When "Fisherball" goes bad...

Does it seem like if were trailing at any point we have to play "catch up", and force the passing game to take over? I'd like to take the lead and build a cushion for once this year. I know we were up vs. Houston, but that's because they actually suck at life. Seriously though, I know the Texans are a team on the rise, but are we going to be the team that replaces the bottom feeders of the league?

 

This is the softest Defense I have ever seen from the Titans/Oilers. That comes from Fisher and the Defensive Captains(we all know Bulluck is a talker, not a hitter).

Offensively, we are too predictable, we have no answer to the Blitz and we have nobody who can break a tackle. Our run game stinks, and our pass protection hasn't been good either. Our passing game seems like it takes too long to develop, nothing coming out quick, not much in the middle of the field, everything seems so difficult. I'd like to see more dump offs to Hall and CJ, to keep the LBs honest.

 

Well...

What you're saying sounds good, but we're ALREADY doing that. Frequently against the Steelers and Jets we had more blockers than they had rushers and they STILL got a free rusher to the QB...a few times up the middle and a few times off the edge. We are having protection breakdowns.

Case in point. On our last drive vs the Jets, they brought 2 guys to Roos's side and CJ was aligned on the opposite side (why they brought the extra rusher from the 'free' side). CJ easily had time to slide over which should have given us 2 blockers vs 2 rushers. Roos moved in between both rushers - confusing CJ as to who to take so neither blocked anyone. SACK. Game over. And for the most part, Roos and Stewart have been good, but Scott has been manhandled much too often, Mawae has been fooled and Amano is adequate but not great. Add in some missed blocks or poor communication between the OL and CJ and or Crumpler and we've had a mess. If we protect with 7 and they get a free rusher rushing 4 or 5...that's a big problem as the QB is under serious duress but trying to find a free wr in a 3wr vs 7 coverage defenders. With those types of numbers, they could double all 3 WR's and still have a deep S while getting to the QB in less than 3 secs.

We are having breakdowns all over the place and it has really hurt us. The surprising thing and perhaps somewhat uplifting is that even with all of these mistakes, we still could have beaten the Steelers, Texans and Jets and been 3-1 right now. We gotta start with eliminating mistakes and turnovers and we should be in good shape, but if our D doesn't get their act together and come out on fire, we could get blown out of the next 2 games and then big changes will happen.

Gut

 

At least Fisher has lowered the practice time and looked into parking assignments.


That should help right.

And no I ain't kidding, that's what he said in his monday press conference

 

3rd option...get a bit more elaborate and deceptive with the front 4 rushing schemes...more stunts, more overloads to the middle or one side. I've seen entirely too many Vanilla 'straight on' 4 man rushes which are entirely too easy to anticipate and block.

Plus it seems that the '4 man rush' defensive scheme was more or less schemed around Haynesworth. We don't have him anymore so we must change it up just a bit. We're stopping the run but not pressuring the QB. Which means we're filling our gaps, but not getting much penetration.

Agreed

That's gunna need to get fixed.

Agree totally.
I'm thinking overload one side with WRs, then send CJ out to the other side, and watch who follows him out there. They will most likely roll a safety over for over the top help. Any CB on the outside would most assuredly play off (if he doesn't CJ will torch him).

I mentioned in another thread...I think if Vince comes out and provides the spark the team needs to make them step it up, he need only be marginally better than(or even just as good as) Collins to be the better choice.

Yeah, I want to see Manning on the ground every single play. Rough his b#### arse up a bit.

Yep. But we'll need to get our CBs to play more press and man2man coverages. Though I'd be worried about Harper in those situations, Mouton and McCourty seem to have a bit more speed and energy to keep up with the WRs.

 

How bout with this pass happy offense, we try the oopty oop formation.

 

If you have a great defense, "Fisherball" works. Without a great defense, an exclusive running attack will not work. Hate to say it, but we are the division bottom feeders with no light to be seen in the tunnel.

 

that's the problem
Jeff is still trying to execute a system that he doesn't have the personnel for

which I don't fully understand
we lost an oft-injured, oft-winded DT and a KR, and a DC alot of us have been trying to run off for years
surely those players didn't have that much of an impact

 

this is some of the best written posts I have ever read. Hope the front office takes a peek!

 

Maybe so, but I don't see an air it out attack working with Collins.

Hope I'm wrong if we go that route. (Rather have Volek. )