One thing I will say about the journey. I said yesterday that after losing McNeil, I think our Super Bowl chances are gone. I just think he is too important of a guy in the middle to lose when we had already lost Hutch. In my mind with how the team plays, I don’t see how we can make a championship run without any pressure from the middle and losing a big part of our run defense that makes teams one dimensional.
After thinking more this morning, I think the answer is, we can’t win a championship playing the way we did and losing McNeil. However, you can change the way you play. I am not saying it’s going to be easy and it for sure will bring some growing pain of some capacity, but I think it’s time for Glenn to start switching up the defense.
Just being very general, I think they need to roll out last year’s defense again. First and foremost, a REAL conversation needs to be had with both Iffy and Mosely. They need to be told that they are playing, or they are being released. We say Dan is a straight shooter, then how is it Mosely has been “ready” for the past 3 weeks and then doesn’t play. How is it that Iffy lands on IR with a “finger” injury? BS in my mind. Either get them on the field, or if they can’t, cut them and get replacements for their spots. The worst thing you can do is have a guy on your roster that you can’t use.
I think it’s time to look at the future, now. Get Branch back down to the slot, and help him stuff the run. Get Iffy back with Kirby, and let him blitz. For your corners, Terrion, you are now #1. Rakestraw, you are coming in for full time play. The Lions say they liked him at slot, then put him there and move Amik outside. I always thought his body type was #2 outside, but either way, Arnold-Rakestraw-Robertson are now your top 3 dbs. Sign anyone to replace Dorsey. I know it will happen, but we still must avoid Vildor being on the field as often as possible.
Find any DT that can do a bit of penetrating from a PS to replace Alim. This will be a big dropoff no matter what, but we need someone with size. I don’t trust Levi to do it full time, I think Levi played better as a big edge. BroMart can’t do it, unless we want to play him side by side with Reader and just have a wall of beef in the middle. This is an option, but sadly in the Green Bay game BroMart replaced Reader, I saw BroMart as more marshmellow than beef. I’ve never seen a 330lb DT get spun backwards and shoved into the endzone so easily.
For LB, we just have to deal with subs until Anzalone is back. Having him back will be massive.
Last, if I am Dan Campbell, I am going and having a very hard conversation with Ben Johnson. I am letting him know, it’s on you from here on out. We are again last year’s team. We cannot play ball control on the defensive side anymore. The offense is going to have to carry us, and we will live and die by scoring early and often.
I am going to say it, but I think a real conversation needs to be had about Graham Glasgow. He hasn’t looked good all year and I think he hates playing LG. I’ve never seen that guy block so much air, or see him spin around and lookout block as much as I have this year. I think he strongly prefers the RG spot and C spot, but he just isn’t cut for LG. Maybe this is why Decker has struggled this year, or maybe Decker’s struggles are causing Glasgow’s. That’s up for the coaches. At any rate, our offensive line has not looked as good this year as last year’s did. Last year, Asowika came in and played LG when Jackson got hurt for the 50th time, so maybe that’s the answer.
Campbell’s own words were good is the enemy. Well, our offensive line for the most part has been good. Time to figure out how to make it great again.
