04-26-2019, 06:07 PM
Most of the defense that finished 2017 ranked 16th in points and 18th in yards were back for 2018 when they finished 30th and 32nd respectively. And yes there are most certainly holes to fill on defense. However, the biggest reason I saw for that fall off the cliff was Teryl Austin as the DC who couldn't coordinate his way out of a wet paper bag, let alone an NFL defense.
Austin "led" them to 3 straight games giving up over 500 yds, and two more games where they gave up over 480 yds. Only one game that he was the DC did the defense hold their opponent to less than 300 yds and that was 297 against Miami (not exactly an offensive juggernaut).
Meanwhile, once Austin was shown the door, the Defense in the 7 games that followed, allowed one 400+ yd game (to the Ravens that first week with a debuting Lamar Jackson), and held both the Chargers (a good offense) and the Raiders (a not so good offense) under 300 total yards.
My point is, while the D absolutely needs some new blood infused into it, the BIG problem with the D was solved Nov 12th, 2018. Austin was a liability, and once he was removed the D started to at least resemble a defense again.
They should go out and get a LB or two, a CB, and maybe some D-line help as well, but the pieces are there of a solid D. When the guy calling plays is wildly inept (as Austin was) there isn't much the players can do to overcome bad scheming. As long as Amarumo is at a minimum a competent DC, the D by nature of Austin just being gone, should be improved.
Austin "led" them to 3 straight games giving up over 500 yds, and two more games where they gave up over 480 yds. Only one game that he was the DC did the defense hold their opponent to less than 300 yds and that was 297 against Miami (not exactly an offensive juggernaut).
Meanwhile, once Austin was shown the door, the Defense in the 7 games that followed, allowed one 400+ yd game (to the Ravens that first week with a debuting Lamar Jackson), and held both the Chargers (a good offense) and the Raiders (a not so good offense) under 300 total yards.
My point is, while the D absolutely needs some new blood infused into it, the BIG problem with the D was solved Nov 12th, 2018. Austin was a liability, and once he was removed the D started to at least resemble a defense again.
They should go out and get a LB or two, a CB, and maybe some D-line help as well, but the pieces are there of a solid D. When the guy calling plays is wildly inept (as Austin was) there isn't much the players can do to overcome bad scheming. As long as Amarumo is at a minimum a competent DC, the D by nature of Austin just being gone, should be improved.
