Linemen do not spy. They also do not play zone because they don't drop back "into coverage."
Never say never. DL occassionally drop back into zone in a zone blitz scheme to confuse the QB about where the coverage and pressure is coming for. When you play zone with four DL and have two smallish ends or have linebackers lined up as DL, this can definitely happen. BB is known for his exotic formations and post snap defensive shifts used to do exactly that, confuse QBs.
3. OK let me get my rant over with. It wasn't too long into the first half of the Detroit game when I started thinking, "so exactly WHEN is this "young, talented", though inexperienced defense, going to start to GET FREAKIN' BETTER!!!!!!"
This defense is tangibly better than the 09 defense for the following reasons:
1. It is a much faster and more athletic defense. When they get beat it's usually because of mental mistakes or missed coverages rather than a physical inability to defend.
2. The 09 defense produced better stats but not better results. They could NOT shut down anybody in the 4th quarter and BB could not trust them with leads. Witness the infamous 4th and 2 decision that was necessitated by that 'meltdown' Defense. On the other hand the 2010 defense inspired a lot more trust when they shut down the Ravens in the 4th Q and OT to set up the tough win for the Pats.
3. This defense still has upside and produces TOs. The younguns are coming on and we're starting 4 rookies on defense - cunningham, mccourty, spikes, and arrington. They can look lights out at times and bad at other times but the Upside is definitely there. This D has yet to play its best game, but in the meantime they are producing TURNOVERS which have really made a difference this year. Do we beat the Colts without generating 3 picks no, but we did. Could the Lions game have taken a turn for the worse if McCourty hadn't had 2 big picks in the 2nd half, it's definitely possible, but he did do it when it counted. Taking a ball away from Calvin Johnson who some here say is the best WR in the NFL (I don't think he's there yet but he's close).
4. A side effect of all the youth on defense is that you don't see them 'gassed' in the 4th Q and the late part of games like they would get in 09. Rarely do you hear comments anymore like - they looked gassed out there, they just couldn't stop anyone anymore. And I found myself thinking that a lot in previous years in late game situations. Either our rotations are much better or the youth factor has been a big help in the energy factor of the defense in the closing periods of football games.
In short, throw the stats out the window because they're just going to look terrible. But this defense CAN get the job done in the crunch and that has spelled the difference this season. It ain't pretty, and sometimes it's just ugly, but the defense does enoug to help the offense win football games. Considering that 4/11ths of the defense is 'learning on the job', getting to 9-2 during that time frame is pretty amazing. And 7 games to go so we could see marked improvements by the youngsters within the next 2 months.