Quote Originally Posted by RG3forPrez View Post
Totally agree. Its 90% coaching to me. Anyone who says its injuries look at Green Bay. They have lost their starting running back, 2 best receivers, Tight end, their 2 best defensive players (Woodson and Matthews) yet they still win and convincingly. Sure they have better talent but they have double the injury issues we have. Its part of the game. I do think Fred Davis' injury was the dagger for our offense but IMO Orakpo and Carriker would not have changed the way this defense has played.
The thing is, Haslett was the coach last year too. I have trouble blaming the coaching when we have the same coordinator as last year (when our defense was solid). Now, to be fair, one could argue that Spanos was Haslett's crutch and that crutch was knocked out from under him.

In the end though, the biggest qualitative difference from this year and last is the safety play and the pass rush, both areas with serious personnel change from 2011.

Not too sure why you'd think losing Orakpo wouldn't change this defense? Is coaching the reason our pass rush fell off a cliff this year? Doesn't it seem more likely that losing 2 of our top 5 rushers is the difference from last year to this year?

The Green Bay comparison is interesting, but I don't really see it as apples to apples, at least offensively. Defensively, I'd have to know their roster a bit better before commenting.
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