Defensive woes

@TomSilverstein
New from JS: McMillian takes over for Jennings in nickel

http://www.jsonline.com/sports...d&utm_medium=twitter

I wish I could say the return of Erik Walden will help but he plays OLB not ILB.

I would think that six draft picks on defense and bringing in several other free agents on the d-line is an effort to address the D. Salary cap issues with guys like CMIII, Jennings, etc contracts coming up means they aren't going to spend $10 million a year to sign a Brandon Carr, or the ridiculous amount Mario Williams got to sign a DE. Who, exactly, in the "cheaper free agents" did you think they should have signed?

quote:

Originally posted by noiropus:

Thoughts?

My thoughts ?

We need more whining. A little more finger pointing, some second guessing, a heap of hindsight, a dash of Monday morning QB and a pinch of "I told you so" to really bring out the stench of desperation from the hair-on-fire crowd.

Try again, this time like you really mean it

"The Green Bay Packers are the suckiest suck that ever sucked"

see how that just grabs the reader's attention ?

Tread lightly.

He might be able to bench more than you.

Concerns are there. But let's give this 3-4 games before we decide the defense is horrible. Eric Walden has had very good games against the Bears. He may be a welcome addition few are thinking about right now.

It's one game from a retooled defense and fans need to maintain perspective. It was frustrating to watch, but it's way too early to push the panic button.

I live near Philly and it sounds like I am on an Eagle's forum. The only difference is that they actually have something to bitch about. Their team has only won one championship. How many have the Packers won? It's only one game and the "doom and gloom people" are already coming out of the wood work. Get over it.

Also, when the Packers do win. Please do not feel good about the win. I think you are better fit being miserable.

what michiganjoe said. it's a journey. I don't think it'll all be uphill.

This defense. Listen, the fact that we have been squawking over a guy like Cullen Jenkins, hardly an all pro talent should let you know how lacking this defense is in talent. We have one great defensive player. The 49ers have 4. The young guys must develop if we are to have the chance to win the big oneone. Is that fair to them?

This year my main focus will be on the young guys. Really looking forward to watch them.

Replacing Jennings with McMillian continues the transformation, GL.

(I'm eagerly waiting for the Bush and Hawk replacements.)

It is a journey, but I wish at least one guy on D liked to hit and hit hard. I want someone who doesn't just bring a guy down, but someone who punishes the guy with the ball. Someone nasty. If they could find "that guy," I believe that attitude will infect the young guys and then we'll be on the way to having a great D.

Like Pakrz said in another post, the two guys you just described were let go - Muir & Hargrove.

Sure seems this defense was built to play Nickel and Dime... but that requires 2nd or 3rd and long situations as well as the offense scoring early and often to force the opponents hand. This had not happened consistently vs KAN, NYG, or SFO. KAN and SFO played ball control on offense with their run games and took away the vertical game from GB with their defensive play. The Giants forced turnovers to slow the GB offense.

This team revolves around the offense and that is McCarthy's bailiwick. He's very creative at times, yet very stubborn at other times. Time for him to play to what the D gives them and dictate from there.

VS the Bears I'd run power with Benson, Kuhn, and Crabtree in the backfield. The Bears can be run on up the middle or to the O's left. Then go underneath with Finley, Jones, and Williams. That will open up the occasional shot down the middle for Jennings or Nelson. Also, I'd think Green in the screen game would be successful with the way the Bears D pursues.

It's only one game but...

They looked better Sunday rushing the passer than last season.

They were gashed on the run.

They committed a few costly coverage blunders/missed assignments that resulted in big plays and/or points.

Hopefully House returns to his pre-injury level quickly and gets Bush the hell out of the starting and nickel/dime lineups.

Hopefully Mike Neal, who looked like a beast in preseason, returns Week 5 to give them the guy they need next to Raji and Pickett.

And hopefully McMillian makes strides this season at safety and gives them the physical presence they need back there.

quote:

Originally posted by michiganjoe:
It's one game from a retooled defense and fans need to maintain perspective. It was frustrating to watch, but it's way too early to push the panic button.

Who's panicking? I'm not panicking!

Defense sucks, offense sucks. McCarthy sucks. Fire him. Fire TT. Cut Woodson! Cut Hawk! Fire Capers. Trade Rodgers. Fire....EVERYONE! Demolish Lambeau. Change our name to the Green Bay Dum Dums. Cause we're dumb. And we suck.

It's hard to fix our short comings in one off season. Let's hope these young guys develop quickly so we can be respectable come playoff time.

Having Bush as a starting CB really says it all.
As poor as Shields has been, the reality is Bush just can't cover, anybody, and if he is your number #2 corner, you're in trouble.

Funny post bubbleboy

quote:

Originally posted by slowmo:
...or the ridiculous amount Mario Williams got to sign a DE.

Williams got a $100 million deal and had 1 tackle last Sunday. High priced free agents aren't always the answer.

A little unfair to think that guys like Nick Perry Jerel Worthy, Casey Hayward and the other first year players are supposed to step in and immediately transform the defense from sucky to great, don't you think??

The Niners are a good team, played well and took advantage of Packer Mistakes. An INT, poor clock management and a record-tying FG lead to 10 points that are NOT on the defense. Take away those and the Packers D only gives up 20 points...enough to win.

I will not believe in this defense until it does something well. Last year they got TO's and that helped immensely through the regular season. In 2010 they were #2 in passing defense, #4 in scoring defense and #2 defense overall. I am a believer that you can't fix everything at once. If they fixed a few things at once that made them good in one area, then I would be more optimistic. They just seem lost right now. I have my eyes peeled for improvement.

They seemed to generate a decent pass rush against a good O-line. That's improvement over last year (albeit one game so far).

Yeah, and Alex Smith was 20-26 for 211 yards. Alex Smith! Like I said, I am keeping my eyes peeled.

quote:

Originally posted by Shoeless Joe:
Like Pakrz said in another post, the two guys you just described were let go - Muir & Hargrove.

Injured Desmond Bishop too