Porter

So it's taken you this long to find someone who agrees with you on the subject? That might tell you something right there.

I don't think you or Joyner understand swhat JP's purpose is in our defense. If you did, then you wouldn't be complaining about the overpursuing. It happens to almost every major passrusher.

 

I think you would have to know his responsibilities to see just how much those statistics mean. If he's strictly asked to get downhill then yeah those statistics wouldn't be too accurate. However, if he has the same responsibilities as Terrell Suggs for example, then its a bit worrisome.

 

I think what you were seeing is less what Joey was missing and more what was the rest of the D missing. Joey was creating those miss matches and the rest of the D was not taking advantage. I think this year will be different with Langford and Merling stepping up as well as Roth in his second year as LB. Then throw in JT and Wake and I think you will see a different D this year. They will be more disciplined yet aggressive.

 

I thought it was pretty obvious why JP wasn't so good against the run. His main job is to get after the QB.

 

Seems to me the net result of this thread should rather have been to point out how Joey needs additional support alongside him in the run game. You can't fault Joey if Coach tells him go get sacks and the rest of the D doesn't fill in whatever gap(s) might or might not have been created.

Also it seems evident the team went out and got Joey some help at OLB this offseason, and hopefully Merling, Starks and Langford improve against both run and pass in their second year under Pasqualoni and the strength & conditioning program.

RNI seems to have been put into a position of feeling he has to defend his position, but he makes a decent point about the gap left, just missed the point we need to get the rest of the D to step up and support Joey in this instance. I think we should focus the thread on what's been done to support Joey. But to go so far as to suggest we would be better off w/o JP is pretty silly IMHO.

 

IMO, this is like attacking Ronnie Brown for our yards per receiving average being mediocre.