Our D ? Is it me ?

[mailmanrobbie]

First off, my hats off to our D over the last few years. But, yes there is a but... It seems, every game, they play there butts off, making big plays after big plays, but when it gets crunch time, when we need a big play the most, we are a house of cards,letting crap QB's look like Studs. Its seems like we never get that big play, that big sack, like Trace Armstrong gave us. Is it coaching ? I don't buy they are tired. Come on, they could rise to the 2 minute drill.

 

[Jeep]

You know what... IF the offense could hold on to the ball a little longer each game.. IF the offense could score a TD and get the lead.. This defense would be awesome and everyone would be praising them..

But, given enough time... even the worst offense can find a way to move the ball on the best of defenses..

 

[paq7512]

Are D is phenomenol. We all saw the game. How bad is your offense when you are getting defensive tds. That is what lost the game for us. We would have been better off punting the ball instread of throwing it for an int. How sad. :shakeno:

 

[Ross]

First off, my hats off to our D over the last few years. But, yes there is a but... It seems, every game, they play there butts off, making big plays after big plays, but when it gets crunch time, when we need a big play the most, we are a house of cards,letting crap QB's look like Studs. Its seems like we never get that big play, that big sack, like Trace Armstrong gave us. Is it coaching ? I don't buy they are tired. Come on, they could rise to the 2 minute drill.

you are 100% correct. They play on their heels in those situations it seems. No unexpected blitzs, no nothing. Just don't give up the big play. That is the same personality it has had for years. Is it players or play calling? I think it's a little bit of both, but if you are going to get beat, at least make your team lose by playing agressively...

--Ross

 

[CrunchTime]

Here I am.I am Crunch Time.

BTW the big play the D gave up and got us beat was just bad luck.Poole got knicked on the play before and had to sit out at least one play.Wyrick replaced him and the Bengals noticed.So guess where the next offensive play went?Other than that the D was outstanding.

 

[BlitPhinFan]

Here I am.I am Crunch Time.

BTW the big play the D gave up and got us beat was just bad luck.Poole got knicked on the play before and had to sit out at least one play.Wyrick replaced him and the Bengals noticed.So guess where the next offensive play went?Other than that the D was outstanding.

I will give credit to Poole, he made an outstanding effort all game! But his comment on why he stayed down on the field with less than two minutes to go, really upset me. If I remember correctly he said he only stayed down because he thought Cincy called a timeout.

Now to me if you only stay down for that reason in the final two minutes, knowing your team could get charged a time out... you get your butt up regaurdless.

Perhaps he was playing it off trying to act like it wasn't a big deal that he got the wind knocked out of him, if so then why say what he said?

I'm not blaming Poole, getting the wind knocked out of you is painful, believe me I know. I had a few trips to the sidelines when I was playing because of it. But why say the only reason you stayed down, in the final two minutes, was because you thought the opposing team called a timeout?

Rookie mistake yes and I accept that, but I just have to question his clarification of the incident.

 

[CrunchTime]

I will give credit to Poole, he made an outstanding effort all game! But his comment on why he stayed down on the field with less than two minutes to go, really upset me. If I remember correctly he said he only stayed down because he thought Cincy called a timeout.

Now to me if you only stay down for that reason in the final two minutes, knowing your team could get charged a time out... you get your butt up regaurdless.

Perhaps he was playing it off trying to act like it wasn't a big deal that he got the wind knocked out of him, if so then why say what he said?

I'm not blaming Poole, getting the wind knocked out of you is painful, believe me I know. I had a few trips to the sidelines when I was playing because of it. But why say the only reason you stayed down, in the final two minutes, was because you thought the opposing team called a timeout?

Rookie mistake yes and I accept that, but I just have to question his clarification of the incident.

I didnt know he said that.If that is so he displayed a lack of judgement at least.

 

[Jaj]

They didn't try to stay and not get beat...

They blitzed on every play and it was contained with ease. It was basically Junior crashing at Eric Steinbach which is pretty stupid.

 

[BlitPhinFan]

I didnt know he said that.If that is so he displayed a lack of judgement at least.

Agreed, I need to see of I can find that quote again. It stuck out in my mind like a sore thumb.

Not to mention if it is indeed true, he needed but to roll 2 or 3 yards to the sideline and he would not have been penalized for a timeout. I just hope he was actually hurt(I don't mean I wish he was actualy hurt, just that it wasn't as benign as what he made it out to be) and playing it off to make it seem like he was being a tough guy, but I still have to question his decision on that none the less.

I chalk it up to a rookie mistake that most certainly can be corrected. He is a heck of a player, I can't take that away from him. Him and Madison kept Johnson and Warrick quiet almost all game. Though I was VERY concerned when Madison let Chad loose early one play to cover the under route and Freeman was scambling like a SOB to get there after the ball was misthrown.

And Freman wonders why he isn't starting. He's about equal to an old Brock Marion... always showing up late when a corner releases a WR on a deep route.

 

[Philter25]

Here I am.I am Crunch Time.

BTW the big play the D gave up and got us beat was just bad luck.Poole got knicked on the play before and had to sit out at least one play.Wyrick replaced him and the Bengals noticed.So guess where the next offensive play went?Other than that the D was outstanding.

exactly dude. Wyrick got beat on the pass. Poole was outstanding. Palmer would barely have 100 yards passing if he didnt complete that pass on Wyrick.

Our D was incredible and gave up 9 freakin points. Anyone who thinks our D is the problem is a complete moron and needs to watch our Oline.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

First off, my hats off to our D over the last few years. But, yes there is a but... It seems, every game, they play there butts off, making big plays after big plays, but when it gets crunch time, when we need a big play the most, we are a house of cards,letting crap QB's look like Studs. Its seems like we never get that big play, that big sack, like Trace Armstrong gave us. Is it coaching ? I don't buy they are tired. Come on, they could rise to the 2 minute drill.

Most people only remember the failures. The team won a lot of close games last year with a low scoring offense. That tells me that the defense held up most of the time. In addition, I'll point to the Indy game and both NE games where the defense put the team in a position to win and the offense couldn't get it done.

This issue doesn't get discussed with most defenses because most defenses have a larger margin of error. If Miami's offense scores a few more points and doesn't give up the score, we'd be talking about how the defense manhandled the Bengals and the late, meaningless score made the game look closer than it really was.

 

[Ohio Fanatic]

First off, my hats off to our D over the last few years. But, yes there is a but... It seems, every game, they play there butts off, making big plays after big plays, but when it gets crunch time, when we need a big play the most, we are a house of cards,letting crap QB's look like Studs. Its seems like we never get that big play, that big sack, like Trace Armstrong gave us. Is it coaching ? I don't buy they are tired. Come on, they could rise to the 2 minute drill.

That's why when we fire Wanny and Wise, we should throw in Bates. Get rid of the whole philosophy here and start fresh with someone like Cremmel or Weiss.

 

[bigmiamifan]

The D would be fresh, would better with a better offense, no doubt. However, the bottom line has ALWAYS been our D crumbles in crunch time. They did it 3 times at least last year, they did it the year prior. The main reason we choke late in the season is because the D folds. They played one year where they were on pace to set the least points allowed record, then like week 10, they started slowly folding and the Ravens D won that honor and we finished top 5 I think. I'm not sure why, but the D always seems to fold when we need them the most. We blitzed Cincy, so I don't think we played prevent. Maybe the offense is the key, but the offense tied the freaking game to get us to OT. The D folded on us.

 

[phinfoot]

exactly dude. Wyrick got beat on the pass. Poole was outstanding. Palmer would barely have 100 yards passing if he didnt complete that pass on Wyrick.

Our D was incredible and gave up 9 freakin points. Anyone who thinks our D is the problem is a complete moron and needs to watch our Oline.

he wasn't saying our D is the problem
what he was saying was absolutely true though, and it goes as far back as that crap monday night game against the jets
i love our D, but his point is valid

 

[BrettPKT]

First off, my hats off to our D over the last few years. But, yes there is a but... It seems, every game, they play there butts off, making big plays after big plays, but when it gets crunch time, when we need a big play the most, we are a house of cards,letting crap QB's look like Studs. Its seems like we never get that big play, that big sack, like Trace Armstrong gave us. Is it coaching ? I don't buy they are tired. Come on, they could rise to the 2 minute drill.

You're 100% right... great defenses play a full football game no matter what the circumstance... yes, they're on the field more than most defenses but coming up big in crucial situations is what seperates good d's from great d's. Look at New England's stop against the colts last year when they stopped edge on the goal line 4 times in a row...