People act like the New Orleans defense didn't cause those turnovers though.
it's the easy man's and lazy fan's out - the Saints defense did what it did ALL season - gave up yards, but fought for turnover opportunities
The Saints do not have world beaters up front. Ellis is phenomenal as a second year tackle up front - but he's been hobbled a fair bit. The other DTs are journeymen for a reason - Hargrove has moments, but the rest are just bleh. Will Smith is sporadic and doesn't keep containment. Grant has been decent against the run.
Our LB corps isn't great to begin with and we have no depth. Our OLB are adequate with each having flashes from time to time. Vilma is the heart and mind and soul of that defense in the middle. Love him.
The strength is in our secondary.
Greer is FINALLY getting noticed - a couple of prominent articles make reference to him as a something of a poor man's Revis. The truth is, he's been amazing this year. His closing speed is among the best in the NFL and despite being challenged a lot before he got hurt, he had amazing statistics and performed admirably.
Porter gambles a bit more, but he's been a surprise since his rookie year. Between the two seasons (he's missed a lot of time due to injuries and that's a concern), he's got nearly a full season under his belt and looks good. Sharper and Harper have also been $$$$ this year.
So when Williams comes in, he looks at the personnel and says that with the front 7 we have, we MUST create turnovers because we aren't going to be able to contain a lot of offenses.
So they PRACTICE turnovers.
Did you see Porter's forced fumble? He punched the ball out while Berrian was in the air and had his other hand wrapped. It was a really impressive play. And Smith's forced fumble? He had a good look at the ball in Harvin's hand and made a good play.
Even the offense sees it - Meachem in the Redskins game had that strip and TD after an interception in what I think was one of the most - if not THE most - impressive individual play of the year. He credited Williams for that - for the mentality of turnovers he preaches, the strip tactics and drills practiced every day.
And Greer almost had a third INT - hit him square.
The two interceptions - I read that Vilma called an audible on BOTH of those defensive formations/assignments and people were in position to make a play. And did.
This defense - out of necessity - has to be an opportunistic one because we don't have the personnel of a Ravens or Jets or Vikings defense.
We've done it all year - live by it, die by it.
And yet, people act like they were gifts. Some of them were no doubt mishaps by the Vikings - like the bad handoff. That one I'd call a "gimme" turnover. Well, we had one, too - with Reggie on the muffed punt.
Giving up yards and taking away the ball is how we have to play defense.
And it's entirely possible that if we don't get turnovers against the Colts, it could be very, very,
very ugly. No doubt. The game scares me. But so did Warner. And so did Favre.
I like our CBs very much. Our LBs end up matching up against slot receivers or Dallas Clark or a RB out of the backfield - that's worrisome.
But we are in the game - we have a chance. And only a couple of teams can still say that.
