Nate Silver basically says Patricia figured out how to stop Mahomes, and has kept mashing that button regardless if there were any bullets left. Also, we’re injured a lot.
Patricia just hasn’t changed his scheme all year. Running virtually the same thing in all games and every OC is picking it apart. But he works hard every week to improve, right?
Since you know what your HC and DC are capable of game-planning, you are right to question why what’s done is being done. The answer is they’re getting the most they can out of the guys they have.
Need more talent.
Need more playmakers.
Need versatility with strength, not versatility at the expense of strength.
If this is Patricia getting “the most out of the guys they have” he might be the worst coach in NFL history. The talent on paper, is better than the results.
Absolutely and without question. There are a few guys on that D that I would be fine parting ways with (especially Davis), but no way we have one of the least talented defensive teams in the NFL. The talent is there to be mediocre or maybe even slightly above, but coaching and scheme has this at the bottom of the league. That’s a product of a bad job of coaching for sure.
His (Schwartz’s) understanding is more nuanced than that.
What they are all shooting for, ultimately, is making the QB uncomfortable. PP is right that it’s a marriage of coverage and pressure. An uncomfortable QB makes bad decisions and poor throws.
BB/MP are much more into disguise, creating hesitation or confusion on the QB’s part, not knowing who’s going to be where.
The Zone Blitz of Pittsburgh is similar, but different in that the QB will not know where the pressure is coming from.
JS is/was much more focused on the feet of the QB. Most people think of him as Mr. Wide-9, but that alignment isn’t really the focus of his defenses, nor is just getting to the QB like a Pittsburgh or even a Phillips-coached defense. The part of the pocket that Schwartz is most interested in is the part the QB steps into in order to throw. Collapse that and you’ve taken his feet away and interrupted the throwing mechanics. That’s the discomfort he’s looking for, the pressure he wants to create.
Dallas probably has the best roster in the league. No, the Lions do not have as much talent as Dallas. A good one to compare would be the Titans. You have a coach from the same hiring cycle as Patricia, working with less talent and getting much better results.
Coleman (who has been getting beat like a drum), Flowers, Snacks, Tavai are guys that he wanted. Guys that fit “his” scheme. Not one is producing even close to what the expectations are.