THERE SHOULD BE NO PANIC

[Allstarjim]

Let's recap what happened last year to our defense:

 

We lost Aaron Ross before the season started.... he was never the same all year.

 

We lost Jay Alford before the season started, for the entire season... a player that was emerging and looked like a potential star DT.

 

We lost Kenny Phillips for the year week 2.

 

Justin Tuck was injured week 2 as well, and was never the same all year.

 

Osi was not completely back from his knee injury.

 

Chris Canty injured his hamstring before the seaon started and didn't get right until late in the season.

 

We lost Boley for the start of the year, and he missed significant time to injury.

 

That is 7 starters that we either lost completely, were playing at diminished effectiveness because of injury, or missed significant time.

 

Am I missing anyone? I know we lost Michael Johnson for awhile, too, and were starting Rouse and CC Brown at the safety spots. Yikes.

 

 

I know injuries happen. I know players play hurt on every team. But injuries usually don't happen in this quantity, to this many key players on one side of the ball. It wasn't just the number of injuries, it was WHO was getting injured. You simply don't recover as a defense when that many of your key, core players get injured.

 

I remain not only confident, but excited to see this defense get healthy and play together.

 

It will be a challenge to get through to week 1 with everyone healthy... and an even bigger challenge to stay that way throughout the season... but if we just get a little lucky, this defense can really improve fast.

 

We just got one of the better safeties in the NFL! Can you imagine Rolle and Kenny Phillips back there together? And Webster, Terrell Thomas, and Aaron Ross as the cornerbacks?

 

Can you imagine Alford reeking havoc in the middle? A healthy Tuck dominating? A stronger and motivated Osi swimming past the LT? Canty getting healthy and using his 6'6" frame and long arms to disrupt the QB? Michael Boley staying on the field for 16 games? And what if Sintim actually becomes the player everyone thinks? What if we get real lucky and can draft Rolando McClain to step in and be the beast in the middle of this linebacking corps? Even if we don't get him... I'm not worried! This defense is going to be a problem for some teams to handle if they can just stay on the field... and this time, we have a DC that is seasoned, and knows what he is doing. Great hire by Coughlin to get Fewell in the fold.

 

It's time to sit back and enjoy the draft knowing that no matter what happens, we are going to have a team to contend with next season.

[JackStroud]

Let's recap what happened last year to our defense:

 

We lost Aaron Ross before the season started.... he was never the same all year.

 

We lost Jay Alford before the season started, for the entire season... a player that was emerging and looked like a potential star DT.

 

We lost Kenny Phillips for the year week 2.

 

Justin Tuck was injured week 2 as well, and was never the same all year.

 

Osi was not completely back from his knee injury.

 

Chris Canty injured his hamstring before the seaon started and didn't get right until late in the season.

 

We lost Boley for the start of the year, and he missed significant time to injury.

 

That is 7 starters that we either lost completely, were playing at diminished effectiveness because of injury, or missed significant time.

 

Am I missing anyone? I know we lost Michael Johnson for awhile, too, and were starting Rouse and CC Brown at the safety spots. Yikes.

 

 

I know injuries happen. I know players play hurt on every team. But injuries usually don't happen in this quantity, to this many key players on one side of the ball. It wasn't just the number of injuries, it was WHO was getting injured. You simply don't recover as a defense when that many of your key, core players get injured.

 

I remain not only confident, but excited to see this defense get healthy and play together.

 

It will be a challenge to get through to week 1 with everyone healthy... and an even bigger challenge to stay that way throughout the season... but if we just get a little lucky, this defense can really improve fast.

 

We just got one of the better safeties in the NFL! Can you imagine Rolle and Kenny Phillips back there together? And Webster, Terrell Thomas, and Aaron Ross as the cornerbacks?

 

Can you imagine Alford reeking havoc in the middle? A healthy Tuck dominating? A stronger and motivated Osi swimming past the LT? Canty getting healthy and using his 6'6" frame and long arms to disrupt the QB? Michael Boley staying on the field for 16 games? And what if Sintim actually becomes the player everyone thinks? What if we get real lucky and can draft Rolando McClain to step in and be the beast in the middle of this linebacking corps? Even if we don't get him... I'm not worried! This defense is going to be a problem for some teams to handle if they can just stay on the field... and this time, we have a DC that is seasoned, and knows what he is doing. Great hire by Coughlin to get Fewell in the fold.

 

It's time to sit back and enjoy the draft knowing that no matter what happens, we are going to have a team to contend with next season.

 

you forgot one

 

we played 80% of the year with an All-Joe at MLBer .........gone with the wind.......thank goodness

 

I think the biggest problem was the DC......he was out of his league

[JMFP]

Great points....I'm excited as well.

 

Getting all those guys back, plus Rolle, plus what HAS to be a linebacker in Round #1, will be a big plus.

 

And getting rid of Sheridan and replacing him with Fewell should be a net positive.

 

Also, we'll be getting back a healthy Blackburn.....(his feelings were hurt by some of the haters on this board back in 2009).

[JayD]

I think we have a chance to do well. My only concern is MLB. There has been a small handful of rooky MLB's who were effective thier first year in the whole league. Odds are not on our side for this year no matter who we draft.