Nik Needham

[Rick Cartman]

I think the modern NFL has moved away from traditional defensive schemes to cope with 3WR/1TE base sets on offense. DBs in general have become a premium position. Safeties are asked to play more versatile roles (in the box or slot), but there is still almost always at least 2 on the field. If you go back and watch the game originally mentioned vs Indy you will see McCain and Rowe on the field together most of the defensive snaps. LBs however, are a dying breed. A good box safety and MLB is pretty much all you need anymore (ignoring EDGE rushers).

It also would explain why guys that don't necessarily have a real position like Derwin James and :shivers: Minkah Fitzpatrick are thriving the last few seasons. In addition to the aforementioned, LBs like Deone Buchanon and Deoin Jones have been effective despite probably being sized like a 1987 Strong Safety.

 

[Phinglander]

Gotta respect what Needham did last season. Attitude, skills, everything spot on. Get Logan Ryan in as well and just play 5 corners every game, will be worth it just for the 7 interceptions a game we have against Josh Allen

 

[Sirspud]

I've heard good things about Needham but defense can sometimes be the case of the weakest link being exploited repeatedly. I'll withhold judgement on how we're gonna play the passing game until we've seen what these guys can do together. More often than not this team's defense over the last ten years has been pretty good against the deep ball but absolutely inept at covering guys in the intermediate range, so teams like the Pats and Ravens just threw over the middle all game long, resulting in a lot of 30-40 point massacres. I could usually tell when we're gonna get our surprise win against NE by how many times Brady tried to throw it deep - there was usually an inverse relationship to the Patriots success and how many times they tried to throw deep against us.

 

[Jssanto]

I do agree that the NFL is moving a lot towards nickel defense playing two linebackers for A majority of their defensive snaps. And much like you said they need to be able to fly around the field to cover all the receiving options. The 250+ pound middle linebacker like McMillan is a thing of the past the more as a Simmons Jerome baker 230 pound players who can fly but get a 220 pound running back going downhill and let’s see who wins that match up

And to Mach2’s Point power running can overwhelm this which is really interesting to see Miami going with enormous offensive lineman. If Jackson and Hunt grow into their bodies and strength and you put a guy like Kinley at guard and Flowers who is a huge human being, you’ll be able to force teams to play in packages they aren’t used to meaning they don’t have the depth or talent in which they can counter the power style but when they try and commit to stopping that you can expose them in other ways perhaps in the passing game.

I think the versatility this coaching staff is trying to create on both sides of the ball is quite impressive

If two LBers than why a 3-4? Are the two outside LBers really DEs? A 5-2? Does anyone play a 4-2-5?

 

[Mach2]

If two LBers than why a 3-4? Are the two outside LBers really DEs? A 5-2? Does anyone play a 4-2-5?

Flo, by all appearances, believes in a hybrid approach, that changes depending on an opponent's percieved weaknesses/strengths.

Last year, both he and Graham taked about a "positionless" scheme, which couldn't be defined by conventional "numbered" alignments. For example, you could see the same player lining up as a safety, LB, corner, or coming of the edge, irrespective of the number on his jersey.

 

[Jssanto]

Flo, by all appearances, believes in a hybrid approach, that changes depending on an opponent's percieved weaknesses/strengths.

Last year, both he and Graham taked about a "positionless" scheme, which couldn't be defined by conventional "numbered" alignments. For example, you could see the same player lining up as a safety, LB, corner, or coming of the edge, irrespective of the number on his jersey.

Thanks. I do not understand some of the Subtleties