Defending the Defense

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Harry

Harry

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He can, but it is still 5 on 4 which requires two players to beat 1-1 matchups on the same play and doing so in time to impact the passer. Nolen is only going to play around 60% of reps. How many of those reps are on downs where the opposing team calls a pass play? Josh Sweat's game high % of snaps was 67% so how many of Nolen's 60% will overlap with Sweat's 65% which will also overlap with the opposing team running a passing down on that play. So we start really getting down in the % of opportunities for two mutually exclusive events to occur.

This highlights why it is important to have a rotation of players who can win one on one matchups along the defensive front.
Hopefully Proctor will be a factor when Nolen’s on the bench. I think their style of play is similar. That’s not to say Proctor will be as effective, but if he’s the player the Cards think he is, he might shake things up.
 
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All the posters applauding Monti for cutting Tomlinson look really stupid now. "Save that cap space and sign a replacement!" Yeah, how'd that work out? My Cap Space jersey still applies.
My feeling was more Tomlinson is on the decline. He figured to decline more in 2026. He is just an anchor now. Let’s see how hard that is to replace functionally.
 

Stout

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My feeling was more Tomlinson is on the decline. He figured to decline more in 2026. He is just an anchor now. Let’s see how hard that is to replace functionally.
We know how hard it is to replace functionally, especially with a bad GM. Just like when we didn't re-sign Dumpster Dan.
 

MadCardDisease

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Failed so hard he got a $6 million contract early in free agency

If this is the guy you want to anchor the middle of your run defense I don't know what to tell you. Dude got knocked to the ground so many times last season that the turf started to charge him rent.


 

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If this is the guy you want to anchor the middle of your run defense I don't know what to tell you. Dude got knocked to the ground so many times last season that the turf started to charge him rent.


He played 555 snaps for us but I guess this one was bad so a franchise that’s gone to the playoffs three of the past four seasons got fooled.

Good point.
 

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He played 555 snaps for us but I guess this one was bad so a franchise that’s gone to the playoffs three of the past four seasons got fooled.

Good point.
There are actually two videos there, both showing him on the ground and allowing the Running Backs to score easily right up the middle. These were just the easy videos to find because they were TDs. Go watch the game replays and tell me he was good at stopping the run last season. I did, and Campbell was the only DT who consistently was effective at stopping the run for the Cardinals.

Feel free to @ me next season if Dalvin makes the Pro Bowl with the Chargers.
 

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There are actually two videos there, both showing him on the ground and allowing the Running Backs to score easily right up the middle. These were just the easy videos to find because they were TDs. Go watch the game replays and tell me he was good at stopping the run last season. I did, and Campbell was the only DT who consistently was effective at stopping the run for the Cardinals.

Feel free to @ me next season if Dalvin makes the Pro Bowl with the Chargers.
I’ll @you if Dalvin helps the Chargers go to the playoffs again while playing 40% or more of their defensive snaps.

He didn’t suddenly forget how to play football M’dude.
 

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There are actually two videos there, both showing him on the ground and allowing the Running Backs to score easily right up the middle. These were just the easy videos to find because they were TDs. Go watch the game replays and tell me he was good at stopping the run last season. I did, and Campbell was the only DT who consistently was effective at stopping the run for the Cardinals.

Feel free to @ me next season if Dalvin makes the Pro Bowl with the Chargers.
I think Dalvin was in line to make 14 mil in 2026 so to meet that he has to be slightly better than BJ Hill for the Bengals. At what the Chargers are paying him, he needs to be the equivalent to Khyiris Tonga.
 

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I know people disagree with this, but if Tomlinson outproduces Roy Lopez this year and the Cardinals do nothing with the 9 mil they saved in cap space, it was a bad move to release Tomlinson.

Dalvin played 2% less snaps than Baron Browning last year and had 1 less sack. Cutting bad contracts only works if you add better talent with the money. Monti has not shown an ability to do that at this point.
 

MadCardDisease

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I know people disagree with this, but if Tomlinson outproduces Roy Lopez this year and the Cardinals do nothing with the 9 mil they saved in cap space, it was a bad move to release Tomlinson.

Dalvin played 2% less snaps than Baron Browning last year and had 1 less sack. Cutting bad contracts only works if you add better talent with the money. Monti has not shown an ability to do that at this point.

I agree that the Cardinals should have added some better talent on the DL with the money saved from cutting him. I just don't believe that Tomlinson has it anymore from what I saw last year.
 

Chopper0080

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I agree that the Cardinals should have added some better talent on the DL with the money saved from cutting him. I just don't believe that Tomlinson has it anymore from what I saw last year.
I think Dalvin was overpaid in his contract. I think it is natural for a player above 30 to be on the decline. What I don't believe (and I understand people may disagree) is that his decreased level of play is equal or worse to the players that are currently on the roster who fill the NT role. TBD on that.
 
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