The secondary gets flamed on a regular basis here and the Dline even gets beat up but why doesn't anybody look at the LB position? That is our biggest weakness in our 3-4 alignment - heck even in our 4-3! You look at the top 3-4 D's and you see big time playmakers at LB - Pitt has Porter and Foote all over the field making plays in the backfield on a regular basis. NE has Bruschi and Vrabel and even Colvin now causing trouble. Who do we have? Zach getting stuffed trying to blitz up the middle? I never see Crowder or Spragan anywhere near the QB? Why? Our LB's certainly can't cover - at least they have been exposed by TE's around the league. If you want to see why we can't dominate with a 3-4 there you go IMO. Our LB's put minimal to no pressure on the QB and can't cover and make game changing plays. And before I hear about Zach's pick - please remember that was a tipped pass.
Real D Weakness is LB...
- Thread starter Rich22
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Dolfan32323
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Crowder missed some tackles yesterday
adamprez2003
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Crowder was alright but I think Zach needs to be replaced next year. He's still serviceable and plays with great heart but he's getting a little worse every year now. Age is catching up.
adamprez2003
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hardhitn said:
What the Crowder comment or Zach
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Rubbish!
I think that you are a bit harsh here. Our linebackers aren't spectacular, but are solid and I would say are not the weakness of our D. No doubt it is in fact the secondary. Most of the big plays that we've given up have been as a result of busted coverages in the secondary, not in the middle with our backers. Zach is not as good as he was 3 years ago, but he's still pretty friggin good. Crowder has played outstanding this season, but I think we lack any serious playmakers at the position outside of these two.
In any case, this is not neccessarily the strength or weakness of our team. On Defense, our weakness is the secondary, full stop. On offense, it's the offensive line, and our QB needs time to heal and knock the rust off, but he has much upside if he can reach it, almost like a rookie QB with a big arm. In any case, I babble. LB is not a weakness on this football team, but you are right in that we should add another young playmaker or two next year to this group.
Don't forget in a 3-4 Jason Taylor is one of our outside Linebackers, you think he ain't bringing it? Crowder --- Zach --- Spragan --- JT ? That doesn't sound all that bad to me matey. Then you've got Traylor Carter and Holiday (and or Big Daddy) on the line. I think our front seven is most definitely solid, but our secondary needs a few weeks to gel.
:cooldude:
I think that you are a bit harsh here. Our linebackers aren't spectacular, but are solid and I would say are not the weakness of our D. No doubt it is in fact the secondary. Most of the big plays that we've given up have been as a result of busted coverages in the secondary, not in the middle with our backers. Zach is not as good as he was 3 years ago, but he's still pretty friggin good. Crowder has played outstanding this season, but I think we lack any serious playmakers at the position outside of these two.
In any case, this is not neccessarily the strength or weakness of our team. On Defense, our weakness is the secondary, full stop. On offense, it's the offensive line, and our QB needs time to heal and knock the rust off, but he has much upside if he can reach it, almost like a rookie QB with a big arm. In any case, I babble. LB is not a weakness on this football team, but you are right in that we should add another young playmaker or two next year to this group.
Don't forget in a 3-4 Jason Taylor is one of our outside Linebackers, you think he ain't bringing it? Crowder --- Zach --- Spragan --- JT ? That doesn't sound all that bad to me matey. Then you've got Traylor Carter and Holiday (and or Big Daddy) on the line. I think our front seven is most definitely solid, but our secondary needs a few weeks to gel.
:cooldude:
adamprez2003
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hardhitn said:
He's getting engulfed by blockers this year. I've never seen him bounce straight backwards off a block as many times as I have this year. It looks like he got a step slower and considering that he barely had the physical qualities you need to play the game at a high level (his game is all heart and brains) and it seems his physical skills are diminishing I think its time we make that transition. We could probably keep him for another year but we need to draft his eventual replacement next year. Too be honest I was hoping we picked up Ahmad Brooks in the supplemental draft this year to start the process. Dont know if he'll pan out but its time we start looking to do it
zackmandude63
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adamprez2003 said:
he's getting engulfed because we dont have the personel to run the 3-4 d. if we ran straight up 4-3 with truck and daddy in the middle, zach will go wild! as for tes exposing us, they are going deep, wheres the safeties!
adamprez2003
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zackmandude63 said:
That's my point though for starting the transition. Saban wants that hybrid 3-4/4-3 type of d. If Jim Bates was our coach instead of Saban we could probably keep zach around for awhile but its time to start thinking about the future. Dont get me wrong I love Zach and everything he's done for us but eventually there comes a time when the future is more important than the past
Kyndig said:
I don't mean to be too harsh or negative here - I'm still on edge every Sunday yelling each play but IMO we are overrated here. You mentioned the big plays but if you look at the Pitt game what was the big play - Miller their TE breaking away from Zach. Now should there have been safety help - probably. If you look at the Tenn game - their TE was a big weapon - the TD catch was awesome but he beat Zach. I know that is tough to cover but the point is the same - our LB's have given up big plays. I personally am a big supporter of Crowder BUT he has not made big plays so far this year. He has made a bunch of tackles 5-10 yards down field. I have high expectations from him but I want to see plays behind the line of scrimmage. I want to see him making a big hit and knocking the ball loose - game changing plays. Right now him and Spragan are palying avg IMO. JT as an OLB is avg. What has he done dropping into coverage? Again don't get me wrong - I believe in these guys BUT they just haven't shown it yet. Buff and Pitt ran on us and Tenn did at times as well. You have to hold these guys responsible as well. IMO if I was picking with our #1 pick next year and this was our team at the point my pick would be at LB.
I love Zach too, but ap2003 is right. Didn't the titans run the exact play that pitt ran for a TD and got a TD also? Both were with Zach covering their TE over the middle. Watch and see if more teams use the same play each game. Why wouldn't they if they are assured a TD?
Miamifin23
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We do need to draft 2 LB's next year... Depending on where we are at I would spend a 1st and a 4th depending on the talent.
Phins28
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Rich22 said:
I don’t see LB to be our weakness on defense, the only problems with our LB’s is that they’re bad blitzers. In this kind of defensive scheme we need good blitzers, that’s why Saban was after Julian Peterson.
miamiron
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Draft
Since our secondary is so difficult to grasp maybe we could draft
more safties and defensive backs then in 2-3 years when Jason Allen
is allowed to start or is able to start they will all be ready to step in:wink: together
Phins28 said:
Since our secondary is so difficult to grasp maybe we could draft
more safties and defensive backs then in 2-3 years when Jason Allen
is allowed to start or is able to start they will all be ready to step in:wink: together