normaniii
Active Roster
I got slated for previous thread about personnel blitz packages on passing downs, so thought id look into the best defences (before you corrrect me, this is how u spell defence in the UK) in the NFL. I think most would agree, the best 3/4 D's are the Steelers, Ravens, Cowboys,Patriots and maybe Chargers with Merriman back. All but Cowboys and Chargers operate on obvious passing downs, some sort of zone blitz package. Even the cowboys and chargers move personnel around to isolate their best blitzer, D Ware and Merriman on the worst lineman. The other 3 all have packages where their main run stuffer leaves the formation i.e. Hampton, Gregg (i know Ngata plays lot more as Nose now) and Wilfork. They then slide one or two of the DE inside i.e A.Smith, Ngata, Pryce, Seymour and Ty Warren and add another LB who can blitz or cover like L Timmons, a DB or sometimes both.
I was thinking......with depth we now have, what personnel changes would we incorporate into an obvious passing down blitz package?
I think most would agree J Ferguson would have to come out. Our ends would most likely be Merling and Langford, but would any of them take up two blockers to free up LB's? Merling is best passrusher but I dont believe he demands two lineman and he is not as physical as Langford, who I believe lining up would on some occasions demand two guys and if not would create pressure.. I would also choose P Solai to come in. I can here the groans, but let me explain. Solai is the most physically dominating Lineman we have who can shift for big guy. I agree he has fitness and concentration issues, but for soley 3rd down scenarios, i think he would demand 2 blockers. I would also use him as a DE on certain teams who like to run instead of Merling, much in the same way as Ngata...but that is a seperate debate. I think both would stop or disrupt the QB stepping up to pass.
I would choose to add a DB instead of LB, as I have kept to lineman. I would then decide who are my best 4 LB, who can firstly blitz, but also good enough in zone coverage so that it is not obvious who is coming after QB. Porter and Taylor are obvious choices. I would go for Anderson and C Wake. I love Matt Roth and think Crowder will have big year, but Roth struggles in covergae and Crowder is awful at blitzing. I know C Wake is unknown commodity at the moment, but with his athletisism he would create problems blitzing and could cover an area in a zone package quite similar to C. Anderson. I thought C Anderson last year was underated. I agree he is definately not a 3 down man but when he came in to pressure QB i thought he done well. So theres my 4 LB for a zone blitz package, Porter, Taylor, Anderson and Wake.
Now the DB. On first 2 downs, more than likely we would have Bell, Wilson, V.Davis and Will Allen. Firstly I will just say, when considering all this, i wanted players doing what they do best. So depending on who we were playing and the situation, if its an obvious passing down, I want my best cover guys, no matter if they lineing up at saftey or CB. So theres 5 to choose. W.Allen is obvious choice. I would keep Vontae on field and also bring in S.Smith. I would keep one of Bell or Wilson as an insurance against the run and possibly blitz. I chose G.Wilson. He can blitz, play zone and is also an insurance against the run. I like Y.Bell but he has limitations in coverage and i belive Wilson is better. Then I would add Jason Allen. I know a lot dont like him, and i know i wil get posts stating 'how could i drop Bell for Jason Allen', but I do think he improved as year went on and is much better than Bell in coverage. He got chosen to cover Moss last year and dont try to tell me Bell would have done a better job. Also, another year under current regime only bodes well. So theres my 5 DB. W.Allen, V.Davis. S.Smith. G. Wilson and J.Allen. Bar Will Allen and it is a very physical secondary also. I would have Wilson lining up close to LB, so that he can threaten the blitz and drop back into coverage. I would then have the remaining 4 in a quarter deep zone, W.Allen and Vontae out wide and Smith and J.Allen as the inside safety's. As i said i want guys doing what they do best and i believe in this situation u have also got the oppurtunity to corner blitz with Vontae and roll coverage to his side with G.Wilson also dropping into the quarter deep zone. So heres how it looks on paper.... well screen, monitor, you know what i mean.
V.Davis.............J.Allen............................S.Smith...................W.Allen
Porter.............Wake............Anderson..............G.Wilson............J.Taylor
...................................Solai.........Langford.......................................
This is not rigid. I would move guys about, as the other teams mentioned above do with, Ware, Suggs, J Harrison and Polamalu etc.
I looked at this and the options are endless. I would mostly blitz 5 guys. 2 being Solai and Langford to collapse the pocket. Then i looked at the options for the other 3. If i was QB or lineman, looking at this package, i wouldnt have a clue who was coming or from where and that is the essence of the zone blitz, which, as opposed to last year, we now have these options.:up:
I was thinking......with depth we now have, what personnel changes would we incorporate into an obvious passing down blitz package?
I think most would agree J Ferguson would have to come out. Our ends would most likely be Merling and Langford, but would any of them take up two blockers to free up LB's? Merling is best passrusher but I dont believe he demands two lineman and he is not as physical as Langford, who I believe lining up would on some occasions demand two guys and if not would create pressure.. I would also choose P Solai to come in. I can here the groans, but let me explain. Solai is the most physically dominating Lineman we have who can shift for big guy. I agree he has fitness and concentration issues, but for soley 3rd down scenarios, i think he would demand 2 blockers. I would also use him as a DE on certain teams who like to run instead of Merling, much in the same way as Ngata...but that is a seperate debate. I think both would stop or disrupt the QB stepping up to pass.
I would choose to add a DB instead of LB, as I have kept to lineman. I would then decide who are my best 4 LB, who can firstly blitz, but also good enough in zone coverage so that it is not obvious who is coming after QB. Porter and Taylor are obvious choices. I would go for Anderson and C Wake. I love Matt Roth and think Crowder will have big year, but Roth struggles in covergae and Crowder is awful at blitzing. I know C Wake is unknown commodity at the moment, but with his athletisism he would create problems blitzing and could cover an area in a zone package quite similar to C. Anderson. I thought C Anderson last year was underated. I agree he is definately not a 3 down man but when he came in to pressure QB i thought he done well. So theres my 4 LB for a zone blitz package, Porter, Taylor, Anderson and Wake.
Now the DB. On first 2 downs, more than likely we would have Bell, Wilson, V.Davis and Will Allen. Firstly I will just say, when considering all this, i wanted players doing what they do best. So depending on who we were playing and the situation, if its an obvious passing down, I want my best cover guys, no matter if they lineing up at saftey or CB. So theres 5 to choose. W.Allen is obvious choice. I would keep Vontae on field and also bring in S.Smith. I would keep one of Bell or Wilson as an insurance against the run and possibly blitz. I chose G.Wilson. He can blitz, play zone and is also an insurance against the run. I like Y.Bell but he has limitations in coverage and i belive Wilson is better. Then I would add Jason Allen. I know a lot dont like him, and i know i wil get posts stating 'how could i drop Bell for Jason Allen', but I do think he improved as year went on and is much better than Bell in coverage. He got chosen to cover Moss last year and dont try to tell me Bell would have done a better job. Also, another year under current regime only bodes well. So theres my 5 DB. W.Allen, V.Davis. S.Smith. G. Wilson and J.Allen. Bar Will Allen and it is a very physical secondary also. I would have Wilson lining up close to LB, so that he can threaten the blitz and drop back into coverage. I would then have the remaining 4 in a quarter deep zone, W.Allen and Vontae out wide and Smith and J.Allen as the inside safety's. As i said i want guys doing what they do best and i believe in this situation u have also got the oppurtunity to corner blitz with Vontae and roll coverage to his side with G.Wilson also dropping into the quarter deep zone. So heres how it looks on paper.... well screen, monitor, you know what i mean.
V.Davis.............J.Allen............................S.Smith...................W.Allen
Porter.............Wake............Anderson..............G.Wilson............J.Taylor
...................................Solai.........Langford.......................................
This is not rigid. I would move guys about, as the other teams mentioned above do with, Ware, Suggs, J Harrison and Polamalu etc.
I looked at this and the options are endless. I would mostly blitz 5 guys. 2 being Solai and Langford to collapse the pocket. Then i looked at the options for the other 3. If i was QB or lineman, looking at this package, i wouldnt have a clue who was coming or from where and that is the essence of the zone blitz, which, as opposed to last year, we now have these options.:up:
