Let's face the facts, people. First, this is not the '04 D in any way shape or form.
DL: Lost Williams and Adams, picked up Tripplett and McCargo. These guys may be better for the Cover 2, but they do not have nearly as much run-stuffing ability. DE's are the same. Clearly worse now than in 04.
Linebackers: Spikes, Posey, Fletcher: The same but 2 years older with Spikes coming off a very serious injury. Crowell is coming into his own, but on the whole this unit is also worse than in 04.
CB's- Clements and McGee- Same as '04 with McGee playing better and Clements playing worse. I'll call it even.
S- Lost Milloy, picked up Whitner and Bowens, Vincent is 2 years older. This unit will probably be better in 07 than it was in 04, but until Whitner and Simpson get some experience, it's worse than 04.
Anyone who compares the 06 D to the 04 D just doesn't know what they're talking about.
Beyond that, we have a new system that all the players need to learn, a first year Defensive Coordinator in Fewell, and several rookies who will either be starting or seeing significant action (Whitner, McCargo, Simpson and maybe Youboty). And while our DT's are probably better suited for the Tampa 2, they are not run stuffers.
On top of that, I've seen a lot of stuff about how the Tampa 2 shuts down the pass. What about how it stops the run? This topic is worthy of a thread on it's own.
This D will finish in the bottom half of the league, if not the bottom third. All we can hope for is improvement as the season wears on
DL: Lost Williams and Adams, picked up Tripplett and McCargo. These guys may be better for the Cover 2, but they do not have nearly as much run-stuffing ability. DE's are the same. Clearly worse now than in 04.
Linebackers: Spikes, Posey, Fletcher: The same but 2 years older with Spikes coming off a very serious injury. Crowell is coming into his own, but on the whole this unit is also worse than in 04.
CB's- Clements and McGee- Same as '04 with McGee playing better and Clements playing worse. I'll call it even.
S- Lost Milloy, picked up Whitner and Bowens, Vincent is 2 years older. This unit will probably be better in 07 than it was in 04, but until Whitner and Simpson get some experience, it's worse than 04.
Anyone who compares the 06 D to the 04 D just doesn't know what they're talking about.
Beyond that, we have a new system that all the players need to learn, a first year Defensive Coordinator in Fewell, and several rookies who will either be starting or seeing significant action (Whitner, McCargo, Simpson and maybe Youboty). And while our DT's are probably better suited for the Tampa 2, they are not run stuffers.
On top of that, I've seen a lot of stuff about how the Tampa 2 shuts down the pass. What about how it stops the run? This topic is worthy of a thread on it's own.
This D will finish in the bottom half of the league, if not the bottom third. All we can hope for is improvement as the season wears on
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