Defensive alignments

[Brady6]

My mistake I thought I remembered him being 270, but still I'd Chandler is lanky can play inside at times couldn't Ninkovich

Ninkovich has been more of a Leo for us in the last 2 years. He works best out of a 9 technique but has developed into a very good edge setter in a 7 technique.

The difference between Ninkovich and Jones is the length. That is what allows Jones to be able to work out of a 3 technique or 5 technique. That said, yes Jones can do it but if him rushing from the inside is not ideal and I felt he was used there to often last season.

 

[PatFanCraig]

I felt the same thing. CJ is at his best rushing from the edge using his quickness length and athleticism. Actually he would be best using that athleticism and length rushing as a 3-4 olb where he has more space to use his skills to beat big long powerful tackles. I also think Collins who is even more explosive than CJ should get reps playing opposite side of him rushing when the defense is in 3-4 mode. I know ninkovich is a try hard player everybody roots for but if we are thinking beat the broncos and then winning the Superbowl then last years pass rush MUST IMPROVE. Ninkovich has hit his ceiling and is near 31. We need another double digit sack guy who can put consistent pressure on the QB. Not to mention by playoff time Easley has to contribute to rushing the qb.

Somebody on here just said Ninkovich can't play any 3-4 end because he has limited explosion or power and is best playing the edge in a 4-3. In that case if he is limited in explosion athleticism and power, shouldn't coaching be looking for an upgrade over him starting as a 4-3 edge rusher. I don't think Ninkovich is all that limited but an upgrade is needed. If they play a lot of 3-4 then Collins who has bulked up could be part of a dynamite rush combo playing opposite CJ. They could be the best 3-4 bookend OLBs in the NFL. I suppose i was finding a new role for Ninkovich. Collins and CJ would be explosive Rushing the QB and covering RBs and TEs. Collins was great in coverage as a raw rookie and CJ definitely has athleticism,length,intelligence and determination to do some covering. He plays faster than his 4.8, closer to a 4.70 and plays with great hustle to go with his length and athleticism. Collins can cover but he could be best served rushing QBs which takes away all the receivers. No team would use a double digit sack artist in coverage all the time. Especially when the rush was as bad as ours in the playoffs last several years. In 3-4 alignments we need another LB to go with Mayo inside. Hightower can't cover at all and if you play LB and can't cover, offenses will make sure you have to. Forcing him at LB is forcing him to play a position his skillset isn't good for. Because of his size,power and 40 time Randy White was tried at LB and some edge blitzing. However coaching realized his power stoutness and kind of athleticism was best at DT where he bulked to 270 or so and played at an elite level. Hightower is over 270 and that is with him trying to keep his weight in the linebacker range due to he knows he has to cover. If he actually tried adding weight Hightower could be near 300 by playoff time. And while he lacks athleticism for a lb or edge rusher he would have awesome athleticism as a DT or 3-4 DE. He could easily grow into the position like Henry Melton did and his athleticism and explosion would be great for that position which adds to team speed having him at DT or 3-4 DE. A DT or 3-4 DE running a 4.7 with a 7.50 3 cone adds to team speed where High tower at LB takes away team speed.

I just think players should be put in their best position to thrive, not where they played in college. Randy White would have failed at LB but was a HOF DT. Hightower is huge,powerful and stout. His frame was as big as Terrance Cody standing next to him. I just don't see him as a LB. He is athletic for his size and got away with playing LB in college but he is to slow for lb in the NFL loaded with TEs nearly as fast as WRs and RBs who are receiving specialist. He can barely keep his weight below 280. He is cut out to play on the Line as a penetrating DT or 3-4 DE where his athleticism would be freakish for near 300 lbs. Just my opinions. I could be wrong about him. Im thinking Superbowl and improvements from last year are needed rushing the quarterback and at Center and right guard if we are to beat the Broncos.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

3-4 1 gap - some of the guys listed as "DE's" will be playing OLB.

I'd be stunned if BB went to a pure Bum Philips-style 1-gap. Even with a 4-3, he is more often mixing in 2-gap principles, as those are the fundamentals that he teaches for stopping the run. I would expect to see a similarly hybridized mixed gapping 3-4/5-2 and 4-3 defenses used, where personnel changes do not necessarily correlate to changes in the front - illustrating a bit of a false dichotomy between 3-4 OLBs and 5-2/4-3 DEs.

 

[mayoclinic]

I would expect to see a similarly hybridized mixed gapping 3-4/5-2 and 4-3 defenses used, where personnel changes do not necessarily correlate to changes in the front - illustrating a bit of a false dichotomy between 3-4 OLBs and 5-2/4-3 DEs.

Beautifully said. Bravo. Wish I could have said it that well.

 

[Sicilian]

Seems like Siliga is very close, if not ready to go.

I may regret asking, but who on Earth would dislike this post?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

CB1 Revis
CB2 Revis
CBs Revis

 

[JackBauer]

I may regret asking, but who on Earth would dislike this post?

I haven't a clue.

 

[mgteich]

How many defensive front players have "usually" gotten reps? My take is that 3 DE's, 3 DT's, 1 swing DL, and 4 LB's get all the reps.
DE: Ninkovich, Jones, Buchanan
DT: Wilfork, Jones, Siliga
swing DL: Easley
LB: Mayo, Collins, Hightower, Fleming
Backups: Vellano, Moore, Gaston, Quarles
===========================
CONCLUSIONS
1) We have a very "normal" group of 15 players.
2) We posters (and BB too) would likely prefer an additional LB backup and one fewer DT backup.
3) We could afford to lose 2 DT backups if we needed to also add a LS and/or KR.
4) We obviously have an "extra" safety who shouldn't be signing a lease.
==============================

 

[Ring 6]

I was listening to the radio a few days ago and one of the PFW guys was on (Eric, I think?) and he said something that is a pet peeve of mine.

"Teams generally go with a 3-4 if they like their LBs more than their lineman."

Oh really?

In a 30 front, Nink and Jones are the OLBs with two other LBs and three DL. In a 40 front Nink/Jones become DEs with three other LBs and only two other DL. Wouldn't this suggest that more LBs actually see the field in a 4-3 than a 3-4? Why would you go with a 3-4 and diminish your position of strength?

/minirant

Judging by the roster construction, it seems likely that the 3-4 used during the preseason will carry over into the regular season. Add Nink/Jones to the LB corps and that group suddenly looks much stronger, and DL depth starts making more sense as well.

I disagree that we will play Jones and Nink with 3 DL.
When we have 4 DBs, 5 of the front 7 will be Jones, Nink, Mayo, Hightower, Collins, with 2 DL.
I do not see turning one of our top 2 pass rushers into a cover guy and taking a LB off the field to get an extra 300 lber out there in a league that becomes more pass happy every day.
We would be going in the wrong direction.

 

[Oswlek]

I disagree that we will play Jones and Nink with 3 DL.
When we have 4 DBs, 5 of the front 7 will be Jones, Nink, Mayo, Hightower, Collins, with 2 DL.
I do not see turning one of our top 2 pass rushers into a cover guy and taking a LB off the field to get an extra 300 lber out there in a league that becomes more pass happy every day.
We would be going in the wrong direction.

They've already been doing this for much of the preseason.

 

[Ring 6]

They've already been doing this for much of the preseason.

I know, and I expect them to almost never do it in the regular season.

 

[Oswlek]

I know, and I expect them to almost never do it in the regular season.

I certainly didn't expect them to switch back, but I also thought the 4-3 heavy preseason in 2011 was just working on sub. We'll see, I guess.

 

[Ring 6]

I certainly didn't expect them to switch back, but I also thought the 4-3 heavy preseason in 2011 was just working on sub. We'll see, I guess.

2011 is a good example, because while they switched from 34 to 43, they did it with 34 personnel (Shawn Ellis was a 300lb LDE), so they really played their 34 concepts out of a 43 look.
In 2012 they raised the bar by, for the first time ever, going with only 2 300lbers and playing both Jones and Nink as 260lb DEs.
To me, it was a clear and certain shift by BB to adapt to the changing game and get more pass defense on the field.
I just don't see him going backward, because the game has moved further in this direction since.

My understanding of the way he played the preseason was that it gave him more chance to evaluate the big guys, where the most evaluation was needed, with 3 on the field, and it also allowed Nink and Jones to both play every aspect of a 34 OLB in the event that lineup is used in rare cases, because they have no experience at it.

 

[ALP]

I dunno...seems to me like we have a plethora of big guys, who may not be ideal for DTs and DEs in a 3-4, but who are serviceable...

I very much like the idea of jones and either Collins/nink as OLBs in 3-4 more than ends in 4-3

Mayo will be in middle regardless, but if we can have Hightower off the field I prefer it...his coverage is putrid