phishxhead
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Wheeler is really bad at most things and Ellerbe is ok - both are way overpaid.
Ellerbe and Wheeler Problem
- Thread starter AJ Duhe
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phishxhead
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I've seen no evidence that Wheeler is good in coverage (or much else), but I think Ellerbe is a little better than Dansby in coverage, but much worse in run support.
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In a division with Tom Brady, Aaron Hernandez (believe he wasn't in trouble at the time of the signing of these players)and Gronk covering a TE was a must. Neither Dansby nor Burnett were effective in defending the pass. People here are doing their hindsight without remembering the reason for the moves.
FinHopeful
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There is a big improvement in coverage. I remember I saw running backs, tight ends, and receivers open by five yards frequently last year. I do not see the same separation this year. There is better tackling after and during the catch. In today's NFL, I prefer coverage to run stuffing.
putter1013
Active Roster
You all need to check yourself on the Dansby not covering. That was his strength. He was always jamming RB's out of the backfield. It is the Weakside LB that mainly covers the TE meaning Burnett and Wheeler. Jordan is the only player that is covering TE's well this year. By the way, Dansby has 105 Tackles, 5 INT's and 2 Defensive Touchdowns this year. So do yourselves a favor and admit that letting him go was a HUGE MISTAKE. This guy excels in coverage but evidently is better suited to play in a 3-4 than a 4-3? I would have loved to of kept Dansby and played him next to Ellerbe and not signed Wheeler. The reason we brought in Wheeler and Ellerbe is because they are supposed to be good BLITZING LB's. Problem is, they hardly blitz and when they do they aren't getting there. They also are not great in coverage. I actually think Ellerbe has played well this season, you have to give the guy credit, remember he injured his shoulder early in the year so he is probably playing similar to Dansby last year meaning with 1 arm!
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Both play the same position inside. How would they work? It wouldn't.
Lots of revisionist history going on... Dansby had his best year as a Dolphin last year and was CLEARLY significantly better against the pass than he is getting credit for (his last year only). With that said, our defense as a whole is better this season and is better against the pass. Whether you want to admit it or not, Wheeler and Ellerbe are a big part of why we're significantly better against the pass (albeit slightly worse against the run).
Austin Tatious
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I want to take a look at the Skov kid from Stanford. He may be the type of tough, smart kid who we could put at the mike. I'd think he'd be a day 2 pick.
hoops
Tua time!
there's some scheme changes we have implemented that have helped these new guys...not in the run game but against the pass...vs the run there's little to no interior or off tackle run instincts or ability to read the linemen to be found...
little to none...none with wheeler that's for sure
dansby and burnett were much more instinctual than these new guys...much more
little to none...none with wheeler that's for sure
dansby and burnett were much more instinctual than these new guys...much more
dansby can play olb, he did before in his early years in the league
MartinTheSNAKE
Seasoned Veteran
Truth is both LB have played poor in the run blocking scheme... But... For a team that has been so bad covering TE's passed few years, we arn't giving up big plays and letting them torch us like we did in the past.
One positive to think about. Although i agree Wheeler isnt that great, and Ellerbe isnt a MLB.
One positive to think about. Although i agree Wheeler isnt that great, and Ellerbe isnt a MLB.
I'm not detecting the vast improvement in pass defense that so many are touting in this thread. We allowed 7.0 yards per attempt last season and it's 6.9 this year.
That makes us a middle of the road team, when you combine it with Tannehill's identical performance from last season in YPA, in the 6.8 range.
The interceptions are up, thanks to playmakers like Grimes and Patterson. I could argue that the pass defense is actually worse, once you take away the interceptions. I'm never fixated on interception numbers as much as yards per attempt because interceptions can vary so wildly from year to year, even if the personnel doesn't change.
Notice that our net is dead even. The top teams have a YPPA Differential of +1 yard or more. Seattle right now is a sensational +3.0, averaging 8.8 yards per pass attempt while allowing only 5.8. You very, very rarely see a differential like that in the NFL. It's more typical of the best college teams. There have been college teams with as great as +4.5 over the years.
It's difficult to overachieve and win a high percentage of games when your net differential is in the break even range. That's always a starting reference point. Even if you do win a high percentage of games, you're basically a fraud and likely will be exposed in the playoffs. The Falcons twice were top seed in the NFC despite moderate YPPA Differential. That's why I call them creeps. Finally they are receiving a deserved regression. Green Bay as 6th seed had a significantly higher YPPA Differential when they took out Atlanta on the road and won the Super Bowl a few years ago. Similarly, when Pittsburgh upset the Colts on the road in 2005 and won the Super Bowl, they had the second highest YPPA Diferential in the league behind the Colts. That game looked like the true Super Bowl and it probably was, even though it happened early in the playoffs.
Examples like that are why I have to chuckle at all the posters who scoff at stats. I've used the numbers to great benefit since 1987. Time after time you know something the media doesn't know. The posters who subjectively denounce stats might as well be spitting into the wind.
Occasionally there are oddities like the 2010 Chargers, who had excellent YPPA Differential numbers but their special teams were so historically inept they blew many games as a result early in the season, and missed the playoffs completely. I've never seen another example like that in the 25+ years I've charted the category.
Anyway, Ellerbe gets frozen in his tracks on running plays while Wheeler is willing to make a commitment but too often it's in the wrong direction. Dansby is an oddity in that he's so much more aggressive and big play effective with the Cardinals than he ever showed here. I'm happy he's back in his best setting and he should accept it that way, instead of bitching about his experiences here. Although if I had Jeff Ireland above me for several years I'd probably have trouble letting go of it myself.
That makes us a middle of the road team, when you combine it with Tannehill's identical performance from last season in YPA, in the 6.8 range.
The interceptions are up, thanks to playmakers like Grimes and Patterson. I could argue that the pass defense is actually worse, once you take away the interceptions. I'm never fixated on interception numbers as much as yards per attempt because interceptions can vary so wildly from year to year, even if the personnel doesn't change.
Notice that our net is dead even. The top teams have a YPPA Differential of +1 yard or more. Seattle right now is a sensational +3.0, averaging 8.8 yards per pass attempt while allowing only 5.8. You very, very rarely see a differential like that in the NFL. It's more typical of the best college teams. There have been college teams with as great as +4.5 over the years.
It's difficult to overachieve and win a high percentage of games when your net differential is in the break even range. That's always a starting reference point. Even if you do win a high percentage of games, you're basically a fraud and likely will be exposed in the playoffs. The Falcons twice were top seed in the NFC despite moderate YPPA Differential. That's why I call them creeps. Finally they are receiving a deserved regression. Green Bay as 6th seed had a significantly higher YPPA Differential when they took out Atlanta on the road and won the Super Bowl a few years ago. Similarly, when Pittsburgh upset the Colts on the road in 2005 and won the Super Bowl, they had the second highest YPPA Diferential in the league behind the Colts. That game looked like the true Super Bowl and it probably was, even though it happened early in the playoffs.
Examples like that are why I have to chuckle at all the posters who scoff at stats. I've used the numbers to great benefit since 1987. Time after time you know something the media doesn't know. The posters who subjectively denounce stats might as well be spitting into the wind.
Occasionally there are oddities like the 2010 Chargers, who had excellent YPPA Differential numbers but their special teams were so historically inept they blew many games as a result early in the season, and missed the playoffs completely. I've never seen another example like that in the 25+ years I've charted the category.
Anyway, Ellerbe gets frozen in his tracks on running plays while Wheeler is willing to make a commitment but too often it's in the wrong direction. Dansby is an oddity in that he's so much more aggressive and big play effective with the Cardinals than he ever showed here. I'm happy he's back in his best setting and he should accept it that way, instead of bitching about his experiences here. Although if I had Jeff Ireland above me for several years I'd probably have trouble letting go of it myself.