Should we be concerned with defense?

[chris98251]

The talent is there, we have speed toughness and depth, what we don't have is house hold names and player experience, that's what bugs people is the ability to identify with players and positions.

This side steps the real differences and aptitude between the set of players that yielded our best defenses (and one of the best ever) and the current one. Yeah, there's potential there and that's good. But the potential will be realized in season and I am not at the point where I think "Top 5 D, easy peasy". It could happen and I hope it does but I'm reserved on it.

Oh you want Guarantees on something that is about talent, opportunity, situations, luck and health and match ups.

All constantly moving, all needing experience and the correct call by a DC and the ability for all 11 guys to be on the same page and communicate.

You will never be happy until after the fact if that is your expectation, the NFL and each team is a constant moving target, if the answers were black and white and easily duplicated every team would look the same and do the same thing.

Good teams look for ways to take advantage of those teams that would rather duplicate and follow then innovate and lead like the Seahawks and Patriots.

I'm sorry that I need something, like meaningful games played to go on to form opinions. Must be nice not to need that.

I don't need something etched in stone to know that Pete has been successful with a defense every where and that's without question he has been, it may not be number 1 or number 5 every year but it is constantly improving and in the forefront of many statistical categories save for massive injuries.

I know that the sun will rise tomorrow, I don't need to wait for tomorrow to know that, I know that the road that I travel on will be there the next day and won't move, I know that Pete will make a defense work with whatever pieces he has available.

 

[mrt144]

I am not at the point where I think "Top 5 D, easy peasy". It could happen and I hope it does but I'm reserved on it.

Top 5 defense is a great goal, but with the resources we are spending on the offense over the last two seasons that would be a very unexpected surprise. If it were to happen then the team overall would be dominant and right in that 14 win/#1 seed NFC conversation.

Right now I have the 2019 Seahawks looking a bit like the 2018 version, #5-#10 offense and #8-#14 defense.

Oh yeah, its a great goal and it isnt an easy one to achieve but thats exactly what the team needs in my perspective to deliver the previous highs.

This might require a few generational talents on tap to do so and to me the fresh crop of players 3 years or fewer doesnt have that. Thats fine, this season is a chance to show everyone who has 'it' and who doesnt.

Again, I trust the coaching staff to raise dudes up, get them the technique, awareness, fire and communication needed to thrive. The raw talent just seems to be simmering, not a full boil.

 

[Largent80]

I think this coming training camp and subsequent 4 games are pretty important for the D. Especially with all the newbies and even 2nd and 3rd year players.

The dumb padless "practices" show a bunch of guys running around in shorts and t-shirts. It does NOTHING to help the team and this needs to be amended.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

You mention concern for the defense, the area of concern being the secondary, if there is a coach that can make things work in the secondary we have him, they loaded up to find best fits they will shake it out, much like Tre Flowers last season we didn't know who was going to be the guy really he was a Safety that was being converted.

Fans shouldn't be pessimistic about the defense. Pete is a really good defensive coach and we have potential at every position.

But how can people not be at least concerned? Key injuries sabotage teams every year and most of the rookies with potential never develop it. At this time of year the uncertainty is enormous.

Overall, I think there is some concerned optimism. We all assume Pete is a secondary wizard. But his results over the last 5 years really doesn't come close to what he produced in his first four. So was he that great? Or did we have a stupid lucky streak. Right now I don't think we have any safeties outside of McDougald who are even on Jeron Johnson's level. And he was our 4th string safety.

I hope he can make these rookies into more than what they were in college. They weren't great in college. I am concerned, because we can't keep taking 4th round dudes in the second, or 5th/6th round guys in the third/fourth. We took Delano Hill two rounds early and left Eddie Jackson and Desmond King on the board. We took Tedric Thompson two rounds early and left George Kittle on the board. What really good/great players did we leave on the board by taking Blair before the 3rd round? Or Amadi before the 7th.

Honestly, I could care less if I don't know what round these guys would have gone. The fact is, we fall in love with dudes and reach hard for them and leave difference making All Pro talent on the boards for other teams to scoop up. I'd rather some other team/sucker took these turds. The end result is, we take guys that are not great and they remain not great. If we 'got our guys', then basically 'our guys' are basically crap.

I hope that Pete makes these guys more than just the latest incarnation of guys we need to replace circa April 2021. Because our vision of what makes a good player in the secondary has been completely awful of late. And that gives me concern.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

You mention concern for the defense, the area of concern being the secondary, if there is a coach that can make things work in the secondary we have him, they loaded up to find best fits they will shake it out, much like Tre Flowers last season we didn't know who was going to be the guy really he was a Safety that was being converted.

Fans shouldn't be pessimistic about the defense. Pete is a really good defensive coach and we have potential at every position.

But how can people not be at least concerned? Key injuries sabotage teams every year and most of the rookies with potential never develop it. At this time of year the uncertainty is enormous.

Overall, I think there is some concerned optimism. We all assume Pete is a secondary wizard. But his results over the last 5 years really doesn't come close to what he produced in his first four. So was he that great? Or did we have a stupid lucky streak. Right now I don't think we have any safeties outside of McDougald who are even on Jeron Johnson's level. And he was our 4th string safety.

I hope he can make these rookies into more than what they were in college. They weren't great in college. I am concerned, because we can't keep taking 4th round dudes in the second, or 5th/6th round guys in the third/fourth. We took Delano Hill two rounds early and left Eddie Jackson and Desmond King on the board. We took Tedric Thompson two rounds early and left George Kittle on the board. What really good/great players did we leave on the board by taking Blair before the 3rd round? Or Amadi before the 7th.

Honestly, I could care less if I don't know what round these guys would have gone. The fact is, we fall in love with dudes and reach hard for them and leave difference making All Pro talent on the boards for other teams to scoop up. I'd rather some other team/sucker took these turds. The end result is, we take guys that are not great and they remain not great. If we 'got our guys', then basically 'our guys' are basically crap.

I hope that Pete makes these guys more than just the latest incarnation of guys we need to replace circa April 2021. Because our vision of what makes a good player in the secondary has been completely awful of late. And that gives me concern.

At safety, I might agree. It's a little rosier than "completely awful" at cornerback. Tre Flowers could prove to be an exception to your thinking. Akeem King had a promising performance or two last year. And Pete was smart enough to trade for Justin Coleman.

But yes, I've been feeling this way for a while - Pete's moxie at developing later-round defensive backs has been overstated. The Legion of Boom was a product of system, not talent. Guys like Sherm, Kam, and Maxwell didn't fall because they lacked ability, they fell because they lacked a fit in the NFL, or so thought the NFL. Pete found a place for them, the league followed suit, and today, those guys would be second-round picks at worst. The same hasn't been true of their safety picks in recent years.

 

[xray]

The overall rank for the Hawks defense in 2018 was # 17. Just league average. It's not necessary to have a top 10 defense to succeed and go deep in the postseason. The Chiefs proved that with a well below average defense last year. What they did have was an MVP QB and a high flying aggressive offense ; that seemed to score at will . If Carroll would open up the offensive playbook more ; Wilson and his offense should be able to compensate for most the shortcomings of the defense by simply scoring more points . I love defense but the NFL likes scoring. The Hawks have been leaving points on the table . Hopefully they will take the points off the table and put them on the scoreboard this season. Just my opinion. :snack:

 

[jammerhawk]

No hitting allowed, and minimum contact always has the O looking superior at this time of year. The injuries to a large number of key players has also delayed their appearance/or effectiveness at practice. These two factors have the D behind schedule compared to the O. Let's see what happens when the pads go on, press coverage is allowed, and the DLine can let 'er rip.

Not worried at all yet.

 

[ApnaHawk]

We won't have a top 5 defense but we will have a top 10 defense.

 

[xray]

We won't have a top 5 defense but we will have a top 10 defense.

Then the Hawks should make the playoffs easy ; if they let Wilson loose . IMO... :0190l: