What Makes Our Defense So Good?

[Crimson Warrior]

The color guy for last weeks game alluded to it, but I honestly had the same thought after the week one win.

One of the great things about our defense is that we have a potential superstar at each level. Defensive line (CC), linebacker (D Wash), and secondary (I'll say PP).

So what? you may say.

I think it goes back to the old saw about great players making the players around them better. You put a serviceable/good linebacker like Lenon next to D-Wash, and all of a sudden Paris is a wrecking machine.

I think its at least one reason why our is player at a near elite level. We're getting big plays and good overall performance from all three defensive levels. If we stay healthy,I'm not sure that an opposing teams will be able to identify a weak point that they can consistently exploit.

Anyway. Just thought I would throw that out there. I'm sure there are a lot of other reasons why defense is playing so well.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

One heartbeat.

 

[WildBB]

The color guy for last weeks game alluded to it, but I honestly had the same thought after the week one win.

One of the great things about our defense is that we have a potential superstar at each level. Defensive line (CC), linebacker (D Wash), and secondary (I'll say PP).

So what? you may say.

I think it goes back to the old saw about great players making the players around them better. You put a serviceable/good linebacker like Lenon next to D-Wash, and all of a sudden Paris is a wrecking machine.

I think its at least one reason why our is player at a near elite level. We're getting big plays and good overall performance from all three defensive levels. If we stay healthy,I'm not sure that an opposing teams will be able to identify a weak point that they can consistently exploit.

Anyway. Just thought I would throw that out there. I'm sure there are a lot of other reasons why defense is playing so well.

Good observation. I'm of the opinion that Lenon is way undervalued here. He WAS a huge reason we won that week one game vs. a sound Seattle squad. He's been put on the trash heap heap considerably here.

 

[52brandon]

not just talent, but discipline and the desire to win, not just for themselves, but for their team

 

[THESMEL]

speed

 

[Jetstream Green]

What makes them so good is that they are scary fast at all the positions, throw in all of Horton's exotic schemes and it is near impossible to find a weak spot that is valid for a whole length of a play. These guys are just going to get better too.

 

[Jetstream Green]

speed

again, this!

 

[snowthedirtbub]

Young talent combined with seasoned veterans dedicated to the team (Wilson Dockett).

 

[DeAnna]

not just talent, but discipline and the desire to win, not just for themselves, but for their team

I agree. In the past they've had good players, but the overall culture of the organization is what's changed. Plus a few good, well paid coaches

 

[A fan who cares]

What makes this defense so good is not only because we have stars all over the place.

Horton uses the scheme that best utilizes each player.

We also have a GREAT backup defense with Holliday, Eason, Carter, Flemming, Groves, AND Walker! Even the unused back ups in this defense have big roles to play in certain situations like Special teams. Adams, Bradley, R. Johnson and Bethel are very good at coverage in our ST.

I believe Ron Wolfley said it best. When you face elite guys like CC and DD for a few snaps, then you get Holliday and Eason who are fresh, rested, and experienced. Then after them, you have CC and DD again who are rested. By that time, the same opposing O-line is tired against facing rested guys.

Don't forget Dumpster Dan and David Carter who can blow up your interior line. Let's just look at the personnel in our defense. Just look at the names.

Adrian Wilson. May be 'over the hill' but he's still a beast and can cover or blitz anyone.
Kerry Rhodes. Excellent cover safety. Tackles and shuts you down.
Patrick Peterson. Still young guy but can play better than most veterans in this league, and he's only getting better. Don't punt to him.
William Gay. His name doesn't strike fear into anybody, but that's where he's got you. Don't underestimate him.

Daryl Washington. Fast, a sure tackle, can cover, can blitz, can make plays and do anything.
Paris Lenon. Another underestimated name, got two sacks against Tom Brady, perfect for this D's SILB.
Sam Acho. Another young player, but can put pressure anytime he's called. QB's know who he is.
O'Brien Schofield. Still a work in progress, but even with all the other LB's in this group, things will open up to him.
Quentin Groves. You heard about him last week? My guess is he's just getting started. Just when one of the other OLB's are resting, this guy is gunna be ready to pressure you.

Darnell Dockett. A proven pass rushing beast. Demands the double team.
Calais Campbell. Defensive player of the week? His 6'8'' frame can get to QB's and block kicks.
Dan Williams. Good luck putting one guy to block him, unless you don't want to have a running game.
David Carter. The other side of the coin of D. Williams. Don't single team him unless you want passing game.

All these names should strike fear into any Offensive coordinator. ANY and ALL of them, even the backups can make a play at any given play, any given Sunday. That's what makes us so good.

 

[motion3]

Dockett, Campbell, and Williams setting the stage up front has really helped.

 

[Bodha]

#1A - Horton. He puts us in the perfect scheme so our guys are already in the best position to succeed.

#1B - D line. CC, Dan and Dockett have been unreal thus far. Pro bowls for both CC and Dock easy. We were getting pressure on Brady without blitzing, it was just Dline pressure.

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#2A - Secondary. PP is playing awesome. KR and AW are both super sharp. I dont like him, but William Gay has at least been doing better than expected.

#2B - LBs. All of them. Acho, Paris, DWash and Groves (unfortunatley, I think Obrien may finally have struck out.)

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#3 - The offense. Is doing better at keeping the D off the field and getting them a breather. Everytime they come back out, they are fresh.

 

[D-Dogg]

One of the great things about our defense is that we have a potential superstar at each level. Defensive line (CC), linebacker (D Wash), and secondary (I'll say PP). .

I drafted each of them in our IDP keeper fantasy league. Pretty damn happy about that. Young and bad-ass.

 

[Garthshort]

Doesn't seem to have a weak link. And hopefully, we should continue to improve.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

What makes this defense so good is not only because we have stars all over the place.

Horton uses the scheme that best utilizes each player.

We also have a GREAT backup defense with Holliday, Eason, Carter, Flemming, Groves, AND Walker! Even the unused back ups in this defense have big roles to play in certain situations like Special teams. Adams, Bradley, R. Johnson and Bethel are very good at coverage in our ST.

So you're saying we have good depth on the defensive side of the ball?

Great point.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Good observation. I'm of the opinion that Lenon is way undervalued here. He WAS a huge reason we won that week one game vs. a sound Seattle squad. He's been put on the trash heap heap considerably here.

He may be old, but I saw a close up of him during the NE game, and the dude is absolutely ripped. Also, he plays with the same kind of smoldering anger that AW does.

Agree that Lenon has been part of the solution, not part of the problem.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

One heartbeat.

Some things/people I will never forget even if I live to be 100.

"One heartbeat" is one of them!

 

[Duckjake]

Our defense has been so good because the personnel is perfect for defense in the Red Zone. If you will notice opponents move the ball on our D fairly well between the 20s. But for whatever reason opposing offenses struggle inside the twenty. It could be because we use our bigger guys making it harder to run, Wilson has even more impact because he doesn't have a lot of ground to cover and finally because of the havoc the Cards cause other teams FG kickers.

We are currently 5th in scoring defense but 13th in yards allowed.

 

[Capital Card]

They play Fast and Physical. Most teams are one or the other (or just terrible). Not a lot are both.

I love watching them. Probably the best Defense since we had that "winner" in town.

Go Cards!!!

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Game specific schemes and the talent to deliver. What you do best, they'll take away.

 

[Jetstream Green]

It is almost impossible to score on our D in the redzone because again of the speed. Even if a guy totally screws up and is out of position, with this team speed and the shorten field, another guy is able to plug the space quick in the passing zones.

 

[JeffGollin]

A few years back, when we were running a hybrid defense while we transitioned from a 4-3 to a 3-4, I fantasized that, ideally, our DC would put 11 interchangeable guys on the field - all 6-3, 260+ pounds, speed under 4.6, could stop a Mack truck in its tracks. From down to down, our mad scientist DC would then move these guys around like 11 chess-pieces, with the SS moving up to play Mike, no DL's and 7 LB's, a DE moving deep to play safety or whatever. And with all kinds of false looks to disguise each man's assignment.

"Nah!" I figured. "There have to be a bunch of reasons why this would prove to be impractical."

But the philosophy behind that seems to be close to what Ray Horton is doing. No, I don't expect to see Dan Williams covering DeSean Jackson one-on-one, but I believe Ray has dropped Calais back into zone coverage more than once.

Welcome to Maestro Horton's "Mix & Match" defensive concoction.

We've been quietly acquiring the right kind of defensive talent to make it work. Certainly, bringing in super star individuals has helped; but it's the kind of athletes Horton's been adding overall that is making his system work - big, fast, smart, physical, versatile.

 

[CardLogic]

A lot of good comments already in this thread. But there is one that hasn't been mentioned, that is being mentioned by the players themselves. (See the Calais Campbell interview by Damien Anderson on the Cardinals website.)

TRUST.

Do your job, trust that the other guy(s) going to do his and execute. These guys trust one another. So they are not trying so hard to make plays, as they are allowing the plays to come to them. There is not a glaring weakness anywhere with this defense.

I'd want the Birdgang to have my back in a dogfight anyday!!