I posted this on the Galette thread in response to someone saying that after they watched a video of Galette, they realized that maybe our defense isn't as bad as we think:
>>Honestly, I think if someone posted a highlight video from last season of the defense... and if it were possible to view it in a vacuum, without the context of "worst ranked defense in NFL history", there'd probably be a lot more optimism.
I've said this before, this was a mediocre defense before Spagnuolo got here. I won't include the Super Bowl season when discussing personnel. So the changes from 2010/2011 to 2012 are this (feel free to add, this is straight off the top of my head):
Added: 2 100+ tacklers at LB. Added one of the league's best run-stopping NTs. And include Cam Jordan as a 2nd year player--much better than he was as a rookie.
Lost: Tracy Porter.
Do we really think Porter had that big of an impact? That our defense went from mediocre to worst in NFL history?
Scheme/philosophy can transform a unit, for better or worse. I understand the Spagnuolo logic. "Let's install a system that is sustainable and not as gimmicky, high risk/high reward as what GW had." I agreed, was 100% on board. And then I saw how much a rough (very rough) learning curve negatively affected our team.
As a coach, I am NOT a fan of the Buddy Ryan coaching tree... the coaches, the scheme... the philosophy, fine... I like aggression, but I hate the hyperbolic flexing and the stubborn commitment to the blitz. But regardless of my personal reservations, we have seen that with an aggressive scheme/philosophy on defense, this is a team that was able to win 36 games in 3 seasons. Our defense may never be the most feared, shut-down, dominant defense in the league. But that doesn't mean it can't be aggressive, physical and opportunistic (without all the hyperbolic BS).
The defense is not far off. And I can't wait to watch Rob Ryan get all the credit in the media for "turning this defense around... just phenomenal"... and I'll laugh. Getting rid of Spagnuolo is as important--if not more--than bringing in Rob Ryan.
Point being, the defense is not far off and neither is this team. Personnel-wise, we're better than we were in 2010/2011. Apparently a lot gets attributed on here to guys "getting old." Apparently Jon Vilma, Will Smith, Jabari Greer all picked the same season to fall off the cliff. Malcolm Jenkins, Patrick Robinson, they all picked the exact same time to forget how to cover. And 4 perennial 100+ tacklers forgot how to tackle (including Roman Harper). The list goes on.
The personnel is there. It may not be a bunch of pro bowlers, but this team has the talent that if someone comes in, willing to play the players to their strengths rather than trying to pigeon-hole them... this can be a very good COMPLIMENTARY defense.
Last time we had that, we won a Super Bowl.