Originally Posted by -King-:
That's because the whole set the edge thing is something iowahawkeyechief says as if it really improved the run defense or that it's somehow a tradeoff from having a strong pass rush. When really the truth is that the run defense is largely the same, pass rush is worse, but secondary play is A LOT better. IMO that's the biggest difference from 2018 to now.
Against QB's like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, who happen to be our biggest competition in the AFC right now, "setting the edge" makes a HUGE difference.
Keeping in the pocket and forcing them to make plays with their arms is a big, big deal. You don't beat Jackson with a pass rush, you beat him by forcing him to play a QB's game.
I get what you're saying - overall the defense hasn't improved a ton. However, when it comes to doing what it takes to navigate the AFC regular season and make it deep into the playoffs, the defense is doing EXACTLY what they need to do. They just need to do it better.
[Reply]