You can analyze statistics on the performance of the defense, and I think like me, come up with two pretty important conclusions. The first, it was difficult to get inside the red zone with this group. They gave up 125 points, or 10.5 per game. They averaged about 23 points surrendered each game, which means 12 or so came from outside the red zone. Explosives are typically characterized as plays of greater than 20 yards, or they are in my house. In two of the last three games, I think they gave up seven explosives for TDs. But I still come back to allowing 23 points a game, and you'll recall there were two blowouts to skew the number a bit. I can't shake the notion that holding the other guys to 23 points a game, shouldn't give you a chance to win every time out. This gets me to point two.
I've said on multiple occasions that they were on the field a whole game longer than the offense. We'd all agree there were all kinds of reasons that occured, most of which had to do with an inconsistent offense. Yes, they averaged 33 per game, including five blow outs of their own. By the last three games of the season, you could clearly see the defense was beaten up and worn out.
Everything can be improved upon, but I've thought about it a fair bit and honestly don't think the strategy is the problem. Unless we're talking about the offense. Maybe that gets fixed in the season upcoming. If the defense plays a whole game more than the offense again this season, you better hope it's because Pease has them striking lightening fast. And that would be ok at times because it's a hell of alot more motivating to come in after the offense has scored, than it is after another three and out. If they can't figure out consistent production, it's going to be a long season.