Is our pass rush better than last years ? so you think cam wake who had 5 sacks last year and a rookie in Koa Misi who had best year of 5 sacks in college is an improved pass rush over JT and Porter? Gibril wilson was terrible but to think chris clemmons is an improvement is a "guess" because neither one of us know this to be true. I think we did improve our middle linebackers with Dansby but that one addition does not make this defense improved from last years. Mike Nolan his defense started off good in Denver, but what happened towards the last hlaf of the year? So to say someone is an absolute fool to think the D still has lots of holes is a bit absurd.
It is without a doubt better than last years. Cameron Wake was an infinitely better pass rusher than Porter and Taylor. Man was that a bad combo of OLB's. Counting half sacks as whole sacks, Wake had 7 sacks, JT 8 sacks, Porter 9 sacks. Wake had 20 QB pressures, JT had 20, Porter had 11. Wake had 6 QB hits, JT had 4, Porter had 5. Very similar eh? Here's the catch, JT played 828 snaps, Porter 755 snaps. Wake? 167 snaps.... Wake was one of the best pass rushers in the NFL last year in terms of efficiency, and that was obvious to anybody who seen Cam Wake play last year. Another key factor, Mike Nolan. His blitzing schemes are much better than Pasqualoni's. Karlos Dansby is a very good blitzer, and Mike Nolan has no problem blitzing ILB's. Randy Starks adds pass rushing from the NT. I have no doubt in my mind that Jared Odrick will fill in nicely in passing situations, especially in the 4-3 looks. We got a lot of sacks last year, but we were by no means a good pass rushing team. Quarterbacks had days to throw the ball, even when they were sacked, they held the ball for a long time.
To answer the rest of the post. Gibril Wilson was terrible. To say Clemons is an improvement is a guess. But to say Tyrone Culver is an improvement is obvious watching the game tape. He's a solid safety who's always in the right spot, and limits his mistakes. Think Renaldo Hill. Nothing special, but gets the job done. What one of our biggest issues on defense last year? I'll tell you. LB's getting destroyed by Tight Ends. Dansby is great in coverage, as is A.J. Edds. Misi can cover. No more Crowder on 3rd downs. He can now focus on doing what he does best, playing the run. Tim Dobbins adds solid depth, and it wouldn't shock me if eventually he becomes a starter.
I won't say someone is a fool to think the defense has question marks. But I will say someone is an absolute fool to think the defense won't be better than last year. The defense does have question marks. But that doesn't mean those question marks won't become positives. As far as starters go, OLB will not be a question mark come season time, I can guarantee you that it will be a positive for us. I do worry about the depth there though. I also have no doubt in my mind this question mark of Starks at NT, will be quickly forgotten come game time. I've seen enough of Starks on tape to have no worries at all about him playing the position. Not expecting anything spectacular from FS, but am expecting solid play. I have no worries about ILB. I am worried a little about CB, but with Pasqualoni and his awful quarters scheme gone, as well as Davis and Smith with a year under their belt, Will Allen back, and Gibril Wilson gone, I'm not too concerned.
