The Official Defense Has Major Issues/Fire Jim Haslett Thread

Rak has been rushing the passer like crazy all season.

I have never said that he hasn't. He is playing out of his normal position though.

Like Ruhskins had stated in his post. It would be nice to see a base DLINE of Andre C at Le, Golston DT, AH DT, and Rak at RE. I am not saying that these guys are never on the field at the same time or that we havent seen this this season. BUT I would like to see what it would produce if it were our base Dline package. AH hardly makes it on the field, Golston is always out there, and I know Rak rushes all the time, but without the big guy in the center the pass rush has taken a major hit when it only rushes 4. Now we are sending 4,5, and 6 guys at a time and not really getting much in the way of sacks but giving up big pass plays. AND getting gashed in the running game. It just isn't working yet.

I guess it is frustrating when our Defense has "worked" the last few years and we had to go and change it to something that we just arent suited for as of yet.

Was anyone really happy with the D under Blache?

I mean it's not like we had the '85 Bears D or something.

It's so funny, seems like every offseason for years we would have at least one thread suggesting we should switch to the 3-4. We finally change and people are all up in arms. Give it time.

We don't need sixteen games to see that this ain't working and Haslett appears to be in over his head big time. It's not just a personnel issue, it's a coaching issue from what I can see. Can I prove that it's a coaching issue with stats? Hell no. Seventeen of the thirty two teams run a 3-4 scheme, yet we're making it look like algebra.

Do you remember when Spags 1st took over the Giants D?
They were horrid to start off the season but finished as one of the best defenses in the league.

NFL teams change every week as coaches and players make adjustements.
Should every team that struggles early in the season scarp everything?
Should the Texans scrap their defenses? Should the Viking scrap their offense?
Should the Pats scrap their defense?

Its too early.

Also, looking at the defense as the whole if you had to pick one major area of fault that's causing them to struggle what would you pick?
-Me i would pick the secondary. And guess what? They're the unit least effected by the change to a 3-4.
But, you're right in that the coaches need to look at what they're doing especially Bob Slowick.

Cut McNabb, bring back the great Rich Bartel, the only QB to lead us to a 4th quarter comeback win this year!

Was anyone really happy with the D under Blache?

I mean it's not like we had the '85 Bears D or something.

It's so funny, seems like every offseason for years we would have at least one thread suggesting we should switch to the 3-4. We finally change and people are all up in arms. Give it time.

I don't think anyone is (or at least I'm not) saying that we need to bring back Blache or that the defense from last year was the greatest (esp since they had Rak and Landry playing out of position). I just think that the 4-3 scheme is something this defense knew how to play, and there wouldn't have been as steep of a learning curve or personnel deficiency as there is now with the 3-4.

Honestly, at this point there isn't anyone can do, other than to hope that this team gets the 3-4 and is able to play at a good level to help us win games. I just still don't get why the team needed to complicate itself with this side of the ball, given the issues that offense has (and probably still has).

Obviously the changes we're making might not pay off in the short run, but they are changes designed to pay off in the long run.

Speaking of the devil....

The 3-4 defense is trendy in the NFL these days, but it's part a of cyclical fad that will revert back to the 4-3, writes TMQ. - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/100928_tuesday_morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl)

And consider the Washington Redskins. Using a conventional 4-3 with little blitzing, the Skins finished fourth in defense in 2008 and 10th in 2009. This year, seeking to "make plays" on defense, Washington switched to a blitz-a-rama 3-4. The Redskins are now last in the NFL in defense, and just surrendered 30 points to the hapless Rams. Not much of a testimony to the supposedly magical 3-4.

Best line...

Give me a 4-3 defense with good players over a 3-4 with poor players any day of the week.

Sure it's part of a cycle, but until offenses revert back to running the ball more, the 3-4 is going to stick around.

Let's just see how they do this week. Last week is done. And even though the defense got torched by the WORST team in the NFL, w/ a ROOKIE QB and it's BEST player on the bench, we've just got to be patient. But it's hard when the FO builds the team to win now. I expect the defense to play well against team like STL and Det.

Sure it's part of a cycle, but until offenses revert back to running the ball more, the 3-4 is going to stick around.

I wonder if this will ever happen given the big time media exposure of the NFL right now. Obviously the league has done everything to make the passing game dominant, and that's what seems to sell tickets and ratings.