carolina has a shitty defense

Well they sorta tried.

 

that's fair.
There are some good 3rds (Connor when he's out there, Godfrey, the DTs) to build on but they're short on really good talent that's healthy. I do imagine that will change, as I would hope would the FA situation to a point. At the least, roleplayers can come on along with DB depth.

Then again, think of 1sts and 2nds on the Chargers last year. They did better last year platooning spots and getting rid of some stars.

 

Drafts

2011 -
1st round: offense
2nd round: didn't have one
3rd round: McClain who has been pretty awful
3rd round: Fua, who has been passable at best

2010 -
1st round: didn't have one
2nd round: offense
3rd round: offense
3rd round: offense

2009 -
1st round: didn't have one
2nd round: Everette Ugh Brown
2nd round: Sherrod Martin has been decent
3rd round: How bad do you have to be as a DT to get cut by the Panthers? Corvey Irvin bad.

2008 -
1st round: offense
1st round: offense
2nd round: didn't have one
3rd round: Godfrey is pretty terrible
3rd round: Connor is ok when healthy

2007 -
1st round: Beason has been very good
2nd round: offense
2nd round: offense
3rd round: Can you imagine where the defense would be if it didn't have Charles Johnson?

2006 -
1st round: offense
2nd round: Richard Marshall was solid nickel back, but that's it.
3rd round: James Anderson was a late bloomer, but has been the D's second best player behind CJ.
3rd round: offense

2005 -
1st round: I don't remember Thomas Davis having a serious injury history in college.
2nd round: offense
3rd round: offense
3rd round: Atiyyah Ellison ended up being a waste of space.

2004 -
1st round: Gamble is decent.
2nd round: offense
3rd round: offense

2003 -
1st round: offense
2nd round: offense
3rd round: offense
3rd round: Ricky Manning Jr. was Marshall's antecedent

2002 -
1st round: Peppers might or might not make the Hall of Fame, and Hurney let him walk for nothing.
2nd round: offense
3rd round: I don't blame the Panthers for not matching Will Witherspoon's offer from St. Louis, but the reality is that he's still playing pretty well.


Do you see a pattern here? Now think about free agent signings on defense. The last big one I can think of was Ken Lucas in 2005. Am I missing someone?

 

THIS.

 

For comparison's sake, What did Fox's 2002 defense look like comparatively?

Grant/Minter second stringers. Cousin / Howard udfa i think.
Fields was a higher pick. MOrgan first rounder
Peppers first, jenkins second , buckner, al wallace

Cant believe i remember that.

Did i get it right?

 

This x100.

 

I've never seen a defense gouged like that in one half of football, ever. It goes way beyond gap assignments, effort and discipline. What a mess from your DC to your personel.

 

I remember hearing that talent was the issue when Marshall was DC too, and then Del Rio all came in and took it from worst to second, left, and most hear started ripping on him and shit like that. Saying he wasn't all that, and that we had a better DC with "x" guy, whoever was manning the spot.

Turning around a bad defense can be done. Good coaching does make a difference. We do need talent on the defensive side of the ball, no question there, but turning a soft unit into a hard hitting fundamentally sound group IS possible. Look at what Harbaugh is doing with the Niners, who didn't bring many new people in.

I mean...it is what it is...no pun intended. I hope Rivera learns, adjusts, and becomes a fine coach for the Carolina Panthers.

Fox would have this team in a better position right now, no question. Not much question he's far better than Rivera. But he had his issues too, and at times, it was unbearable.

He would never have Chud as an OC, for one thing. However...someone needs to reign Chud in. He's getting kind of awful in spots. And the lack of running at the right times and enough is beginning to reek.

 

It was. Jay Williams, Sean Gilbert, Lester Towns, Darren Hambrick, and Rashard Anderson were regular starters that season, while Morgan and Jenkins were in their rookie season. 2002 not only saw the addition of Peppers, but Mark Fields had a huge impact as a free agent signing. Add in the improvement from Morgan & Jenkins along with underrated performance from Terry Cousin and Reggie Howard, and the defense looked a lot different. Coaching and scheme absolutely mattered as well, but the personnel changed dramatically between '01 and '02.

Harbaugh has absolutely nothing to do with the defense, and the 49ers' defense is littered with former first round picks.

Awful? Come on.

 

Are you suggesting Marshall got a bum rap also?

Yes, awful in spots. 3rd and one and you pass deep?

I like Chud, but the man needs to be reigned in. It's a reasonable request. There were also spots of sheer beauty as well. Would you like me to include that for you? Overall, it was a well coached effort on his part, with spots where he just wouldn't run (or run enough) when it would've been prudent to do so.

I know you get hooked on someone and then they can do no wrong....but seriously....it needs to improve. Not a lot, but a little. Everything could stand to improve.