3rd downs.

[enjolras]

We need DJ Williams and he needs to be back at MLB when he returns. Our best defensive front 7:

Wolfe - Bannan - Vickerson - Dumervil
Miller - Williams - Woodyard

DJ isn't an all-pro in the middle, but he's highly competent. FAR better than Mays.

[lonestar]

Originally Posted by enjolras

We need DJ Williams and he needs to be back at MLB when he returns. Our best defensive front 7:

Wolfe - Bannan - Vickerson - Dumervil
Miller - Williams - Woodyard

DJ isn't an all-pro in the middle, but he's highly competent. FAR better than Mays.

might be better skill wise but the MLB has to make the calls for the front seven it is widely known he fubared that when asked to do it..

the guy is dumber than a post.. as for his tackling he is a drag down guy not smash them in the face stop the run for no gain..

unlikely that he is kept on the roster when he returns in week 12..

why all the love for DJ is beyond me..

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by lonestar

stop the bromance he is no better that WW has been the past couple of years..

in fact worse in the number of tackles last year..

Career Stats 
Season	Team	Games	Tackles	Interceptions	Fumbles
                      G	GS	Total	Solo	Ast	Sck	SFTY	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF	FR
WW
2012 	DEN 	5 	4 	37 	25 	12 	2.0 	-- 	1 	1 	7 	-- 	7 	0 	0 	--
2011 	DEN 	15 	7 	97 	67 	30 	0.0 	-- 	2 	-- 	-- 	-- 	-- 	-- 	2 	--
Dumb Jock..
2011 	DEN 	13 	13 	90 	70 	20 	5.0 	-- 	2 	-- 	-- 	-- 	-- 	-- 	3 	1

why does everyone want this moron back on the field he is not better than WW..

in 6 less starts last year WW numbers are as good as DJ's are..

I figure WW will stay on the field if they put DJ at MLB. I figure that's the best LB combo they have available - WW, DJ, Von.

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by lonestar

might be better skill wise but the MLB has to make the calls for the front seven it is widely known he fubared that when asked to do it..

the guy is dumber than a post.. as for his tackling he is a drag down guy not smash them in the face stop the run for no gain..

unlikely that he is kept on the roster when he returns in week 12..

why all the love for DJ is beyond me..

That would be a problem. Good point.

[dragondawg]

"Since 2000, the longest conversion on a third-down run was Donovan McNabb scrambling for 27 yards on a 3rd and 25 against none other than the Denver Broncos in 2009. At least that is not quite as bad as Leroy Hoard gaining 53 yards on a simple draw on 3rd and 37. Who was that against, again? Oh, that’s right. It was the Denver Broncos in 1999"

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49328302/ns/sports-nfl/

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by dragondawg

"Since 2000, the longest conversion on a third-down run was Donovan McNabb scrambling for 27 yards on a 3rd and 25 against none other than the Denver Broncos in 2009. At least that is not quite as bad as Leroy Hoard gaining 53 yards on a simple draw on 3rd and 37. Who was that against, again? Oh, that’s right. It was the Denver Broncos in 1999"

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49328302/ns/sports-nfl/

Ah well, Denver has a long way to go to be an elite D. It's a shame, but there we are.

[Mediator12]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

People won't like the answer.

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Oh, wait what is the truth.... Still waiting

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by Mediator12

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Oh, wait what is the truth.... Still waiting

Haha, I'll PM you to catch-up in a bit.

[razorwire77]

Originally Posted by Quoydogs

So what the hell do we have to do to fix this problem ? Our Defense couldn't stop a Turtle from making it 15 yards on a 3rd down this year.

So to all of you smart bastards on here, "The football guru's " how do we fix this ?

It has to be the LB's right ?

Scheme will only take you so far when 66.66666 percent of your linebackers suck. What it comes down to is our front 7 (sans Von and Doom as a situational pass-rusher) isn't very good.

Next year has to be all about continuing to upgrade skill positons on offense and defensive front seven. We won't beat elite teams until this happens.

[Schism]

C'mon Rev, I'd be interested in your take.

[long beach bronco]

Hey Dragondawg, that Leroy Hoard 53 yard against Denver in '99 was against Minnesota Vikings, me and my dad were at that game. Hoard ran right in front of us, everything was going in slow motion, I puked. We lost the game too.

[Mediator12]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

Haha, I'll PM you to catch-up in a bit.

I just watched the Patriots first half, I was out of town all last weekend.

I'll tell you what, the playcalling was ok, but the situational awareness was AWFUL against the best situation offense in the league. The hurry up offense NE ran not only made the defense tired physically, but mentally they were flat out non-existent.

1. They ran a zone dog away from the receiver strength and 2 guys were covering dead space and letting the TE Gronk catch a quick hot read and pick up 12 yards. That play would have been tremendous if they simply flipped it toward the strength of the formation. Mays blew the adjustment call.

2. 3rd and 15 they play man cover two. Safety Adams drops 30 yards with no receiver in a pattern to his side of the field. Instead of stepping up or inside he is still backpedaling when Mays misses Woodhead at the LOS. He was in NO position to make a play ANYWHERE on the field to stop a first down. Mays blows the coverage there as well, letting Woodhead get behind him on a third and long.

3. On Welkers TD, he fakes stalk blocking Harris and then runs an out pattern. Harris turns his head in man coverage and looks for the run! Welker walks in uncontested for the TD.

That's just few samples of the boneheaded lack of decision making skills DEN's Defense showed against NE. Guys blew coverages, the DL was playing read and react fronts way too much in the first half, the safeties were not playing situational football etc. We played stupid and reactionary way too much in the first half for me.

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by Mediator12

I just watched the Patriots first half, I was out of town all last weekend.

I'll tell you what, the playcalling was ok, but the situational awareness was AWFUL against the best situation offense in the league. The hurry up offense NE ran not only made the defense tired physically, but mentally they were flat out non-existent.

1. They ran a zone dog away from the receiver strength and 2 guys were covering dead space and letting the TE Gronk catch a quick hot read and pick up 12 yards. That play would have been tremendous if they simply flipped it toward the strength of the formation. Mays blew the adjustment call.

2. 3rd and 15 they play man cover two. Safety Adams drops 30 yards with no receiver in a pattern to his side of the field. Instead of stepping up or inside he is still backpedaling when Mays misses Woodhead at the LOS. He was in NO position to make a play ANYWHERE on the field to stop a first down. Mays blows the coverage there as well, letting Woodhead get behind him on a third and long.

3. On Welkers TD, he fakes stalk blocking Harris and then runs an out pattern. Harris turns his head in man coverage and looks for the run! Welker walks in uncontested for the TD.

That's just few samples of the boneheaded lack of decision making skills DEN's Defense showed against NE. Guys blew coverages, the DL was playing read and react fronts way too much in the first half, the safeties were not playing situational football etc. We played stupid and reactionary way too much in the first half for me.

Good examples, but they're just instances of a larger problem.

Cake and eating it too, imo. You want a thumper MLB? Need other guys that can cover. You want a pass rushing OLB? Need other guys that can cover. Now no one is ****ing left that can cover!

The only remedy is to sit in nickle looks with Von at DE and be light that way along with placing extremely low-pedigree players on the field against premier match-ups or to pop in a dime look and beg Ridley to take the ball uncontested for the first 5... which he did.

[Mediator12]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

Good examples, but they're just instances of a larger problem.

Cake and eating it too, imo. You want a thumper MLB? Need other guys that can cover. You want a pass rushing OLB? Need other guys that can cover. Now no one is ****ing left that can cover!

The only remedy is to sit in nickle looks with Von at DE and be light that way along with placing extremely low-pedigree players on the field against premier match-ups or to pop in a dime look and beg Ridley to take the ball uncontested for the first 5... which he did.

There are days I miss Al Wilson and this is one of them. He will forever be one of the most underrrated MIKE's in NFL history to me. Played with horrible DT's, still made a lot of run stuffing tackles. Played without a decent pass rush for most of his career, still covered slot receiver 30-40 yards down the field and MADE plays! Not many MIKE's like AL ever in the NFL, but he did not play on great defenses and will never get credit for the HOF caliber player he was for DEN.

I agree on the lack of interior coverage issues. I still think DEN has good outside CB's, but I do not trust the LB's and Safeties in either zone or man. They blow their techniques and make slow, stupid, poor situational decisions way too often. Can not do that against 4 of the top 5 QB's on third downs in the NFL and expect to win games.

[Requiem]

Thanks for your analysis, Med. Still waiting on your PM.