The domino effect
 

It seems, as with any good team, the people responsible for that get promoted and become head coaches other places.

It has happened with Tony Dungy, it has happened with Mike Holmgren, and it is happening with BB.

What it creates, however, is this over-demand for certain types of players.

When Dungy was in Tampa Bay, he ran his Tampa-2. He could easily get the players to fit that scheme because they were not in demand elsewhere in the NFL, because nobody else was running that scheme. Then he moved to the Colts, implemented a Tampa-2 there. Now many teams run the Tampa-2.

Look at BB's system. He was the first coach in a while to seriously run the 3-4 defense the way he ran it. RAC, Mangini, and now McDaniels will be looking for the same types of players that BB wants, creating a scarcity of them.

When you come in with a new system and have success (partially because nobody really wants the players that fit your system) other people want the players that fit your system, and it becomes harder to run your system.

I want all the good players to stay on the Patriots!

Re: The domino effect
 

Is it widely assumed that the Donks are going to switch to a 3-4? Nolan has experience with both and they certainly don't have the personnel for a 3-4.

Re: The domino effect
 

That's a very good point you bring up about the Tampa 2 scheme. But Pittsburgh has been the most conistant team in the NFL to run the 3-4 scheme. They have been running that for a long time. However, BB made it more popular amoung the NFL after they started to win superbowls.

Re: The domino effect
 

If the Broncos seriously want to run a 3-4, their going to have to really clean house. In fact, the players they have now can't even run the defense they have now! :D Mike Nolan really has his work cut out for him.

Re: The domino effect
 

The Broncos front seven is terrible, be it for a 4-3 or a 3-4. Most Broncos boards don't think that it'll take much more work/personnel change to change to 3-4 than it would to fix the 4-3

Re: The domino effect
 

Here's an example from 20 years ago-Joe Gibbs creared that famous "counter trey" play that was so brilliant partly b/c of his Hogs OL.

However-it wasn't until after they won the '87 Super Bowl against the Broncs when other teams, who wanted to copy the Redskins sucess, started using it...then VOILA! The more teams that started using the counter trey, the more teams started game planning on DEFENDING it on a regular basis, result? This play started getting useless b/c it was getting harder to run.

Anyhow-I know this is a slightly different example, but somewhat similar here...the Cover 2 from other teams looks ineffective at times. Look at Lovie Smith/Chicago-Smith's schemes are very good, but the entire unit is pretty mediocre. Look at Herm Edwards D's in NYJ and KC, he hasn't been successful in running the Cover 2. Rod Marinelli in Detroit? Well-to be fair, Matt Millen was buying the groceries.

Anyhow-I think you may have a good point. I think it's partly b/c more teams are playing the Cover 2, more opponents are getting experience on how to scheme against them, and the more they're getting exploited.

OTOH-Lovie's D personnel isn't all that great if you look at it-Urlacher is over the hill, Mike Brown is their only decent DB(Vasher/Tillman aren't exactly shutdown CBs, and their other safeties are awful), the interior of their DL is pretty soft(which is a NO-NO for playing Cover 2), etc. Lance Briggs is a beast, however.

The same can be said for Tampa's Cover 2 D-they have absolutely no pass rush. No pass rush by your front 4 = your zone D will be easily picked apart.

So yeah-you're prolly right about this-no matter how great your schemes are, you nonetheless need the proper personnel to run it. Neither Chicago nor Tampa has that.

Honestly-they should just stick to their schemes being simple. I mean football ISN'T rocket science. Why do coaches have to make it so complicated?

Re: The domino effect
 

You make a great point. This also helps explain why it's so difficult to be a dynasty. The Patriots have gone 4 years with nada in terms of titles.