Defensive Notes
A week ago we talked about a defense or two that could surprise in 2008. This week the flipside: defenses that could be headed for a fall. We don't want to overrate free agent losses; the Colts are an example of a team that lost several starters to free agency last offseason and actually improved. But the 2007 Ravens were down a few starters after the free-agent period and lost even more to injury during the season, and they never recovered.
The annual draft and training camps are still ahead, of course, but a few clubs look like they may have a few too many holes to fill between now and the start of the season.
1. New England: In Bill Belichick we trust -- well, except when he's not being truthful. We're not projecting a Ravens-style fall for the Patriots; no doubt they'll remain a top-10 if not top-5 defense in our preseason rankings. Belichick will find a way to hide this defense's flaws against most opponents. But there probably will be flaws. The secondary had problems against good passing offenses a year ago, and it lost three (Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, Eugene Wilson) of its top six players to free agency. Rodney Harrison will turn 36 during the season, and he looked shaky at times a year ago. The linebacking corps has some age. Again, this figures to be an upper-echelon fantasy defense as long as Belichick is around, but it also might be overdrafted next year.
2. Pittsburgh: If you had Pittsburgh last season, you know it was a tale of two halves. At midseason, the Steelers were a top-3 defense by almost any measure, and they did finish the season No. 1 in total defense (yardage). But what a difference half a season makes. After eight games, Pittsburgh had allowed just 9 offensive touchdowns. In their final eight games, they gave up 19. Schedule and injuries played a part, of course, but it's also a sign of a defense that opponents figured out as the season wore on. Their linebacking depth will be tested by the loss of Clark Haggans to free agency; leading tackler James Harrison could face discipline for an off-field incident. We've got plenty of respect for this coaching staff, but there are some signs that this defense might be closer to what it was in the second half of last season than it was in the first.
3. Tennessee: A year ago, the Titans' defense was one of the more pleasant surprises of the fantasy season. It will be even more surprising if they repeat that performance. The team's defensive line -- its strength last season -- lost two of its top three defensive ends, who accounted for 14 of its sacks. Then there's dominating tackle Albert Haynesworth, whom the team used its franchise tag on. Those situations frequently turn out ugly, and Haynesworth is a player the team needs to keep happy (not to mention healthy; he battled a hamstring injury down the stretch last season). They've brought in former Titan Jevon Kearse, but he wasn't the player in Philadelphia that he'd been in Tennessee, and couldn't stay healthy, either. Assuming Haynesworth is as disruptive on the field as he was the first half of last season, this defense could still be above-average, but top 10? Unlikely.
- Andy Richardson
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