Bradley's D

[throwing BBZ]

On 12/11/2023 at 10:30 PM, NewColtsFan said:

“Bradley has a bunch of bums in his back 7…” 

 

Forget for a moment that you’re wrong,  why you think this is appropriate to post is a mystery.   This is the kind of comment that makes me say this franchise needs a better fan base.    The next time you wonder why some players HATE fans, remember this post. 

 

  Bums is an old school term that perfectly fits our back seven. They are not good as a group, nor should we expect this bunch of young late rounders to be good. 2-3 that started will be good backups somewhere, 2-3 will be practice squad types, and Franklin will probably be a starter on an average D.

 Players are encouraged to not read forums, and I would suggest many that do use it for motivation. So you are full of yourself once again, oh great one.

  Your attempt to hate on me is Yada Yada Yada.  

[Boondoggle]

Colts are 21st in pressure percentage per snap in the league at 20.8%.  Not a great place to be.  But when you look at blitz percentage per snap (called blitzes) they are bottom of the barrel, 31st, at 16.1%.

 

What is interesting with all this is when you consider the actual deviation you get in league defenses, from the best to the worst. 

 

The best defense in pressure percentage per snap is the Chiefs at 28.9%.  The worst defense is at 17.5% (3 teams tied).  That is a deviation of 11.4% in total.

 

Now with the blitz calls something funny happens, which is you get much more deviation from the most aggressive to the least aggressive defenses.  And for the record this relates very heavily back to personnel.  But still...  The defense with the highest blitz percentage per snap is the Vikings at 47.4%.  The defense with the least is the Colts 16.1%.  This means if you are the QB and you face the Colts you are seeing one third fewer blitzes than you would see vs the most aggressive defenses.

 

The most obvious conclusion you can draw from this is that the Colts don't trust their players in coverage, and their coordinator is not comfortable bringing the heat.

 

Source site.

[Superman]

12 minutes ago, Boondoggle said:

The most obvious conclusion you can draw from this is that the Colts don't trust their players in coverage, and their coordinator is not comfortable bringing the heat.

 

I think it's much more of the second than it is the first.

[GoColts8818]

I don’t like it.  I am fine with a zone but I’d like to see something a little more aggressive.  I don’t mean blitzes every play and press coverage every play but disguise your coverage a little more and don’t play 10 yards off every play.

[richard pallo]

1 hour ago, Boondoggle said:

Colts are 21st in pressure percentage per snap in the league at 20.8%.  Not a great place to be.  But when you look at blitz percentage per snap (called blitzes) they are bottom of the barrel, 31st, at 16.1%.

 

What is interesting with all this is when you consider the actual deviation you get in league defenses, from the best to the worst. 

 

The best defense in pressure percentage per snap is the Chiefs at 28.9%.  The worst defense is at 17.5% (3 teams tied).  That is a deviation of 11.4% in total.

 

Now with the blitz calls something funny happens, which is you get much more deviation from the most aggressive to the least aggressive defenses.  And for the record this relates very heavily back to personnel.  But still...  The defense with the highest blitz percentage per snap is the Vikings at 47.4%.  The defense with the least is the Colts 16.1%.  This means if you are the QB and you face the Colts you are seeing one third fewer blitzes than you would see vs the most aggressive defenses.

 

The most obvious conclusion you can draw from this is that the Colts don't trust their players in coverage, and their coordinator is not comfortable bringing the heat.

 

Source site.

I guess he’s not comfortable bringing the heat because he doesn’t trust his players in coverage.

[richard pallo]

9 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I guess he’s not comfortable bringing the heat because he doesn’t trust his players in coverage.

Also no team on our schedule will be game planning their offense with the expectation that the Colts will be blitzing.  Soooooooo.  Now that JuJu is back and Speed is returning maybe we see a change up in tactics coming in the near future.  It would be great to catch a few teams off guard down the stretch.

[GoColts8818]

46 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Also no team on our schedule will be game planning their offense with the expectation that the Colts will be blitzing.  Soooooooo.  Now that JuJu is back and Speed is returning maybe we see a change up in tactics coming in the near future.  It would be great to catch a few teams off guard down the stretch.

1.  You can get a team once with that and other teams will adjust and start game planning for it.

 

2.  Coaches don’t change their beliefs or their whole system they have spent their whole lives developing and spent all season putting in and getting players used to running in a week or two. 
 

3.  I am very happy JuJu is back but he’s a rookie coming off a long layoff.  There is probably going to be some rust to knock off and making him do something completely different than what he’s been doing all year is only going to make that worse.

 

i can see maybe Gus bringing some heat against younger QBs but Mitch has seen all that.  There is a reason not a lot of NFL teams blitz nonstop.  If you don’t get home NFL QBs will tear it apart.  
 

I voiced my opinion about Gus’s defenses as a whole earlier.  I’d like to see a change but I think that’s going to come in the off-season not the last quarter of the season.

[Superman]

54 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

i can see maybe Gus bringing some heat against younger QBs but Mitch has seen all that.  There is a reason not a lot of NFL teams blitz nonstop.  If you don’t get home NFL QBs will tear it apart.  

 

You would think so, but Trubisky only qualifies as an NFL QB by default...

 

 

Here, the Pats did two things that Bradley doesn't like: 1) pre-snap disguise, and 2) blitz. 

[ShuteAt168]

You guys are more knowledgeable about defensive alignments than I am. All I know is that I’m in favor of a defensive scheme that doesn’t allow WRs 9-yard cushions on third and 7, or 11-yard cushions on 3rd and 9 and … I guess you get the point. 

[richard pallo]

2 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

1.  You can get a team once with that and other teams will adjust and start game planning for it.

 

2.  Coaches don’t change their beliefs or their whole system they have spent their whole lives developing and spent all season putting in and getting players used to running in a week or two. 
 

3.  I am very happy JuJu is back but he’s a rookie coming off a long layoff.  There is probably going to be some rust to knock off and making him do something completely different than what he’s been doing all year is only going to make that worse.

 

i can see maybe Gus bringing some heat against younger QBs but Mitch has seen all that.  There is a reason not a lot of NFL teams blitz nonstop.  If you don’t get home NFL QBs will tear it apart.  
 

I voiced my opinion about Gus’s defenses as a whole earlier.  I’d like to see a change but I think that’s going to come in the off-season not the last quarter of the season.

I don’t think it would be a bad thing if teams had to adjust and start planning for blitzes.  Everyone seems to think we are predictable and teams know what to expect.  Now they would have to at least prepare for other looks.  That would be a good thing.  Give them something else to worry about.

[Boondoggle]

On 12/14/2023 at 4:18 PM, Superman said:

Here, the Pats did two things that Bradley doesn't like: 1) pre-snap disguise, and 2) blitz. 

Disguising things pre-snap is particularly effective vs QBs who are very dependent on play action, as they turn their back often to the defense and when they look again it is completely different.  This then requires processing time, which for a guy like Trubitsky is like he's using an abacus.

[TheBlueAndWhite]

One of the worst defensive schemes I've witnessed in the NFL, Bradley is in over his head imo. 

 

Stubborn and outright uncreative. 

[DougDew]

Scheme was not the problem against ATL.  Its not like a QB was carving up a zone.  Colts personnel simply got manhandled.

[krunk]

I don't blame this on the Colts D.  I put most if not all of it on the play or non play of the O today.

They were terrible!

[DiogoSales]

3 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Scheme was not the problem against ATL.  Its not like a QB was carving up a zone.  Colts personnel simply got manhandled.

Saying that a long time

[twfish]

26 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Scheme was not the problem against ATL.  Its not like a QB was carving up a zone.  Colts personnel simply got manhandled.

Leaving a RB wide open for constant check downs is 100% a scheme issue.

[masterlock]

40 minutes ago, TheBlueAndWhite said:

One of the worst defensive schemes I've witnessed in the NFL, Bradley is in over his head imo. 

 

Stubborn and outright uncreative. 

I don't know if it would've made a difference today, but in general, he doesn't seem to adapt. He likes to rush just 4, but there are games where that isn't working and yet he keeps doing it. Colts seem to allow too many 3rd down conversations.

[a06cc]

We lack talent 

[Pat Curtis]

Zero adjustments.  Zero creativity.  Vanilla preseason looks every snap.

 

Cover 3 wasn't working early in the year so Bradley dumbed it down to running primarily Quarters.  Any mildly accurate QB just picks this D apart.  Today was especially bad from the missed tackles and non-existent pass rush.

[a06cc]

3 minutes ago, Pat Curtis said:

Zero adjustments.  Zero creativity.  Vanilla preseason looks every snap.

 

Cover 3 wasn't working early in the year so Bradley dumbed it down to running primarily Quarters.  Any mildly accurate QB just picks this D apart.  Today was especially bad from the missed tackles and non-existent pass rush.

Colts need a DE, MLB, CB

[TheEdgeis1]

We couldn’t cover/stop any pass/run play to the outside.  No adjustments made to alleviate this.  That fail falls on Gus

[IinD]

I'm not really ever a fire this guy type, but I'm definitely leaning towards 'I really wouldn't care if he gets canned' on Gus..

[chad72]

41 minutes ago, Pat Curtis said:

Zero adjustments.  Zero creativity.  Vanilla preseason looks every snap.

 

Cover 3 wasn't working early in the year so Bradley dumbed it down to running primarily Quarters.  Any mildly accurate QB just picks this D apart.  Today was especially bad from the missed tackles and non-existent pass rush.

Here’s the issue. When you draft DEs missing on several before getting one right, let go of a MLB you needed to keep and overpaid and released one you should not have paid so much, you have voids. 
 

Plus you can compensate if one of our facets is better. Neither our O nor our D, even at full health will be Top 5 in the league to make up for weaknesses on the other side. Steichen, with only the addition of Josh Downs, has already made strides and while today was not his best day, he’s getting whatever he can out of Minshew, keeping us in Top 10 in a few offensive categories in the NFL

 

I personally don’t think the same can be said about Bradley on the other side. I’m willing to bet another DC with just a couple of additions would do better than Bradley in key situations because I’m not confident with Bradley to scheme well situationally.

 

Some of it however does fall on Ballard as I pointed out, as we don’t have ONE WR that can play outside if Pittman or Pierce misses a game. That’s pathetic, to put it mildly. It’s hard to bat even .500 in the draft, and I don’t see many quality additions via FA to offset draft misses in the draft 

[JediXMan]

 

Ballard when the season ends.

[IinD]

Just now, JediXMan said:

 

Ballard when the season ends.

I'm really curious if Jim would do it...

[Pat Curtis]

20 minutes ago, chad72 said:

Some of it however does fall on Ballard as I pointed out, as we don’t have ONE WR that can play outside if Pittman or Pierce misses a game. That’s pathetic, to put it mildly. It’s hard to bat even .500 in the draft, and I don’t see many quality additions via FA to offset draft misses in the draft 

 

 

I like Ballard and I agree his misses in FA and the draft have handcuffed the coaches on both sides of the ball to some extent.  Scheme-wise, the Offense has the capability of being tier 1 when fully healthy.  Bradley's conservative scheme however, even if we had better DB play and fully healthy....peaks in the lower half of the league IMO because he does not adjust effectively in-game. 

 

Personally I'd like to see a more aggressive coordinator, or at least one that can match up better to today's offensive minds.  BPA on Defense in April and throw some cash at a some impact Defensive positions (Taven Bryan as a backup DT has killed us numerous times) would go a long ways with a new coordinator who can make adjustments and scheme effectively.

[Dark Superman]

The league has been exposing these older coaches a ton lately because of their stubbornness to adapt during the game which is one of the many reasons Frank Reich is no longer here. I know life is great when your four defensive linemen are able to create constant pressure and get to the QB but that doesn't happen every game and you need to adapt throughout the game and make the necessary changes or try something different. I never understood the concept of sitting back and not bringing constant pressure with additional players blitzing a backup QB. Why allow a backup to sit back in the pocket and allow them to get comfortable and give them a chance to pick apart your defense? The Colts have players like Speed & Moore II just to name a few you can blitz and create misery for the opposing QB. There's no way Gus Bradley is back with the Colts in 2024. Shane Steichen needs to go out and hand pick his guy.

[Defjamz26]

13 hours ago, chad72 said:

Some of it however does fall on Ballard as I pointed out, as we don’t have ONE WR that can play outside if Pittman or Pierce misses a game. That’s pathetic, to put it mildly. It’s hard to bat even .500 in the draft, and I don’t see many quality additions via FA to offset draft misses in the draft 

From the talent perspective, part of the issue is Pittman doesn’t really play outside. So even when he’s healthy we’re missing that true “X” receiver. Pierce is also just fast in a straight line and doesn’t have much quickness to his game, so he’s not a reliable option. 
 

Must like how Steichen seems to be the one that wanted Downs, I hope this offseason he tells Ballard that he wants a true number 1 outside receiver. Pair him with Pittman (who I now expect to be back), and Downs, and you possibly have an elite receiving core. A healthy AR also goes a long way. 

[VikingsFanInChennai]

On 12/11/2023 at 10:07 AM, krunk said:

I think we needed more blitzing today, but that's hard considering we had inexperienced cover guys on the outside

to match the higher talent that the Bengals had at WR. 

 

On 12/11/2023 at 9:38 AM, Smonroe said:

I agree.  But it’s also a matter of personnel.  Our CBs aren’t very good, except for Kenny.  At least, they’re not good enough to be trusted in a more aggressive D.

 

It is very frustrating.   

 

 

Vikings left out Patrick Peterson in last free agency and many experienced (those were in rookie deals earlier) CBs and started lot of inexperienced CBs this season except for one FA acquisition when Brian Flores became DC this year. 

 

I too thought, it will be absurd to go with that group, knowing that Flores' defense is one of the top defenses in the NFL in blitzing wherever he goes.

 

Yet, Vikings defense has done much better in disguising coverages and Blitz schemes, with lot of inexperienced guys in the secondary. They are able to do well in run defense at the same time too.

 

I think Gus Bradley needs to go, if Colts want to be competent next year. Even Lamar Jackson needs a Ravens defense to be consistently winning in the league. Colts are one of the worst in points allowed to the opponent.

 

But, that brings to the question of whether Chris Ballard can even think of not having Bradley system or the type of defense he as a GM wants to build.

 

Maybe, Ballard needs to understand this isn't working? Maybe, Ballard needs to realize there are other defensive coordinator candidates who become available that run the same system and try something different? 

 

Maybe, Ballard shouldn't dictate on the defensive system and let his Head Coach decide the system and the DC he'd like to bring? 

[DougDew]

16 hours ago, twfish said:

Leaving a RB wide open for constant check downs is 100% a scheme issue.

What game did you watch?  I saw Pitts get behind our LBers and Ss for a 30 yard TD, not a check down.  I saw Allgeier run 25 yards down the sideline on...a pitch play to a slow guy of all things....for a second TD...not a check down. 

 

I saw Bijan make people miss, because that's what he does, and Corderalle Patterson do what he has done for 8 years.  ATLs RBs ran all over the Colts...because ATLs RBs and TE have more talent than our LBers and Ss.

 

Which is what I said in the Don't Overlook the Falcons thread.  ATLs strength in offensive talent is exactly where our weakness in defensive talent lies.

 

56 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

But, that brings to the question of whether Chris Ballard can even think of not having Bradley system or the type of defense he as a GM wants to build.

 

Maybe, Ballard needs to understand this isn't working? Maybe, Ballard needs to realize there are other defensive coordinator candidates who become available that run the same system and try something different? 

 

Maybe, Ballard shouldn't dictate on the defensive system and let his Head Coach decide the system and the DC he'd like to bring? 

Ballard's first hire was Elberflus.  He also hired Bradley....and their were some rumors last year that any new HC had to be willing to work with Bradley. 

 

IMO, its tough to divorce Ballard from the scheme many here hate.

 

Also, IMO, I'd say that Shane carries more weight with Irsay than Ballard does at this point.  We'll see what happens.

[richard pallo]

5 hours ago, Dark Superman said:

The league has been exposing these older coaches a ton lately because of their stubbornness to adapt during the game which is one of the many reasons Frank Reich is no longer here. I know life is great when your four defensive linemen are able to create constant pressure and get to the QB but that doesn't happen every game and you need to adapt throughout the game and make the necessary changes or try something different. I never understood the concept of sitting back and not bringing constant pressure with additional players blitzing a backup QB. Why allow a backup to sit back in the pocket and allow them to get comfortable and give them a chance to pick apart your defense? The Colts have players like Speed & Moore II just to name a few you can blitz and create misery for the opposing QB. There's no way Gus Bradley is back with the Colts in 2024. Shane Steichen needs to go out and hand pick his guy.

We will see on Bradley.  Still two games and hopefully more to go.  The Colts made a conscientious decision to draft young corners last year and ride with them.  They were drafted to fit Gus’s system as zone corners not press.  These were players Gus and Ballard thought would fit the system.  So far they are progressing and at times showing flash.  Other times they make mistakes.  Our defense was getting at least one turnover every game until yesterday.  Quite a few interceptions i believe.  So we will see.  If Steichen wants his own guy so be it.  My guess is we’ll be playing zone again no matter who is brought in.  

[Dark Superman]

2 hours ago, richard pallo said:

We will see on Bradley.  Still two games and hopefully more to go.  The Colts made a conscientious decision to draft young corners last year and ride with them.  They were drafted to fit Gus’s system as zone corners not press.  These were players Gus and Ballard thought would fit the system.  So far they are progressing and at times showing flash.  Other times they make mistakes.  Our defense was getting at least one turnover every game until yesterday.  Quite a few interceptions i believe.  So we will see.  If Steichen wants his own guy so be it.  My guess is we’ll be playing zone again no matter who is brought in.  

I think he's gone no matter what happens the rest of the season.

[CR91]

Here's the problem with Gus's defense. If the dline gets to the QB and takes him off his spot, it works. However, if the QB gets time their going to pick apart our zone because there's no disguise. Eventually the WR will get open and that's why we have problems dealing with QBs who know how to move in the pocket and buy time. 

[Moosejawcolt]

On 12/10/2023 at 8:59 PM, IndySouthsider said:

It’s a style that isn’t effective in the current NFL.

First, ask yourself this question. U put this front 4 on another team and would expect that defense to improve? Not a fan of the scheme or Bradley, however. I think the failure of this D has more to do with talent than scheme. We have on legit pass rusher, and that is our DT. The edge guys r average. This front 4 teases the fan base. They play  offense  that lacks balance and that has an inferior Oline and they look like studs. They play a good Oline with a balanced attack and they look mediocre at best. Don't beleive me? Go look back at the last few years

[DiogoSales]

It's amazing how we play bad QBs/Back ups and insist on Cover 3.. play Cover 2, Brents and Moore can tackle and you will not give the easy slants and short routes...

I was the one defending Gus all year because we simply do not have good corners, but that fact that we play bad QBs in Cover 3 or Quarters thinking they're all Josh Allen is starting to get ridiculous..

 

 

[Superman]

Two weeks ago, we got carved up on screen plays. It happened again against the Falcons, especially that 3rd and 15... 

 

I get that we don't have a great defensive roster. What I don't understand is why anyone thinks Bradley would change his approach if we did have a great defensive roster. This is what he does, and that's been the case for several years now.

 

And if all our hopes for having a good defense are based on improving the roster, then what is Bradley bringing to the table?

 

At least Bradley brought some pressure in this game in the second half. He deserves credit for that. If the offense had been able to make anything happen we might have had a shot at getting back into the game.

[GoColts8818]

2 minutes ago, Superman said:

Two weeks ago, we got carved up on screen plays. It happened again against the Falcons, especially that 3rd and 15... 

 

I get that we don't have a great defensive roster. What I don't understand is why anyone thinks Bradley would change his approach if we did have a great defensive roster. This is what he does, and that's been the case for several years now.

 

And if all our hopes for having a good defense are based on improving the roster, then what is Bradley bringing to the table?

 

At least Bradley brought some pressure in this game in the second half. He deserves credit for that. If the offense had been able to make anything happen we might have had a shot at getting back into the game.

Exactly coaches don’t change who they are.  It’s what got them where they are and more importantly what the believe in terms of football philosophy.  Most people don’t go you know I’ve spent my whole life doing it this way so let me throw that out and do something completely different.  I actually think that was the trick to BB’s success in New England.  He was not afraid to throwing something out and do it a completely different way.  Look at how much New England’s offense changed over his time there even with Brady.  They went from a ball control offense to a high power offense back to a ball control offense.  

[Superman]

2 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Exactly coaches don’t change who they are.  It’s what got them where they are and more importantly what the believe in terms of football philosophy.  Most people don’t go you know I’ve spent my whole life doing it this way so let me throw that out and do something completely different.  I actually think that was the trick to BB’s success in New England.  He was not afraid to throwing something out and do it a completely different way.  Look at how much New England’s offense changed over his time there even with Brady.  They went from a ball control offense to a high power offense back to a ball control offense.  

 

I agree with your point. But specific to Bradley, he's one of the more rigid defensive play callers we've ever seen. It's not just that he does what he does; like you said, that's how almost every successful coach is.

 

My problem with Bradley is that 'what he does' only includes two or three things, which are super conservative and pretty easy to exploit in the modern NFL. A successful defensive coordinator in the today's NFL has a bigger menu to choose from, and offers more variance from play to play and game to game. And not just to be unpredictable, but specifically to make adjustments and counters based on the situation and the opponent. Bradley basically calls two defensive coverages, all game, every game, without considerable regard for situation or opponent.

 

I keep repeating myself, and some people might think that I'm really anti-Bradley. He's not awful, I don't hate him. There's some good, his defense can be competent and somewhat effective, and we've seen worse in Indy. I just think it's so obvious that his approach comes with a very low ceiling. I'm convinced that we'll never have a very good defense with Bradley doing what he does, and I'm convinced that he's never going to become significantly different as a DC.

[GoColts8818]

Just now, Superman said:

 

I agree with your point. But specific to Bradley, he's one of the more rigid defensive play callers we've ever seen. It's not just that he does what he does; like you said, that's how almost every successful coach is.

 

My problem with Bradley is that 'what he does' only includes two or three things, which are super conservative and pretty easy to exploit in the modern NFL. A successful defensive coordinator in the today's NFL has a bigger menu to choose from, and offers more variance from play to play and game to game. And not just to be unpredictable, but specifically to make adjustments and counters based on the situation and the opponent. Bradley basically calls two defensive coverages, all game, every game, without considerable regard for situation or opponent.

 

I keep repeating myself, and some people might think that I'm really anti-Bradley. He's not awful, I don't hate him. There's some good, his defense can be competent and somewhat effective, and we've seen worse in Indy. I just think it's so obvious that his approach comes with a very low ceiling. I'm convinced that we'll never have a very good defense with Bradley doing what he does, and I'm convinced that he's never going to become significantly different as a DC.

Yeah I am there with him.  I’d like a change.  I think you can have a good defense playing a 4/3 zone but not doing what Bradley does.  It’s just too vanilla in the secondary.  

[Zoltan]

On 12/25/2023 at 6:22 AM, richard pallo said:

We will see on Bradley.  Still two games and hopefully more to go.  The Colts made a conscientious decision to draft young corners last year and ride with them.  They were drafted to fit Gus’s system as zone corners not press.  These were players Gus and Ballard thought would fit the system.  So far they are progressing and at times showing flash.  Other times they make mistakes.  Our defense was getting at least one turnover every game until yesterday.  Quite a few interceptions i believe.  So we will see.  If Steichen wants his own guy so be it.  My guess is we’ll be playing zone again no matter who is brought in.  

 

I'm fine with zone, for example Flus and Bradley's systems were similar but Flus let his players trust their instincts more, while Bradley is more rigid. That's one of the reasons Leonard did well with Flus. It's the playcalling that Bradley chooses that I have issue with.

 

On 12/25/2023 at 11:02 AM, Moosejawcolt said:

First, ask yourself this question. U put this front 4 on another team and would expect that defense to improve? Not a fan of the scheme or Bradley, however. I think the failure of this D has more to do with talent than scheme. We have on legit pass rusher, and that is our DT. The edge guys r average. This front 4 teases the fan base. They play  offense  that lacks balance and that has an inferior Oline and they look like studs. They play a good Oline with a balanced attack and they look mediocre at best. Don't beleive me? Go look back at the last few years

 

We do get pressure though, we don't have one guy with 15+ sacks but we have multiple that could be in double digits, so the talent is there. We just make life harder on our DL because of how Bradley's rush is so predictable for protection calls.

 

10 hours ago, Superman said:

Two weeks ago, we got carved up on screen plays. It happened again against the Falcons, especially that 3rd and 15... 

 

I get that we don't have a great defensive roster. What I don't understand is why anyone thinks Bradley would change his approach if we did have a great defensive roster. This is what he does, and that's been the case for several years now.

 

And if all our hopes for having a good defense are based on improving the roster, then what is Bradley bringing to the table?

 

At least Bradley brought some pressure in this game in the second half. He deserves credit for that. If the offense had been able to make anything happen we might have had a shot at getting back into the game.

 

The Falcons saw what the Bengals were able to do and exploited it again. What bothers me is that Bradley sees this problem and doesn't adjust his play calling to it, which to me is him being stubborn. The most important stat for defenses at least for me is points allowed per game, and we are 5th worst with 24.8 points per game.

 

In comparison looking at the vikings and how they transformed a defense with a DC change over one offseason in 2022 they allowed 25.1 points allowed per game (30th), then after switching to Flores 19.9 points allowed per game (10th). Now I don't know of any great replacement like Flores this offseason but I think they have to explore moving on from Bradley.