Flex Defense?

cowboybish

cowboybish

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For all of you that have deeper understanding of the inner working of football than I do - why doesn't anyone use the flex defense that Landry made famous? My understanding is that the 2 of the front 4 line up on the LOS and 2 others lineup a couple of feet back off the LOS. The reason was it allowed the DLineman to have better angles and to be able to react better to the play once they know it's a run or a pass. Is this correct?
 
cowboybish said:
For all of you that have deeper understanding of the inner working of football than I do - why doesn't anyone use the flex defense that Landry made famous? My understanding is that the 2 of the front 4 line up on the LOS and 2 others lineup a couple of feet back off the LOS. The reason was it allowed the DLineman to have better angles and to be able to react better to the play once they know it's a run or a pass. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
I like the flex in certain situations,

I think the Cowboys need a multitude of defenses. 4-3, 3-4 and variations of the nickel and dime. I think that NFL teams get caught up in saying we are a blank. I think a team has to keep opposing teams guessing on which hybrid the team is using.

Happy New Year!!!
 
it was designed to stop plays at the line of scrimmage...and as previously mentioned...the packers run game.

it was hard on DL & LBs because they had to go against their instinct to just run to the ball.

but once they got it down...HOLY CRAP were they dominant....Bob Lilly,Jethro Pugh,Randy White...Chuck Howley,Lee Roy Jordan,Dave Edwards,DD Lewis,Bob Breunig,Eugene Lockhart.

plus those DEs.....George Andrie,Willie Townes,Larry Cole...who also played inside...TOO TALL & BIG HARVY....Jim Jeffcoat.

:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
 
The flex was pretty much outdated by the time the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl. Pretty much everyone but Charlie Waters had trouble understanding its intricacies. I've read stories about the '71 defensive line freelancing on their way to a championship.
 
history repeats itself in life..like fashion styles etc...and football is no different. I think its cyclical. I DO think there is a place for the flex D in todays pro game. It was way ahead of its time and I think would still work if its coached right and we have the right players to grasp it, it would be a winning formula. I LOVE THE IDEA OF BRINGING IT BACK...JUST NOT full time. Maybe a hybrid version of it.
 
cowboyec said:
it was designed to stop plays at the line of scrimmage...and as previously mentioned...the packers run game.

it was hard on DL & LBs because they had to go against their instinct to just run to the ball.

but once they got it down...HOLY CRAP were they dominant....Bob Lilly,Jethro Pugh,Randy White...Chuck Howley,Lee Roy Jordan,Dave Edwards,DD Lewis,Bob Breunig,Eugene Lockhart.

plus those DEs.....George Andrie,Willie Townes,Larry Cole...who also played inside...TOO TALL & BIG HARVY....Jim Jeffcoat.

:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
Click to expand...


Those were the day. Most cases 3rd and long meant 3 and out.....

Nowadays with the keep your man in front of you, settle for FG defense even 3rd and 15's are getting completed
 
Rayman70 said:
history repeats itself in life..like fashion styles etc...and football is no different. I think its cyclical. I DO think there is a place for the flex D in todays pro game. It was way ahead of its time and I think would still work if its coached right and we have the right players to grasp it, it would be a winning formula. I LOVE THE IDEA OF BRINGING IT BACK...JUST NOT full time. Maybe a hybrid version of it.
Click to expand...

Landry unlike JG, was a starter and understood defense. He then adapted to O's and knowing D , he became a very effective play caller also.

Garrett by contrast is , to me, an observer on the sidelines who we rarely see huddled up with anyone.

Who knows he may be listening to a rebroadcast of his claim to fame Thanksgiving day win when he actually started a Cowboys game
 
It's an idea to explore that's for sure the Cowboys in their early days were very much innovators in the NFL maybe a complete analytics Department may help with this? NASCAR brought in engineer's to help with car setups it certainly made a difference now that doesn't apply to football but Engineers basically use Analytics
 
Blackthorn said:
I like the flex in certain situations,

I think the Cowboys need a multitude of defenses. 4-3, 3-4 and variations of the nickel and dime. I think that NFL teams get caught up in saying we are a blank. I think a team has to keep opposing teams guessing on which hybrid the team is using.

Happy New Year!!!
Click to expand...
Spot on. That is the very thing that has destroyed this team. garrets philosophy of simply line up and beat the guy in front of you, using the SAME tired *** formation and personnel. Teams KNEWE what we would do before we even lined up.
 
Blackthorn said:
I like the flex in certain situations,

I think the Cowboys need a multitude of defenses. 4-3, 3-4 and variations of the nickel and dime. I think that NFL teams get caught up in saying we are a blank. I think a team has to keep opposing teams guessing on which hybrid the team is using.

Happy New Year!!!
Click to expand...
Amoeba time!
 
It's a read and react defense that is predicated on gap control. But the player must read first, which offers a moment's hesitation. One of the claims about the Cowboys were they were a finesse team. On defense the read react could have attributed to this.

Plus, this defense took cerebral players to effectively play it to its best. That had something to do with its effectiveness, I'm sure.
 
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