03-02-2017, 01:21 PM
Last year the d-line was a shell of its former self from what we've known over the past 5 years. We were awful at getting sacks (tied for 19th lowest at 33) , we couldn't stop the run (12th highest YPC at 4.4) and it looked like we were in desperate need of some young blood/re-tooling of the d-line. While the o-line has been the central focus around the forums (Rightfully so we sucked at that spot too.) the d-line is equally important to getting back into contention.
4.4 YPC is bad and imo the biggest knock against the defense last season and where the front office needs to begin its focus. If we can stop the run the rest of the defense will improve, other teams will have to resort to passing leaving more opportunities on the field to get sacks and it will take a lot of pressure off of the rest of the defense. Last year was too late to start looking for Peko's replacement and it should've begun a year sooner. Although I love Billings I'm uneasy about putting all of our eggs in his basket due to his zero NFL experience and now his injury. NT is too important at the moment to leave in the hand of Peko/Sims and Billings imo. I'd love to see the team cut Sims or Peko and sign Bennie Logan but that won't happen.
33 sacks was tied for 19th lowest in the league and I think that number will go up if the run stuffers get to work and bring down that 4.4 YPC but it was obvious to me it was more than that, we need to re-establish a true rotation again full of worthy players. In 2012 we were 2nd in the league in sacks and one away from being in a 3 way tie for first. That year the rotation looked like this...
Dunlap
Atkins
Geathers
Gillberry
Johnson
All of those players brought something to defense and contributed.The rotation kept them all fresh and put guys like Dunlap in a better position to make sacks. Gillberry and Johnson were better back then too.
Dunlap and Atkins are the center pieces obviously, Michael Johnson shouldn't be starting but would be a worthy piece of the rotation and Clarke has looked promising. I'd be willing to give him another year. Hunt and Gillberry are old news though and it's sad we're still working with these guys instead of moving on to a new investment. Maybe a rotation piece can be found in FA like Devin Taylor. We should keep looking for a stud DE who can rush the passer as good as Dunlap on the opposite side.
Overall I feel like the d-line is as big of a need as the o-line and our success this season is going to rely on improving both sides of the trenches drastically from last year. The o-line could be fixed but if the d-line isn't improved as well we are missing the playoff again. While the 2014-15 offense looked amazing until Dalton got injured I still think our best hope of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy is by having a tough defense.
4.4 YPC is bad and imo the biggest knock against the defense last season and where the front office needs to begin its focus. If we can stop the run the rest of the defense will improve, other teams will have to resort to passing leaving more opportunities on the field to get sacks and it will take a lot of pressure off of the rest of the defense. Last year was too late to start looking for Peko's replacement and it should've begun a year sooner. Although I love Billings I'm uneasy about putting all of our eggs in his basket due to his zero NFL experience and now his injury. NT is too important at the moment to leave in the hand of Peko/Sims and Billings imo. I'd love to see the team cut Sims or Peko and sign Bennie Logan but that won't happen.
33 sacks was tied for 19th lowest in the league and I think that number will go up if the run stuffers get to work and bring down that 4.4 YPC but it was obvious to me it was more than that, we need to re-establish a true rotation again full of worthy players. In 2012 we were 2nd in the league in sacks and one away from being in a 3 way tie for first. That year the rotation looked like this...
Dunlap
Atkins
Geathers
Gillberry
Johnson
All of those players brought something to defense and contributed.The rotation kept them all fresh and put guys like Dunlap in a better position to make sacks. Gillberry and Johnson were better back then too.
Dunlap and Atkins are the center pieces obviously, Michael Johnson shouldn't be starting but would be a worthy piece of the rotation and Clarke has looked promising. I'd be willing to give him another year. Hunt and Gillberry are old news though and it's sad we're still working with these guys instead of moving on to a new investment. Maybe a rotation piece can be found in FA like Devin Taylor. We should keep looking for a stud DE who can rush the passer as good as Dunlap on the opposite side.
Overall I feel like the d-line is as big of a need as the o-line and our success this season is going to rely on improving both sides of the trenches drastically from last year. The o-line could be fixed but if the d-line isn't improved as well we are missing the playoff again. While the 2014-15 offense looked amazing until Dalton got injured I still think our best hope of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy is by having a tough defense.
