Brady6
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
- Messages
- 15,641
- Reaction score
- 5,580
I have read a number of articles and posts suggesting that Wilfork has played poorly this season, and I personally don’t agree with that suggestion. He may not have been a dominate force in weeks 1 or 2 but he certainly was not a shell of his former self as some have suggested.
I do believe some have mistaken a role change for diminished play, over the past two seasons we’ve seen Wilfork in role that allows him to make more impactful plays to the eye, the reason is where he was lining up. In 2011 and 2012 Wilfork spent the majority of his snaps in a either a 5 technique in a 34 scheme or a 3 technique in a 43 front, Kyle Love was the primary NT throughout 2011 and to start 2012, this season Tommy Kelly is assuming more of the flex role and playing 5 technique at LDE in a 34 front and 3 technique at DT in a 43 front.
We have also been spending a lot of time in the 34 specifically in early down situations which is putting Wilfork at the zero technique a role he has not been playing a lot of over the prior 2 season and if you remember Wilfork shed a significant amount of the weight he used to carry when playing NT primarily prior to the switch to the 43/34 hybrid front. In addition to the weight loss Wilfork when at NT is playing with a RDE in Jones who is significantly undersized for a 5 technique 34 DE, leaving Wilfork to contend with sometimes as many as 3 linemen (OC, LG and RG).
I do believe some have mistaken a role change for diminished play, over the past two seasons we’ve seen Wilfork in role that allows him to make more impactful plays to the eye, the reason is where he was lining up. In 2011 and 2012 Wilfork spent the majority of his snaps in a either a 5 technique in a 34 scheme or a 3 technique in a 43 front, Kyle Love was the primary NT throughout 2011 and to start 2012, this season Tommy Kelly is assuming more of the flex role and playing 5 technique at LDE in a 34 front and 3 technique at DT in a 43 front.
We have also been spending a lot of time in the 34 specifically in early down situations which is putting Wilfork at the zero technique a role he has not been playing a lot of over the prior 2 season and if you remember Wilfork shed a significant amount of the weight he used to carry when playing NT primarily prior to the switch to the 43/34 hybrid front. In addition to the weight loss Wilfork when at NT is playing with a RDE in Jones who is significantly undersized for a 5 technique 34 DE, leaving Wilfork to contend with sometimes as many as 3 linemen (OC, LG and RG).