What's wrong with the Browns Rush D?

[Masters]

Was Fujita that important to the rush D? In that last 3 weeks CLE has surrendered 140+ yards on the ground. If Fujita is that important to the rush D, we better hope he gets back on the field fast.

[hammertime]

it shows how thin we really are in the talent division.(playmaker)

[Masters]

You don't really require a "play maker" to stop the run. That's usually a function of team D and scheme. Sure you have the few "play makers" at ILB, but that isn't a requirement to stop the run.

What concerns me the most was seeing that happen against CAR, who you could and did stack the box against. That and that for the weeks prior CLE was actually doing a decent job against the rush. It seems to have gone down hill w/o Fujita.

[Sez.EJ]

Better DE's better LB's overall ..we have journeyman..not playmakers..So what's wrong with our D..nothing that better talent won't fix. It's not an overhaul..but we must get a few playmakers in the front 7. The scheme works.. but if your guys don't have the talent to fight off blocks.. you get run down. Masters is right you don't need "playmakers" against the run..but you must have the talent to fight off blocks.. you gotta have the speed to get to the edge and pursue... ie: talent

Flip the coin though...you MUST HAVE PLAYMAKERS..Why???.. There is more to D than just stopping the run..

You have to rush the passer too and that DOES require playmakers.. and you have to cover RB's and TE's and that requires playmakers and guys who are athletes.. Journeyman get you what we have now.. That requires we get better at DE and LB.. We must get a few playmakers in the front 7.

[Vegasdogg]

No consistency of intensity.

If that makes sense.

And stop trying to strip the ball with the game on the line with a lead, damnit. (Adams, Brown)


Tackle!!!

[Masters]

Originally Posted by Vegasdogg

No consistency of intensity.

I tend to agree with this. Was Fujita that much of a leader on the field? If so, someone needs to step up and be one for this D in his absense. Giving up 140+ yards on the ground will start haunting this team more and more.

[Dan in Florida]

Not exactly with the topic BUT I predict LB Matt Roth has a monster game...the Dolphins cut him and it was ugly. He will be raging!

[Neo]

Just a question, who is the quarterback of our defense? I thought it was Fujita.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by Joker

Just a question, who is the quarterback of our defense? I thought it was Fujita.

We're working on that, but I would say plenty of players (Roth, Gocong, Brown, Rogers, Rubin) need to step up and assume a collective leadership role.

Fujita was here and played a large role. But Scott wasn't Ray Lewis. It is like losing a Hillis on offense.

Come on now, we didn't lose Tom Brady. Talent for talent, maybe I underestimate Fujita, but so what -- pick it up fellas. Somehow someway I highly doubt the Saints D misses Scott Fujita. We're so talent deprived that when he leaves we're sunk?

Play the game, tackle, period.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Originally Posted by Joker

Just a question, who is the quarterback of our defense? I thought it was Fujita.

You are correct in your thoughts.

Originally Posted by Masters

Was Fujita that important to the rush D?

Yes.

[Neo]

I would say missing Robaire Smith and Scott Fujita is playing a big roll with the run defense. We need to get those guys back. (edit) with Fujita gone, who is making sure guys are in the right spots?

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Masters

Was Fujita that important to the rush D? In that last 3 weeks CLE has surrendered 140+ yards on the ground. If Fujita is that important to the rush D, we better hope he gets back on the field fast.

I was thinking the same thing Masters. His profound effect on the New Orleans game, had ALL of our LBers in the right places. His foot speed and instincts outside allowed our defense to place Bowens back where he is most effective inside. The 2 INTs for TDs Bowens had took place from short slants/curls in his hook zone. I firmly believe you don't need a track star playing ILBer if he's instinctive (ie: Teddy Bruschi beat countless faster athletes into his hook zones for INTs in the biggest of games). The second we moved Bowens to the inside last year, he became one of our biggest playmakers on the defense. Before the switch, he was hardly noticeable.
When LBers are outside they get alot of fast RBs catching swing passes in the flats they are responsible plus the same guys getting to the corner in the running game. Bowens is a bigger, burlier kind of LBer where you'd prefer him to be inside like a poor man's Pepper Johnson while the more athletic LBers are playing on the outside. IMO, he's in over his head in Fujita's absence. I understand he staff likes his experience and instincts but teams are attacking our edges far less contested lately. Because corners are usually matched with WRs and Safeties are watching TEs and doing Eric Wright damage control - our OLBers get less help than ILBers get. I watched the replay of Carolina's first uncontested TD run. It was an X-stunt with Bowens responsible for crossing to the inside behind the DE responsible for getting to the outside to provide contain. The DE never got there shedding some creedance onto what Sez wants with better athletes at that position. End result was a 30 yard TD run where no outside containment meant nobody leveraging the ballcarrier back toward pursuit. It was a me-ess!

I just noticed the trends in the last few weeks I hadn't seen nearly as frequently when Fujita was starting. 2 gap schemes are predicated off the success of LBers playing instinctive football vrs the point of attack at the line of scrimmage. If Fujita plays, Bowens can return inside and rotate in with Barton & Gocong. This allows Bernard and Trusnik to relieve our OLBers when they necessary.

In the SAME way we need that X-factor WR to help all others in the passing game, that's what Fujita was being for our LBer corps and defense overall. Outside of the Atlanta game, our defense was playing pretty well vrs the run. The recent trend of concern for stopping the run began with Fujita's departure in the Jets game. Does anybody know when/if he will come back? If we think 1 guy can't make a difference in a defense - look at Pittsburgh when #43 isn't playing vrs when he is playing.
- Tom F.