Hardcore Husky Podcast: Paranoid, Bankrupt and 7-0

The tackling is horrifying, but dammit, they’re making the stops when the have to.

It’s kind of odd. But I remember thinking last year, “if only this defense as average …”

This version might actually be a bit better than average.
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Stats say it is "above average" but fuck o' dear is it painful to watch.
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This. It’s painful to watch and doesn’t pass the eye test but they’re getting enough stops to be decent. That doesn’t mean I like it though. DL play has been the most underwhelming to me by defensive unit and in general the tackling is just dog shit. I expect the first guy there to miss.
 
The tackling is horrifying, but dammit, they’re making the stops when the have to.

It’s kind of odd. But I remember thinking last year, “if only this defense as average …”

This version might actually be a bit better than average.
Click to expand...

Stats say it is "above average" but fuck o' dear is it painful to watch.
Click to expand...

This. It’s painful to watch and doesn’t pass the eye test but they’re getting enough stops to be decent. That doesn’t mean I like it though. DL play has been the most underwhelming to me by defensive unit and in general the tackling is just dog shit. I expect the first guy there to miss.
Click to expand...

Which means they can’t blitz much if no one can be trusted to make a 1 on 1 tackle.
 
I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs. It's also hard to get sacks when every offense gets the ball out in 1 second and has a mobile QB to boot.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone, especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
 
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I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone[/b], especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
Click to expand...

This. After "so what, the offense had an off night" three games in a row, I don't think they can score on anyone. Literally can't score on Arizona State's festering corpse (hai @trublue ).

And the defense is mediocre.

Abundance.
 
I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone[/b], especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
Click to expand...

This. After "so what, the offense had an off night" three games in a row, I don't think they can score on anyone. Literally can't score on Arizona State's festering corpse (hai @trublue ).

And the defense is mediocre.

Abundance.
Click to expand...

I'm worried about the offense. Any team that just drops everyone back seems to really limit and frustrate them and the defense has to win the game and now we'll see if ASU's strategy of endless blitzing does the same.

They did well against Oregon but have struggled in big moments when they could have put theme away. The aforementioned three and outs in the third this year and last year when they got the ball back tied in the 4th and couldn't get a first and had to settle for a long field goal and giving Oregon the ball back with plenty of time.

Both Oregon games the D bailed the O out late holding back Oregon's offense on their final drive enough to run the clock out.
 
91 and 2016 are the two times we? Had a great offense and great defense at the same time. It’s hard to do both for some reason.
 
I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone[/b], especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
Click to expand...

This. After "so what, the offense had an off night" three games in a row, I don't think they can score on anyone. Literally can't score on Arizona State's festering corpse (hai @trublue ).

And the defense is mediocre.

Abundance.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately after working 25+ years in law enforcement some shit is creepy and not funny in any context
 
I was among the most upset about the defense last year and I have to say I'm reasonably content where it's at right now. Short of being a complete lockdown D they are at least breaking up passes and getting off the field on 3 and 4ths often enough.
 
UW’s D needs a game like the Seahawks had against the Giants on MNF a few weeks ago. Up until that game, Seattle’s D was iffy at best. Then they got well with about 46 sacks, a pick six, a rookie DB’s coming out party and other assorted mayhem against a severely overmatched offense.

Now the Seattle D is playing pretty consistently well.

It would be nice if UW could pull off something similar against Stanford heading into the last four weeks of the season.
 
Perception versus reality

I was surprised at ASU third down and 4th down conversions being as low as they were

I have been pimping this defense as situationally good all year

Because they are

Any Husky fan knows the offense isn't always going to be there. It's been a worry here all year

On the flip side a great defense can have a bad game where they need to be bailed out

The kids call it complimentary football

I go with winners win

7-0
 
Pool boy said Husky fans get more excited about a third down stop than a TD and then hired Sark

We? have evolved into we get excited over a two play 75 yard drive more than a 3rd down stop crowd
 
91 and 2016 are the two times we? Had a great offense and great defense at the same time. It’s hard to do both for some reason.
Click to expand...

My frustration is the defense is good enough to where the team should cook everyone on their schedule as long as the offense is as good as we think and it hasn't been. Also, if Durfee is at least better than ZTF, which is what I heard from practice, not having him is sucking.
 
Third-down stops ain’t what they used to be because everyone goes for it on fourth down now.

I still think sacks and turnovers will get the crowd more pumped than anything this side of Taylor Swift.
 
Third-down stops ain’t what they used to be because everyone goes for it on fourth down now.

I still think sacks and turnovers will get the crowd more pumped than anything this side of Taylor Swift.
Click to expand...

Good point

And defenders still do victory dances after 2nd down
 
I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs. It's also hard to get sacks when every offense gets the ball out in 1 second and has a mobile QB to boot.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone, especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
Click to expand...

While sacks aren't the be-all end-all, they do tell part of the tale.

You say that it's hard to get sacks when every offense gets the ball out in one second with a mobile QB to boot.

Well, Penn State and Texas A&M have 29 sacks. Tennessee has 28 sacks. Oregon has 25 sacks.

Washington ranks 124th in the nation with 7 sacks.

To shrug it off as saying "it's hard", is something I can't agree with in discussion.
 
Pool boy said Husky fans get more excited about a third down stop than a TD and then hired Sark

We? have evolved into we get excited over a two play 75 yard drive more than a 3rd down stop crowd
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's true. It would have to be a definitive 3rd down stop but the fans still seem to get jacked
 
In today's day and age of forced offense for ratings and flags for breathing on a quarterback the wrong way, you can win with a d that slows down offenses in the red zone and steps up when they need to. I remember Belicheat doing that as far back as 20 years ago. I don't know if you can win with an average defense and an average at best running game though. At least we[/s] aren't losing to Big Sky teams though.
 
I'm actually kind of surprised everyone is so mad about the defense. They're limiting scores. They're getting interceptions. It's really fucking hard to get modern offenses off the field in four downs. It's also hard to get sacks when every offense gets the ball out in 1 second and has a mobile QB to boot.

I'm more concerned about the offense the past few games. I thought they'd be able to outscore everyone, especially if the defense gave them anything. When the D gave them the ball back against Oregon up 11 in the third that game should have been fucking over. Even a couple of long drives ending in field goals ends the fucking game instead of three and outs.
Click to expand...

While sacks aren't the be-all end-all, they do tell part of the tale.

You say that it's hard to get sacks when every offense gets the ball out in one second with a mobile QB to boot.

Well, Penn State and Texas A&M have 29 sacks. Tennessee has 28 sacks. Oregon has 25 sacks.

Washington ranks 124th in the nation with 7 sacks.

To shrug it off as saying "it's hard", is something I can't agree with in discussion.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but still. I'm not breaking new ground in saying the Huskies miss Jeremiah Martin. He and Trice were good at walling off both sides of the pocket so the QB couldn't escape unless he was Nix of the rapist level.

I might break some new ground in saying Martin wasn't that special and should have been easy to replace. He went undrafted and only made Cleveland's practice squad. Benning Potato has basically done that for four seasons now for reference. Instead of replacing Martin with some merc killer from the portal WE brought in a DII guy from South Dakota who's not allowed to play.
 
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