Some Defensive Thoughts...

[junk]

I expected that the new defense, along with all the new players, would take awhile to come together. However, I have some concerns even at this early point.

1. The blitz. I thought the big selling point of the 3-4 was that you could blitz from different places to confuse QBs. How come Dallas rarely blitzes anyone besides the OLBers? Dat gets sent on the nickel and has done OK. If James goes, he must be awful. I haven't heard or seen a thing from him all season. The blitz schemes just don't seem very innovative, creative or effective. Maybe that is something that improves as the team becomes more comfortable. This leads me to....

2. Zimmer. I know its fashionable to bash him. Heck, he gets bashed about the 3-4 and even the 4-3 cover 2 (even though he hasn't run it yet, people still seem to think he is...). I'll say this though. Parcells handed offensive play calling duties to Payton. He dictated that Zimmer change to the 3-4, a defense he is unfamiliar with. Parcells is supposed to be this 3-4 wizard.....so why isn't he helping Zimmer out? In my opinion, any defensive blame has to be just as much of Parcells fault as Zimmers. I am not impressed with the things that either are doing. Is it just a matter of young guys picking things up before they open it up more? I hope so.

3. I have no doubts that the defensive talent is better this year than last. The results compared to last year? Same record. More yards allowed, more points allowed. 1 more sack and 2 more interceptions.

4. The linebackers. Other than Dat and occasionally Ware, none of these guys have performed worth a lick. James does nothing out there. At least he is not responsible for several long TD runs yet...maybe he is improving. At this rate, he'll be a Pro Bowler when he is 42. For a scheme that emphasizes LBers, don't you think the team should have a few more? Whats wrong with Shanle? He makes the occasional play on the nickel. Seems to have a nose for the ball. What is his major deficiency that keeps him off the field?

5. The DL. I love the depth. I love the fact that the team has basically two 3 man fronts that would probably both start for many 3-4 teams. I don't like sitting playmakers and talent on the bench though.

6. Overall, I like a lot of the young talent on the team. I like the FA additions. I realize it is going to take time to gel. I don't like the results so far though. A good defense shouldn't let the San Franciscos of the world put 31 up on them.

[Gaede]

Another thing, Ellis is doing really good

The blitz thing really bothers me too. I thought that's what 3-4 defenses do? Ware's the only LB who really rushes the passer on a consistent basis, and that's from the exact same position each time (OLB off the LT).

That's the main thing that upsets (and confuses) me about this D

[joseephuss]

Fujita got more playing time this game. Looked lost a couple of times, but did come back and create a fumble.

[joseephuss]

Another thing, Ellis is doing really good

The blitz thing really bothers me too. I thought that's what 3-4 defenses do? Ware's the only LB who really rushes the passer on a consistent basis, and that's from the exact same position each time (OLB off the LT).

That's the main thing that upsets (and confuses) me about this D

That is pretty much all LT ever did. Pass rushers make their money when the offense knows they are coming, but can't stop them. Ware is still learning and I can see some progress between now and the first pre-season game.

[junk]

Fujita got more playing time this game. Looked lost a couple of times, but did come back and create a fumble.

And I really hope he becomes someone like Steve Foley for SD. There are a few things that concern me though.

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm afraid that a lot of the pass problems have been because of Keith Davis. If you look at our games, he was the problem in week one with McCardell over the middle, and he had some misplays yesterday. He might be like Tony Dixon last year... It might all look better if he's replaced (or just improves).

I honestly see the two Redskin TDs as pretty flukey, as I think Roy and Glenn will break at least one of those two plays up 95 times out of 100. And I think Henry will be better than he was yesterday.

I think Burnett is a big key this year. He's very athletic and aggressive, and can spell Ware. He's the other LB rusher we need... At least for this year.

Canty and Spears are the real thing, and IMO Ferguson has been very good. I expect him to start this coming week over Glover.

[Taylor_Can_Hit21]

Secondary...from what i have seen...that needs a lot of help. I like the pass rush of your team, and i think the run defense is pretty solid as well.

[blindzebra]

We need to do a breakdown of how much teams are passing against us on 1st down, and against our base 3-4.

I've seen us all out blitz, zone blitz, stunt, send OLBs from the inside, inside LBs from the edge, walk Roy up into what basically becomes a 4-3 with Roy at SLB, we have come with Davis too.

About the only place we have not blitzed is from the corner.

I think it is still a work in process, with a lot of youth and different roles for the vets too.

[morasp]

I expected that the new defense, along with all the new players, would take awhile to come together. However, I have some concerns even at this early point.

1. The blitz. I thought the big selling point of the 3-4 was that you could blitz from different places to confuse QBs. How come Dallas rarely blitzes anyone besides the OLBers? Dat gets sent on the nickel and has done OK. If James goes, he must be awful. I haven't heard or seen a thing from him all season. The blitz schemes just don't seem very innovative, creative or effective. Maybe that is something that improves as the team becomes more comfortable. This leads me to....

2. Zimmer. I know its fashionable to bash him. Heck, he gets bashed about the 3-4 and even the 4-3 cover 2 (even though he hasn't run it yet, people still seem to think he is...). I'll say this though. Parcells handed offensive play calling duties to Payton. He dictated that Zimmer change to the 3-4, a defense he is unfamiliar with. Parcells is supposed to be this 3-4 wizard.....so why isn't he helping Zimmer out? In my opinion, any defensive blame has to be just as much of Parcells fault as Zimmers. I am not impressed with the things that either are doing. Is it just a matter of young guys picking things up before they open it up more? I hope so.

3. I have no doubts that the defensive talent is better this year than last. The results compared to last year? Same record. More yards allowed, more points allowed. 1 more sack and 2 more interceptions.

4. The linebackers. Other than Dat and occasionally Ware, none of these guys have performed worth a lick. James does nothing out there. At least he is not responsible for several long TD runs yet...maybe he is improving. At this rate, he'll be a Pro Bowler when he is 42. For a scheme that emphasizes LBers, don't you think the team should have a few more? Whats wrong with Shanle? He makes the occasional play on the nickel. Seems to have a nose for the ball. What is his major deficiency that keeps him off the field?

5. The DL. I love the depth. I love the fact that the team has basically two 3 man fronts that would probably both start for many 3-4 teams. I don't like sitting playmakers and talent on the bench though.

6. Overall, I like a lot of the young talent on the team. I like the FA additions. I realize it is going to take time to gel. I don't like the results so far though. A good defense shouldn't let the San Franciscos of the world put 31 up on them.

I get your point but 7 of the 31 were from a returned interception.

[JohnsKey19]

4. The linebackers. Other than Dat and occasionally Ware, none of these guys have performed worth a lick. James does nothing out there. At least he is not responsible for several long TD runs yet...maybe he is improving. At this rate, he'll be a Pro Bowler when he is 42. For a scheme that emphasizes LBers, don't you think the team should have a few more? Whats wrong with Shanle? He makes the occasional play on the nickel. Seems to have a nose for the ball. What is his major deficiency that keeps him off the field?

That's the problem here. A 3-4 defense is designed to feature the LBers. When you don't have strong LB play and you're running the 3-4, you have a problem and that's what we're at right now.

Until our LBers improve or we upgrade that position, we're going to struggle. I actually think it's the position that needs to be addressed more than any other, primarily because of the scheme we're running. It's like we're trying to run a run-and-shoot 5 WR offense with mediocre talent at WR.

[Smith22]

About the only place we have not blitzed is from the corner.


We did against the niners early on at least once from what I remember.

[Smith22]

That's the problem here. A 3-4 defense is designed to feature the LBers. When you don't have strong LB play and you're running the 3-4, you have a problem and that's what we're at right now.

Until our LBers improve or we upgrade that position, we're going to struggle. I actually think it's the position that needs to be addressed more than any other, primarily because of the scheme we're running. It's like we're trying to run a run-and-shoot 5 WR offense with mediocre talent at WR.

Exactly why plenty of people didn't advocate the move to the 3-4 BEFORE we even added Ware, Burnett, Fujita, etc. LACK of talent at LB'er. We NEED Burnett and Fujita to improve quickly and work their way into the starting lineup or we will struggle all year in this defense. Thing is, they both play at OLB unless we move one of them inside.

[Cowboysguy]

Hopefully, getting Burnett healthy will help the linebacker rotation. We need him to be an impact player...

[blindzebra]

We did against the niners early on at least once from what I remember.

With Henry or Newman?

I recall Henry was in tight on a running play where the receiver was close to the OL, and he pursued the play that went the other way, but I don't remember us blitzing a cornerback any other time.

[Smith22]

With Henry or Newman?

I recall Henry was in tight on a running play where the receiver was close to the OL, and he pursued the play that went the other way, but I don't remember us blitzing a cornerback any other time.

I'm pretty sure it was Henry, so it could have been the played you described.

[NorTex]

Junk, if it makes you feel any better, the niners offense "only" scored 24 against our defense.

Young defense with a lot of new parts and a new scheme...takes time to gel.

[ConstantReboot]

No one but Parcells knows how to run a true 3-4. Therefore there are alot of problems not only with learning the scheme, but also learning a whole new philosophy. Zimmer doesn't know what to do. Therefore the players really don't know it as well.

I wish that we would have hired someone who knows how to run a 3-4 defense. Zimmer thought pattern is too conservative. We need someone who has an attack mentality style of defense. Something which Zimmer doesn't bring to the table.

[junk]

No one but Parcells knows how to run a true 3-4. Therefore there are alot of problems not only with learning the scheme, but also learning a whole new philosophy. Zimmer doesn't know what to do. Therefore the players really don't know it as well.

I wish that we would have hired someone who knows how to run a 3-4 defense. Zimmer thought pattern is too conservative. We need someone who has an attack mentality style of defense. Something which Zimmer doesn't bring to the table.

Parcells has to be at least partially to blame. I can't believe people let him off the hook on this.

Parcells dictated that Zimmer change scheme to something he had never done before. Well, then he better have his hands in there designing plays and helping with calls.

Any failure on play call or play design reflects just as poorly on Parcells as Zimmer in my opinion. Maybe more so.

[jterrell]

No one but Parcells knows how to run a true 3-4. Therefore there are alot of problems not only with learning the scheme, but also learning a whole new philosophy. Zimmer doesn't know what to do. Therefore the players really don't know it as well.

I wish that we would have hired someone who knows how to run a 3-4 defense. Zimmer thought pattern is too conservative. We need someone who has an attack mentality style of defense. Something which Zimmer doesn't bring to the table.
This is absolute nonsense.

Mike Zimmer learned the Tampa Bay cover 2 defenses in one off-season then had the Boys finish second in the league running it that season.

Zimmer has no deficiencies in learning how to coach defenses or schemes.

He is also aggressive. We have been beaten by 3 long TDs in 2 weeks. 3 long TDs given up because we had defenses called that were very aggressive.

We stayed in the 3-4 versus SF's 3 wideout sets so we could blitz bigger, stronger guys as opposed to matching up and covering them. That isn't a call Zimmer makes but is designed in gameplanning with the head coach.


Mike Zimmer was a great defensive coach with Darren Woodson on the field and amazingly withpout any safeties to play any coverage he has struggled.

[MichaelWinicki]

This is absolute nonsense.

Mike Zimmer learned the Tampa Bay cover 2 defenses in one off-season then had the Boys finish second in the league running it that season.

Zimmer has no deficiencies in learning how to coach defenses or schemes.

He is also aggressive. We have been beaten by 3 long TDs in 2 weeks. 3 long TDs given up because we had defenses called that were very aggressive.

We stayed in the 3-4 versus SF's 3 wideout sets so we could blitz bigger, stronger guys as opposed to matching up and covering them. That isn't a call Zimmer makes but is designed in gameplanning with the head coach.


Mike Zimmer was a great defensive coach with Darren Woodson on the field and amazingly withpout any safeties to play any coverage he has struggled.


And to build on that thought when teams go three wide they are in effect making it so neither outside lb is going to be effective blitzing. One OLB has to move out to cover a WR and the other OLB is over the TE-- so there you have it.

[Nors]

And to build on that thought when teams go three wide they are in effect making it so neither outside lb is going to be effective blitzing. One OLB has to move out to cover a WR and the other OLB is over the TE-- so there you have it.



Now if we had a cover safety we could adapt better

[joseephuss]

With Henry or Newman?

I recall Henry was in tight on a running play where the receiver was close to the OL, and he pursued the play that went the other way, but I don't remember us blitzing a cornerback any other time.

Henry either recognized it was going to be a running play or he was blitzing on that play. He moved away from the receiver and toward the LOS before the ball was snapped. He then went back to the receiver and right when the ball was snapped ran straight toward the back field. He did the same thing against the Redskins the week before.

[MichaelWinicki]

Now if we had a cover safety we could adapt better


I agree with that. Boy our coverage is a mess.

[Hollywood Henderson]

I disagree JT, Those long game losing TD's were because we were in a VERY passive & predictable 4 man rush nickle D with Shanle & Dat, with Glenn...

Thats the D scheme that seems to suck the most, because were in nickle so often and zimmy isn't able to be innovative with it...

The whole offense knows who is rushing and the QB knows he will have time to go long...

If we don't change that part of our D this week, the Ra-da's will kill us going deep...

Shanle was made a fool of in the open field by old man Brunell, that must say alot about his lack of ability in the open field...

We have been pretty effective out of the base 3-4...
But dat just isn't big enough or fast enough to make plays, often doing a impression of a human pancake...He is in on every play on D, yet rarely makes a play or does anything unless its someone else who makes the play of a tip ball or causes a fumble...

Burnett needs to get in there ASAP!

[ddh33]

With the exception of the first half hangover against the Niners, the 3-4 hasn't really been a problem. Guys are still learning it, but they've been very good against a couple of the best runners in the league, and the pass hadn't even hurt them in their base defense. The biggest problem has been good old busts for long pass plays. But even that can and will be addressed.

[CrazyCowboy]

I expected that the new defense, along with all the new players, would take awhile to come together. However, I have some concerns even at this early point.

1. The blitz. I thought the big selling point of the 3-4 was that you could blitz from different places to confuse QBs. How come Dallas rarely blitzes anyone besides the OLBers? Dat gets sent on the nickel and has done OK. If James goes, he must be awful. I haven't heard or seen a thing from him all season. The blitz schemes just don't seem very innovative, creative or effective. Maybe that is something that improves as the team becomes more comfortable. This leads me to....

2. Zimmer. I know its fashionable to bash him. Heck, he gets bashed about the 3-4 and even the 4-3 cover 2 (even though he hasn't run it yet, people still seem to think he is...). I'll say this though. Parcells handed offensive play calling duties to Payton. He dictated that Zimmer change to the 3-4, a defense he is unfamiliar with. Parcells is supposed to be this 3-4 wizard.....so why isn't he helping Zimmer out? In my opinion, any defensive blame has to be just as much of Parcells fault as Zimmers. I am not impressed with the things that either are doing. Is it just a matter of young guys picking things up before they open it up more? I hope so.

3. I have no doubts that the defensive talent is better this year than last. The results compared to last year? Same record. More yards allowed, more points allowed. 1 more sack and 2 more interceptions.

4. The linebackers. Other than Dat and occasionally Ware, none of these guys have performed worth a lick. James does nothing out there. At least he is not responsible for several long TD runs yet...maybe he is improving. At this rate, he'll be a Pro Bowler when he is 42. For a scheme that emphasizes LBers, don't you think the team should have a few more? Whats wrong with Shanle? He makes the occasional play on the nickel. Seems to have a nose for the ball. What is his major deficiency that keeps him off the field?

5. The DL. I love the depth. I love the fact that the team has basically two 3 man fronts that would probably both start for many 3-4 teams. I don't like sitting playmakers and talent on the bench though.

6. Overall, I like a lot of the young talent on the team. I like the FA additions. I realize it is going to take time to gel. I don't like the results so far though. A good defense shouldn't let the San Franciscos of the world put 31 up on them.

Reb the LB's comments.....when is Burnett going to play?

[joseephuss]

I disagree JT, Those long game losing TD's were because we were in a VERY passive & predictable 4 man rush nickle D with Shanle & Dat, with Glenn...

Thats the D scheme that seems to suck the most, because were in nickle so often and zimmy isn't able to be innovative with it...

The whole offense knows who is rushing and the QB knows he will have time to go long...

If we don't change that part of our D this week, the Ra-da's will kill us going deep...

Shanle was made a fool of in the open field by old man Brunell, that must say alot about his lack of ability in the open field...

We have been pretty effective out of the base 3-4...
But dat just isn't big enough or fast enough to make plays, often doing a impression of a human pancake...He is in on every play on D, yet rarely makes a play or does anything unless its someone else who makes the play of a tip ball or causes a fumble...

Burnett needs to get in there ASAP!


Good pass rushers should get pressure on the QB even when the offense knows they are coming. It may take Ware some time, but I think he will develop into that type of pass rusher.

[AmericasTeam31]

I thought we had a very effective pass rush/blitzes against the Redskins. We were all over Brunell