressing me. Jenkins and Olgetree look lost at times. 24 points is more than enough to win a game as far as I am concerned. Get with it boys. We have three winable games in the next three weeks.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree TEB on the winnability of the games but there maybe a disconnect here between Walton anf the D to help out overmatched McCleod at Safety. Walton did not blitz Ryan all game and this should have been an option very early. McCled got consistently beat and that killed us by placing head man coverage on both corners.

Jenkins did a pretty good job most of the time against a bigger, way better receiver in Jones, but he got beat with no Safety help on the TD and then failed to make the tackle. Sooo, e have some holes in teh secondary right now but you help those out by blitzing more often which Walton did not call all game long!

 

[LTR1961]

I'd like to see them "attack" a little more. They're basically playing the same way they did in the pre-season. Rushing 4 for the most part and dropping back in coverage. It seems to be the old bend but don't break philosophy. How about playing some tighter coverage and blitzing every once in awhile. I know the front 4 gets good pressure but there is nothing wrong with running some occasional blitzes.

 

[Retroram52]

Again, you are right on. No blitzing, just like the preseason and playing it safe gets you beat. If we are the badass D that everyone is touting, then lets get after it. Trust the players to make the plays like last year.This year, they seem to be even more conservative because of all the young guys I surmise.

 

[Clayton]

Finnegan is getting killed out there. McLeod isn't starter material. Other than that, I think the defense is doing a good job.

 

[Jermaine133]

I already parked the bus after I threw McLeod under it and ran over him twice. He shouldn't even be on the roster period. Did we really have to cut Quentin Mikel..is he still available for a job?

 

[Retroram52]

Mikel signed with the Panthers. We will have to go after somebody else because Stewart is not the answer either. It looks like we are stuck with this dufus for now.

 

[SJ76]

Mikel was a salary cap issue. We could barely fit everyone we have now under the cap, much less with Mikel. Hope the young DB's can improve. After seeing Fitzgerald, Julo, and now Dez they should be all tuned up for the rest of the league.

 

[fastforward]

If McLeod is starting then we have players who are not as good backing him up.

Quintin Mikell signed a $1M 1 year deal with the Panthers 2 weeks ago. McCleod is under contract for $480K. Stewart's base, (excluding $300K signing bonus), is $700K. Giordano gets $555K. Mikell isn't the listed starter for the Panthers and I haven't seen him perform for them. He may, or may not, be better or value for money. Our Ss might come around but at this point our salary cap decisions are hurting us.

 

[jacobarch]

If McLeod is starting then we have players who are not as good backing him up.

Quintin Mikell signed a $1M 1 year deal with the Panthers 2 weeks ago. McCleod is under contract for $480K. Stewart's base, (excluding $300K signing bonus), is $700K. Giordano gets $555K. Mikell isn't the listed starter for the Panthers and I haven't seen him perform for them. He may, or may not, be better or value for money. Our Ss might come around but at this point our salary cap decisions are hurting us.

I think McLeod is starting because Stewart is a lot like Saffold. Has potential to be good to great but can't stay on the field long enough to find out. One thing I'll say and I know I'll get roasted for it, is at least Dahl stayed healthy and didn't completely blow coverages. Sure he would wiff but at least he would be around the ball. McLeod is no where to be found. You also have to consider he's only going to get better tho, opposing teams knows he inexperienced so they're going to design plays that trick him into blowing a coverage which is exactly what happened vs. AZ and ATL. I think he can be a good player he just has to learn and learn fast.

BTW I saw Mikell play against Seattle, he looked pretty damn good....

and P.S. at least we aren't talking about Mcdonald. He's looked pretty good so far so lets be happy about that.

 

[Vitamike]

I think McLeod is starting because Stewart is a lot like Saffold. Has potential to be good to great but can't stay on the field long enough to find out. One thing I'll say and I know I'll get roasted for it, is at least Dahl stayed healthy and didn't completely blow coverages. Sure he would wiff but at least he would be around the ball. McLeod is no where to be found. You also have to consider he's only going to get better tho, opposing teams knows he inexperienced so they're going to design plays that trick him into blowing a coverage which is exactly what happened vs. AZ and ATL. I think he can be a good player he just has to learn and learn fast.

BTW I saw Mikell play against Seattle, he looked pretty damn good....

and P.S. at least we aren't talking about Mcdonald. He's looked pretty good so far so lets be happy about that.

I've said it before, if only we had the "In between the ear bones" of Stewart and Physical aspects of Dahl all rolled up in one player, that we would have a perennial all pro!

 

[Retroram52]

Vita, I think we have that and an upgrade because he kicks the krap out of people and that would be McDonald Jr. I didn't think he'd be that good of a player but I was dead wrong on this kid. BTW, if McCleod is a wash, why not insert Cody Davis. He is on the practice squad and he hits in a similar fashion as McDonald. At least we could scare the krap out of people if they know there are two monster hitters back there.

 

[jacobarch]

Vita, I think we have that and an upgrade because he kicks the krap out of people and that would be McDonald Jr. I didn't think he'd be that good of a player but I was dead wrong on this kid. BTW, if McCleod is a wash, why not insert Cody Davis. He is on the practice squad and he hits in a similar fashion as McDonald. At least we could scare the krap out of people if they know there are two monster hitters back there.

Davis takes absolutely horrible angles. I saw him in pre season and the kid can play no doubt but he's no cover safety, at least not at this point.

 

[Clayton]

Cody Davis was a bit disappointing in preseason. McDonald looks like a Ram for many years to come but the other side might be patchwork for this season

 

[jacobarch]

Cody Davis was a bit disappointing in preseason. McDonald looks like a Ram for many years to come but the other side might be patchwork for this season

I would still love to see if Stewart brings anything to the table and to see if he can actually stay healthy for the rest of the season. If not I'd dump him and make Mcleod next years backup.

 

[Retroram52]

Well if McCleod starts to get it in the next couple of games, this thread will be moot but another big wideout is on deck with Bryant. Talk about baptism by fire-Weeks 1,2,3-Fitzgerald, Jones, Bryant. Yikes!

 

[Clayton]

The number 1 Wide Receivers we will be playing this year.

Larry Fitzgerald
Julio Jones
Dez Bryant
Anquan Boldin
Justin Blackmon (first game back)
Andre Johnson
Steve Smith
Sydney Rice
Kenny Britt
Reggie Wayne
Bye
Brandon Marshall
Anquan Boldin
Larry Fitzgerald
Marques Colston
Vincent Jackson
Percy Harvin

We paid Cortland Finnegan to be a #1 CB, right? Why is Janoris Jenkins often on the best guy?

 

[fastforward]

The answer is because Jenkins provides the better coverage right now. Finnegan is a good CB and Fisher likes him but I never thought he was worth $24M over 2 years. At this point I wouldn't mind trying him at FS and starting Johnson at CB. Opponents haven't hurt us with the run so far, (2.9 avg), and the Cowboys have abandoned it completely.

 

[Clayton]

Yeah, I think Janoris Jenkins is a good cover guy. I just think he might get unfairly thrown under the bus the end of the year because he is going against 75% of the best WRs in the league and he may or may not get safety support. He might be on the wrong side of many highlights and national media generally only shows 1 or 2 highlights in a Rams game so people might get the wrong idea.

Dallas is going to look a lot like the previous 2 games with a lot of passing on both sides.

 

[fastforward]

I haven't seen the Cowboys since pre-season. I saw an interesting post with a good link in 1 of the Cowboys threads.

http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/3621739-post4.html

The Cowboys sound a lot like us. They have 2 receiving threats and no running game. Unlike us they're a 1st half team that fades.