Chadstroma
Footballguy
Not buying what? Are you saying Koonce played and Crosby and Wilkins are healthy? Or you telling me that all of that doesn't matter? I think either position would be hard to defend but I am all ears.Not buying it.No Koonce.... Crosby and Wilkins banged up (apparently Crosby pretty badly) with Wilson also banged up (though less of a concern but when you are already down one starting DE and the other is hobbled, it matters). Deablo out. Then lost Epps in game. That is a lot of key parts to the defense that were not there or not all there.The injuries are a factor. I don't think hope/motivation should have been a problem coming in to the game on Sunday though after the big fourth quarter comeback the week before. The Panthers took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field for a TD. After the offense went on a 97 yard drive to tie the game 7-7 the Panthers went right down the field again on the next possession to go up 14-7. The D got steamrolled pretty much from start to finish and they bear more of the responsibility for the loss on Sunday. That being said, the offense was bad too and I can't disagree with them being criticized heavily as well.Again, I want Getsy out but the biggest disappointment so far is definitely on the defensive side of the ball.
I think you are missing context with the stats you noted to preface this sentiment, namely...
- Injuries to key defenders, especially along the DLine - particularly to Koonce and Crosby;
- The mental/emotional debilitation associated with watching your offense fail for 11/12 quarters to open this season, after watching them suck all off/preseason. Hope is a powerful motivator and lack thereof is devastating.
Defense played like crap against Carolina. No doubt. Maxx is heart and soul. Save for a few gutty snaps when he seemed to elevate out of sheer will, he looked pretty hoveled and spent more time on the sideline than I can remember him doing in any game since his rookie year. I have heard ankle and knee, so unsure which it is, but it very clearly bothered him. One guy shouldn't make that much of a difference, but this isn't just any guy.
176 rush yards to the Chargers (316 total), 151 to the Ravens (383 total).
The defense has been a bigger disappointment than the offense.
Okay, that's not entirely fair. The running game on offense has been just as big of a disappointment.
The defense has shown, even without Koonce, that it was legit. But any defense that has it's two best players hobbled, arguably it's third best player out, a starting LB and an important Safety would struggle in most situations.