coachdent
11-17-2008, 05:49 PM
Probably one of the few times I have addressed the defensive side of the ball here because my forte is offense. But I had to say a few things about Sunday and what I saw.
Here's the state of affairs that Rick Smith needs to understand very clearly....
FIRST: Mario Williams is one of THE most dominant defensive ends in football. He clearly changes the way offenses attack the Texans. As the Texans ran away from Dwight Freeney, the Colts ran exclusively away from Mario. Every time they ran to Mario's side, it was for meager gains and losses. They checked out of plays when he flipped to the other side and just would not challenge him. Well Ricky, you need to understand this and play defense around your lynchpin.
The vanilla 4-2, nickel defense employed by Smith that bent and bent and bent with the ferociousness of the cowardly lion was embarassing. To just sit back and let Manning pick you apart and rely solely on Mario Williams to provide pressure should have you walking to the unemployment lines fairly soon. One man cannot do it alone.
The few times the Texans blitzed, they did so in incredibly unsound ways. First, they blitzed each time TO Mario's side. Now I ask you...what the hell are you bringing pressure TO Mario's side when he is shutting down that side of the earth? WHY would you FORCE the Colts to run AND pass to the right side...AWAY from your premier pass rusher and run stopper? Are you serious? Funnel your pressure from the spot where you can't stop anyone Rick! Bring pressure over there and then they CAN'T keep the back in to double Mario, he has to pick up the blitzer.
Next, they caught a break on a blitz by Dunta Robinson..again to Mario's side. The back went to the one receiver side who was lined up tight. This was a third and short play too. Addai went out of the backfield and there was NO ONE there to cover him. I want to say that Bennett was playing zone and funnelled Gonzalez inside and then turned late to go with Addai, but this is just an unsound blitz. You are leaving Addai alone on the edge to at the very least get a first down and worst case scenario, score. Luckily, the pass was dropped, but that was a silly defensive scheme.
The other scheme did result in a touchdown as the Colts came back to the back out of the backfield. When you play vanilla ice cream cone defense, an offense can DICTATE where you line up. The Colts went trips left and that forced the Adibi to that side and left Demeco one on one with the entire right side of the field to cover the back. The Texans brought NO PRESSURE...suprise...and Demeco was forced to try to stay with Addai one on one. A mismatch to be sure with Addai against an outside linebacker, but against an inside/middle backer? Please. That is not even a contest. Addai walked past Ryan for an easy six whilst Smitty sat by watching along with the other zone players playing in the end zone to avoid the 40 yard bomb on the 23 yard line. For the Texans were in a defense called MAN UNDER there. Two safeties up top, to prevent the deep ball, and man-to-man with everyone else underneath. It was 3rd and 8. They went man-to-man underneath and brought no pressure.
I watched the Eagles game when the Texan game cut off and the Eagles blitzed like mad men and came from so many different directions it was unreal. They CREATED pressure and forced the QB to make quick decisons. I salivate for that kind of a defensive philosophy.
SECONDLY: Back to the 4-2 nickel BS. You cannot stand to play Peyton Manning and sit in the same **** defense play after play. You cannot sit there with two safeties playing as if the were playing deep centerfield at Minute Maid Park on the warning track. Yes Reggie Wayne is a bit of a deep threat. But Harrison is no longer. Clark is not a deep threat either. Marginally, Gonzalez is a threat deep, but he has been in a funk catching the ball. If you are forcing the Colts to go to Gonzalez repeatedly, you stand a better chance than to allow Harrison and Wayne free reign anywhere within 20 yards. Reggie Wayne ran a square in at 15 yards on 3rd and 15 for 20 yards. The play got called back for motion and then Reggie Wayne ran a square in at 20 yards for a first down. That sucks like no one's business and that is the business of the coordinator.
Another defensive set that just about had me destroying my beautiful 60 inch plasma was on ANOTHER 3rd and 18 play, Ricky had our fearsome, former all-pro linebacker LINED UP 18 YARDS DEEP AND DROPPING!!!!!!! They dumped a ball to the back and Demeco comes INTO the picture 2 yards short of the first down marker. He makes the tackle and the runner falls forward for a first down. If it were me? I would have turned to my defensive coordinator right there and said, "you're fired". Get the hell off my sideline. Get off of this field or I will have security remove you. Cause that is just SERIOUS STUPID.
Three field goals and a punt in the first half is more than admirable against the Colts. I'll take nine points at half. But THREE consecutive touchdowns in the third and giving up a 16 play field goal drive in the fourth that chewed up seven minutes of clock? Get out. Get out. Get out. That's 8 drives and forcing one punt and giving up seven scores. Putrid. 4 minutes of possession when the Texans were ball-controlling like a summama*****? Get out.
You can't expect our offense to put up 34 points in Indy. Defensively, you've got to come to the table with something more than we're just gonna hang on for dear life and hope they keep dropping balls.
Here's the state of affairs that Rick Smith needs to understand very clearly....
FIRST: Mario Williams is one of THE most dominant defensive ends in football. He clearly changes the way offenses attack the Texans. As the Texans ran away from Dwight Freeney, the Colts ran exclusively away from Mario. Every time they ran to Mario's side, it was for meager gains and losses. They checked out of plays when he flipped to the other side and just would not challenge him. Well Ricky, you need to understand this and play defense around your lynchpin.
The vanilla 4-2, nickel defense employed by Smith that bent and bent and bent with the ferociousness of the cowardly lion was embarassing. To just sit back and let Manning pick you apart and rely solely on Mario Williams to provide pressure should have you walking to the unemployment lines fairly soon. One man cannot do it alone.
The few times the Texans blitzed, they did so in incredibly unsound ways. First, they blitzed each time TO Mario's side. Now I ask you...what the hell are you bringing pressure TO Mario's side when he is shutting down that side of the earth? WHY would you FORCE the Colts to run AND pass to the right side...AWAY from your premier pass rusher and run stopper? Are you serious? Funnel your pressure from the spot where you can't stop anyone Rick! Bring pressure over there and then they CAN'T keep the back in to double Mario, he has to pick up the blitzer.
Next, they caught a break on a blitz by Dunta Robinson..again to Mario's side. The back went to the one receiver side who was lined up tight. This was a third and short play too. Addai went out of the backfield and there was NO ONE there to cover him. I want to say that Bennett was playing zone and funnelled Gonzalez inside and then turned late to go with Addai, but this is just an unsound blitz. You are leaving Addai alone on the edge to at the very least get a first down and worst case scenario, score. Luckily, the pass was dropped, but that was a silly defensive scheme.
The other scheme did result in a touchdown as the Colts came back to the back out of the backfield. When you play vanilla ice cream cone defense, an offense can DICTATE where you line up. The Colts went trips left and that forced the Adibi to that side and left Demeco one on one with the entire right side of the field to cover the back. The Texans brought NO PRESSURE...suprise...and Demeco was forced to try to stay with Addai one on one. A mismatch to be sure with Addai against an outside linebacker, but against an inside/middle backer? Please. That is not even a contest. Addai walked past Ryan for an easy six whilst Smitty sat by watching along with the other zone players playing in the end zone to avoid the 40 yard bomb on the 23 yard line. For the Texans were in a defense called MAN UNDER there. Two safeties up top, to prevent the deep ball, and man-to-man with everyone else underneath. It was 3rd and 8. They went man-to-man underneath and brought no pressure.
I watched the Eagles game when the Texan game cut off and the Eagles blitzed like mad men and came from so many different directions it was unreal. They CREATED pressure and forced the QB to make quick decisons. I salivate for that kind of a defensive philosophy.
SECONDLY: Back to the 4-2 nickel BS. You cannot stand to play Peyton Manning and sit in the same **** defense play after play. You cannot sit there with two safeties playing as if the were playing deep centerfield at Minute Maid Park on the warning track. Yes Reggie Wayne is a bit of a deep threat. But Harrison is no longer. Clark is not a deep threat either. Marginally, Gonzalez is a threat deep, but he has been in a funk catching the ball. If you are forcing the Colts to go to Gonzalez repeatedly, you stand a better chance than to allow Harrison and Wayne free reign anywhere within 20 yards. Reggie Wayne ran a square in at 15 yards on 3rd and 15 for 20 yards. The play got called back for motion and then Reggie Wayne ran a square in at 20 yards for a first down. That sucks like no one's business and that is the business of the coordinator.
Another defensive set that just about had me destroying my beautiful 60 inch plasma was on ANOTHER 3rd and 18 play, Ricky had our fearsome, former all-pro linebacker LINED UP 18 YARDS DEEP AND DROPPING!!!!!!! They dumped a ball to the back and Demeco comes INTO the picture 2 yards short of the first down marker. He makes the tackle and the runner falls forward for a first down. If it were me? I would have turned to my defensive coordinator right there and said, "you're fired". Get the hell off my sideline. Get off of this field or I will have security remove you. Cause that is just SERIOUS STUPID.
Three field goals and a punt in the first half is more than admirable against the Colts. I'll take nine points at half. But THREE consecutive touchdowns in the third and giving up a 16 play field goal drive in the fourth that chewed up seven minutes of clock? Get out. Get out. Get out. That's 8 drives and forcing one punt and giving up seven scores. Putrid. 4 minutes of possession when the Texans were ball-controlling like a summama*****? Get out.
You can't expect our offense to put up 34 points in Indy. Defensively, you've got to come to the table with something more than we're just gonna hang on for dear life and hope they keep dropping balls.