Jeremy Green continues to write stupid stuff and get paid for it

Game 1 – Jags game – Mookie & Muir were starting DTs due to Ed Johnson’s game 1 suspension – hence the 4th down stop against the Jags – that was the first glimpse of how well that tandem was going to work, a harbinger of things to come

Game 2 – Miami game – Colts go back to default lineup based on reputation – Ed Johnson had his back to the O-line most of the time, not enough hustle and he stunk it up.

Soon, the Colts realized Mookie & Muir was the way to go for our run D and the rest is history. The only option Ed Johnson would have given us is being able to play pass down DT better with fewer minutes, we could have used him since Moala did not pan out and Foster was not consistent with his pass rush from the DT position. This year, I expect that to improve thus improving our pass rush from the DT position plus we have an extra 2 pairs of legs with Jerry Hughes and John Chick to rotate for the DE position as well. Our D-line play this year is going to be improved from last year which already showed enough improvement.

Another thing – if accurate QBs like Brady and Brees are going to take 2 or 3 step drops to nullify our pass rush, the only pass D for that is press coverage from our CBs, I hope the DC gets it there. No amount of pass rush is good enough when an accurate QB is going to take a 2 or 3 step drops.

3rd down D – 30th in 2007, dead last in 2008, dead last in 2009. Enough of the zone coverage on 3rd and (2-8 yards). Bring timely blitzes to take some pressure off the secondary and play press coverage from time to time to mix it up, and watch our 3rd down D conversions improve to below 40 percent from 45-50 percent where it normally lingers.

I wanted to teams to run on us inside the 5 instead of pass on us, I really did, as the season went on. It was nice to feel differently about playing D inside the 5 for a change, it felt good as a Colts fan.

It is a pity that when teams used pass plays with quick hooks and outs, the lack of press coverage at several times resulted in TDs or key 1st down completions against us.

Exactly what I was thinking. Both offensive TDs were pass TDs for Brees and then the Tracy Porter pick six. They had a 3 TDs totally with a 2 point conversion (22) plus 3 FGs (9) for a total of 31 points.

Sean Payton made the adjustments while Larry Coyer did not have the dogs to make the adjustment to mix it up without Powers and Hayden healthy while Lacey & Jennings played starter minutes in the SB second half. Lacey and Jennings are primarily zone corners while Powers and Hayden on the outside are the ones (both around 192 lbs) are capable of pressing hard enough, playing physical and disrupting timing.

Our recent draft picks in Jerraud Powers and Kevin Thomas, both who excel more in press coverage situations, obviously suggests a trend. But you need the personnel to play a combination of press and zone and mix it up (can’t play the same way all the time which we did). Otherwise, you will have a Jason David situation trying to play man coverage. If you do not have the personnel, and your best pass rushers available, blitzing would be the only option.

If you show press a couple of times, and Brees’ expects press coverage, you play zone and squeeze the zone. It was our conservatism that killed us in the SB (not letting Manning go for the kill with 1 min. 40 sec. to go in the half when he had done that against both the Ravens and Jets successfully in the playoffs, not mixing it up well enough on D and playing it too safe though we were strapped with health issues). If you remember, earlier in the game, Bethea played at robber-MLB depth on one play and almost picked the pass intended for Shockey in the middle but we never saw that defensive alignment again.