The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Just think - a couple more holding calls, and MB could have had himself a 300 yard day!

In the NFC, only the Packers, Lions, and 49ers are giving up more points that our D

Compared to 2004 (16.6) we are averaging 24.4 points given up per game. In 2005 it was 18.3.

We are averaging 20.0 per game on offense...2 points off last season, and we are getting NO HELP from the defense in turnovers and short fields to work with, otherwise those numbers would be better. No picks, not many three and outs from our D giving us reasonable field position. This is a big key to the overall success of an offense.

Brunell is actually having a decent year so far statistically, 5th in the NFC with a 90.4 rating just behind Brees and Eli Manning.

But stats don't tell the whole story, and Brunell does tend to be off and on...but that may also have a lot to do with the O-line, which by the way has not been exactly star stuck so far this season. Portis is ranked 14th among RB's in the NFC.....so should we bench Portis too?

CLEARLY, our biggest problem here is DEFENSE....every area....D-line, LB's and secondary have all played poorly. Next would be the play of our O-line, the engine of any offense. If you can't run the ball, and you can't pass protect, you aren't going to be successful. Period. Why is this so hard for some to understand.

RayNAustin wrote:In the NFC, only the Packers, Lions, and 49ers are giving up more points that our D

Compared to 2004 (16.6) we are averaging 24.4 points given up per game. In 2005 it was 18.3.

We are averaging 20.0 per game on offense...2 points off last season, and we are getting NO HELP from the defense in turnovers and short fields to work with, otherwise those numbers would be better. No picks, not many three and outs from our D giving us reasonable field position. This is a big key to the overall success of an offense.

Everything you say is true, but it works both ways. The defense might create more turnovers and give better field position if the offense would produce fewer three-and-outs. Not only is energy-draining, but confidence-draining to have to go back out there when you just sat down. One might say that the defense is getting NO HELP from the offense. I'd be interested to see where the offense falls statistically in the league for three-and-outs and total plays.

Like most, I've been VERY disappointed in the defense this year, but I think the poor play is much more glaring because we're not scoring points. The last couple of years, when the defense would play well, the offense would play not very well, and we'd win, we'd be happy and say 'Boy, the offense needs to step it up'. Now that the defense is not playing well, they get all the focus because they're not winning the game for us. It seems unfair to place most of the blame on them, simply because they're not carrying us like they used to.

Right now, the whole team isn't playing well. If the defense plays lights out against the Colts, so we still win? Maybe, maybe not. BOTH sides of the ball need to improve if we want to play consistently good ball.