re: What will prevent this team from winning 11 or more games?

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Run defense. We gave up 147.6 yards a game. That's insane.

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For this year? Don't think so. Ryan already came out and said Spags' run defense was unsound.

That plus the additions and subtractions in the front 7 should have us playing much better run d.

You talking about losing Ellis and Shanle and putting Hicks, Bunkley, Galette, and Wilson in much bigger roles, along with Foster, Walker, J. Jenkins, and Humber showing they could potentially step up.

And if there's one thing Smith has done well as an OLB it's playing the run(better than he has as a down lineman in the past IMO).

Add to the fact that Ryan likes to keep a safety(Harper in this case) in the box VERY often and Harper is very good in the box as opposed to playing deep like Spags had him, I think our run d well be very improved, if not one of the tops in the league.

All that said, I'm throwing my hat in the ring for saying the run game on offense might be our weak point. The Oline is having the same problems it did to start last season in not opening up enough holes.

Getting enough defensive turnovers would be a close second but it has a lot to do with luck and pressure and we've been showing pressure to this point at least. But in 2011 we didn't get many turnovers but we're much better yardage wise and in not giving up points on D.

Edit:
Also forgot to add our tackling has looked miles ahead of last season or even when we had GW. That will surely help in run D.

And I didn't list injuries because that's a given for every team.