Game Thread: Seattle @ Detroit - Week 4

[Sharkonabicycle]

(or is it "they" scouts now??).

Boye Mafe looks okay. He's really raw, but at this point I'd rather march him out there over Taylor who looks completely lost in this new scheme. Nwosu has been the only consistently decent player on defense this year. I think the scheme switch was a poor move.

 

[blstoker]

I think the scheme switch was a poor move.

Let me preface this as saying that I don't care for the 3-4 in general, so don't take this as a defense of the scheme.

If they were going to make the switch, a year where it was expected that you are going to have a down year is the perfect time to make the switch. Now, the players are getting valuable experience and learning the system instead of just throwing away a year that you may have been competitive.

On top of that, the defense has actually started out better than the last 2 seasons. Or at the very least, right on par with the last 2 seasons - so it's not like running a known system netted better results.

Through first 4 games:

​	PPG​	YPG​	PYPG​	RUPG​	TOPG​
2022​	28.8​	428.0​	274.0​	154.0​	1.5​
2021​	25.0​	444.5​	292.5​	152.0​	1.0​
2020​	27.3​	476.8​	401.0​	75.8​	2.0​

 

[flyerhawk]

Let me preface this as saying that I don't care for the 3-4 in general, so don't take this as a defense of the scheme.

If they were going to make the switch, a year where it was expected that you are going to have a down year is the perfect time to make the switch. Now, the players are getting valuable experience and learning the system instead of just throwing away a year that you may have been competitive.

On top of that, the defense has actually started out better than the last 2 seasons. Or at the very least, right on par with the last 2 seasons - so it's not like running a known system netted better results.

Through first 4 games:

​	PPG​	YPG​	PYPG​	RUPG​	TOPG​
2022​	28.8​	428.0​	274.0​	154.0​	1.5​
2021​	25.0​	444.5​	292.5​	152.0​	1.0​
2020​	27.3​	476.8​	401.0​	75.8​	2.0​

When it is all said and done, it's about the players executing.

When the Hawks defense was all time great they ran essentially 2 vanilla schemes. But the team had so much talent it was able to out play the other side of the ball.

Too many fans think that schemes are the cause of success. Executing the scheme is what matters. And this team has not been executing the defensive scheme for many years now. Basically since we lost Early and Sherm.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Let me preface this as saying that I don't care for the 3-4 in general, so don't take this as a defense of the scheme.

If they were going to make the switch, a year where it was expected that you are going to have a down year is the perfect time to make the switch. Now, the players are getting valuable experience and learning the system instead of just throwing away a year that you may have been competitive.

On top of that, the defense has actually started out better than the last 2 seasons. Or at the very least, right on par with the last 2 seasons - so it's not like running a known system netted better results.

Through first 4 games:

​	PPG​	YPG​	PYPG​	RUPG​	TOPG​
2022​	28.8​	428.0​	274.0​	154.0​	1.5​
2021​	25.0​	444.5​	292.5​	152.0​	1.0​
2020​	27.3​	476.8​	401.0​	75.8​	2.0​

I mean I can't necessarily be that supportive of the recent numbers lol. I get it may be a slight improvement, but it's sprinkles on a turd sandwich....

Point being, not a huge fan of this 2 down lineman crap we were running, but end of day, Taylor, Barton, Brooks (coverage) appear to not be the answer... and if we're going to this wide 9 D or a 3-4 approach you need a stud nose tackle which the team failed to even attempt to acquire. The whole linebacker group seems to suck ass at moment so start Mafe and see if there's anything there...

I mean I get it's a new cast of guys, but our run D was one of the best in the league last year and is now one of the worst in the league at the moment. We're giving up 5+ yards per carry.

 

[flyerhawk]

I mean I can't necessarily be that supportive of the recent numbers lol. I get it may be a slight improvement, but it's sprinkles on a turd sandwich....

Point being, not a huge fan of this 2 down lineman crap we were running, but end of day, Taylor, Barton, Brooks (coverage) appear to not be the answer... and if we're going to this wide 9 D or a 3-4 approach you need a stud nose tackle which the team failed to even attempt to acquire. The whole linebacker group seems to suck ass at moment so start Mafe and see if there's anything there...

I mean I get it's a new cast of guys, but our run D was one of the best in the league last year and is now one of the worst in the league at the moment. We're giving up 5+ yards per carry.

Our run D was not great last year. It was 2 years ago that it was really good.

Replacing Bobby Wagner with Cody Barton is probably the biggest difference this year

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Our run D was not great last year. It was 2 years ago that it was really good.

Replacing Bobby Wagner with Cody Barton is probably the biggest difference this year

Our run D was great last year. We allowed < 4 YPC which was top 5 in the league. It was our linebackers who couldn't cover (and still can't) that was the problem. Now the defense just generally sucks lol.

 

[Screamin12th]

Personally I think he is just getting older there is no way you can expect a man to be as athletic at age 34 as he was at 24. Especially after 10 years being in the league getting hit and recovering from injury.

Yeah but he also is like 220+ pounds and needs to go back to like 208, imagine being 5 foot 10 and 220 plus pounds lmao

Quickness is something you can hold onto longer but speed and durability fade with age.

 

[Screamin12th]

Congratz on Penny's Fedex Ground player of the week award. Still think he should have got NFC Offensive player of the week award over Geno. QB will always win over a RB though which is dumb.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Congratz on Penny's Fedex Ground player of the week award. Still think he should have got NFC Offensive player of the week award over Geno. QB will always win over a RB though which is dumb.

Geno's stat line was pretty ridiculous as well, though. Almost 400 yards (ground + air), 3 TDs, and a near 80% completion rate. Yah that'll generally take it over a RB with a couple TDs and 100+ yards although Penny's final TD did clinch the game. And I get Jared Goof posted something similar, but a lot of it was in garbage time.

It's close. Both had good games.... this defense though has seriously gotta fix WTF is going on. For the Lions with as many offensive injuries as they had to post 45 points and require Geno/Penny to continue rattling off #s is pretty ridiculous. Our entire linebacker crew is horrible lol... I get some of the growing pains in the secondary with the Adams injury and starting some rookies, but the linebackers (outside of Nwosu) look atrocious. I'd bench Taylor for Mafe at this point. And Cody Barton (despite probably clinching the Denver game for us) does NOT belong on the field as a starter.

 

[blstoker]

Our entire linebacker crew is horrible lol... I get some of the growing pains in the secondary with the Adams injury and starting some rookies, but the linebackers (outside of Nwosu) look atrocious. I'd bench Taylor for Mafe at this point. And Cody Barton (despite probably clinching the Denver game for us) does NOT belong on the field as a starter.

At this point, I'm pretty sure everyone knows your opinion about the linebackers.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

At this point, I'm pretty sure everyone knows your opinion about the linebackers.

Stoker, I will murder you where you sleep....

 

[Anointed One]

Stoker, I will murder you where you sleep....

Can't tell me there isn't a better LB on the market than C. Barton? Or even on someone's practice squad for that matter... Cody Barton has easily been the worst player on our defense so far this year...

2022 NFL Free Agents Tracker

Tracking the status and signings of all 2022 NFL free agents.

www.spotrac.com

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Anointed the rest of the fanbase would rather march your unathletic ass out there with the attempt to contribute.

 

[Anointed One]

Anointed the rest of the fanbase would rather march your unathletic ass out there with the attempt to contribute.

 

[Screamin12th]

Can't tell me there isn't a better LB on the market than C. Barton? Or even on someone's practice squad for that matter... Cody Barton has easily been the worst player on our defense so far this year...

2022 NFL Free Agents Tracker

Tracking the status and signings of all 2022 NFL free agents.

www.spotrac.com

In a 4-3 the single middle Linebacker rarely covers, in a 3-4 the two middle linebackers often cover.

This is what I have been saying, Seattle doesn't have the personal to run a 3-4. Brooks can't cover either so it's not just Barton. Barton and Brooks are missing way to many tackles and when they ARE tackling people they are 5 to 10 yards down the field. Barton is a fine Back-up and is a solid back-up 4-3 Middle linebacker and he has proven that over the years but the 3-4 scheme is a different beast and puts a lot more on the tables for middle linebackers. This is NOT what these two ( Barton and Brooks ) had been learning and there will be MASSIVE growing pains. We are seeing those growing pains right now but the sad truth is I don't think either Brooks OR Barton are suited for a 3-4 defense and they were drafted to play a 4-3 defense NOT a 3-4.

About a week ago or so I said I would draft a linebacker or 2, I meant that as we need the right fit for a 3-4 and right now we don't have it. I would also draft a DT or 2.

The switch to a 3-4 did NO ONE on this defense any favors. I feel Clint might not be at all suited DC of this team and the only reason they switched to a 3-4 was thats what he knows the best even after working under Norton in a 4-3.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

In a 4-3 the single middle Linebacker rarely covers, in a 3-4 the two middle linebackers often cover.

This is what I have been saying, Seattle doesn't have the personal to run a 3-4. Brooks can't cover either so it's not just Barton. Barton and Brooks are missing way to many tackles and when they ARE tackling people they are 5 to 10 yards down the field. Barton is a fine Back-up and is a solid back-up 4-3 Middle linebacker and he has proven that over the years but the 3-4 scheme is a different beast and puts a lot more on the tables for middle linebackers. This is NOT what these two ( Barton and Brooks ) had been learning and there will be MASSIVE growing pains. We are seeing those growing pains right now but the sad truth is I don't think either Brooks OR Barton are suited for a 3-4 defense and they were drafted to play a 4-3 defense NOT a 3-4.

About a week ago or so I said I would draft a linebacker or 2, I meant that as we need the right fit for a 3-4 and right now we don't have it. I would also draft a DT or 2.

The switch to a 3-4 did NO ONE on this defense any favors. I feel Clint might not be at all suited DC of this team and the only reason they switched to a 3-4 was thats what he knows the best even after working under Norton in a 4-3.

Agreed with everything.