FWST Blog: Now What? Middle Linebacker

[Hostile]

Yup. He's a tweener. No real position, he's just a football playing fool. The real interesting thing about the guy is that he was recruited to Iowa to play LB.


He grew into a DL, at the college level. But he is real physical, mean, quick, explosive, intense and plays 1000% all the time. He has off the chart intangibles. Very vocal leader.


Tom Landry tried to make Randy White a MLB, I think Landry would try to do the same with Mitch King. And maybe succeed this time.


Mitch King was running 4.7's at 270, that is the same 40 that James ran in school (but he was 30 lbs lighter).

I like Mitch King, but not at DL or OLB in a 3-4. I have not seen any indication he could play ILB.

 

[SDogo]

Sure wish I was a TE in the NFC East. Imagine playing the Cowboys twice a year with this set of safeties and ILB's.

 

[NextGenBoys]

So you lobbying for Brinkley? When I think Kirkland, I think Mitch King though. That kid can lose 20 lbs (get down to 260) and probably run faster than Bradie James.


I would love to see King at SILB on goal line and especially in the 46 (the way Wade uses James).

You caught my eye with the Mitch Key reference.

Interesting idea with him at MLB. He did play linebacker at Burlington IA, but I dont think he has the quickness and agility needed to play linebacker. God knows I would be estatic for my Hawkeyes have a player drafted by Dallas. I've had to sit by while we draft Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer and have them both do nothing (although I am a Spencer supporter)

I do think King would be great idea to toy with packages and stuff, however, I would not want to invest a draft pick as high as he will go, only to have it be a "toy" project. Let's save those for the 5-7 rounds.

He's one of the quicker DT's thats for sure, but I dont know that you want him chasing down runningbacks 5 and 10 yards downfield. Quickness against an offensive guard isn't the same quickness when you're in open space trying to make a tackle on Brian Westbrook. I think you'd want to keep him around the O-linemen so he can utilize his quickness against them. If he can go to a team that runs a Cover/Tampa-2, he will be in good shape. Iowa pretty much employs that as their defense, and he has started to perfect his craft inside.

Sorry for the rant, but on the rare occasion that I get to talk Hawkeyes on a Cowboys board, I'm jumpin on that one.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Sure wish I was a TE in the NFC East. Imagine playing the Cowboys twice a year with this set of safeties and ILB's.

And imagine being asked to block Ware one on one on a blitz pick up.

 

[wileedog]

And imagine being asked to block Ware one on one on a blitz pick up.

And imagine watching your OC get fired in the locker after the game for putting a TE solo on Ware. ***?

 

[NextGenBoys]

And imagine watching your OC get fired in the locker after the game for putting a TE solo on Ware. ***?

You know you can design your blitzes to free up certain players right?

The quickest way to the quarterback is a sraight line. Therefore Olinemen are going to block blitzers up the middle before they do the ends. Not saying we need to bring 6 on every play to free up Ware. We dont. When the time calls for it.

It has happened before and it will happen again. Yes Ware is going to be the main guy to block on every play. But you cant triple team a guy every single play. Every player gets opportunities in a game. The great ones make the most of them.

Opposing coaches aren't the only ones that can create mismatches, we have ours too.

 

[Beast_from_East]

"Brooking is another version of Zach Thomas; his best days are gone, he's probably not going to make many plays."



I stopped reading when I got to this point. The dude is a tackling machine, he puts up over 100 tackles every freaking year, including last year!!!

But apparently all-world GM Engel thinks he isnt going to make any plays, just get blocked every down I guess.

Engel is suck a freaking ******.

 

[BAT]

Cowboys need more players like Mitch King, guy who is an all day sucker & plays 1000% on every play. He is not only quick, but very strong for his size. He may not be a traditional 3-4 DL or LB, but I trust Wade to put these type of players (high character, high effort, vertically challenged) into successful situations.

I think King would be great as a goal line MLB. And I would love to see him in James' role in the 46 fronts, rushing the passer with only a FB to block him.

And due to King's combine measurements (4.8 40, he put up to much weight at 280), he will not go as high as projected 2-3. He should be available with one of the lower 4th's or even 5th rounders.

Again, Randy White was not very big for a DL either, even in a 4-3. He just had crazy intangibles to go along with his quickness & "monster" strength.

You caught my eye with the Mitch Key reference.

Interesting idea with him at MLB. He did play linebacker at Burlington IA, but I dont think he has the quickness and agility needed to play linebacker. God knows I would be estatic for my Hawkeyes have a player drafted by Dallas. I've had to sit by while we draft Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer and have them both do nothing (although I am a Spencer supporter)

I do think King would be great idea to toy with packages and stuff, however, I would not want to invest a draft pick as high as he will go, only to have it be a "toy" project. Let's save those for the 5-7 rounds.

He's one of the quicker DT's thats for sure, but I dont know that you want him chasing down runningbacks 5 and 10 yards downfield. Quickness against an offensive guard isn't the same quickness when you're in open space trying to make a tackle on Brian Westbrook. I think you'd want to keep him around the O-linemen so he can utilize his quickness against them. If he can go to a team that runs a Cover/Tampa-2, he will be in good shape. Iowa pretty much employs that as their defense, and he has started to perfect his craft inside.

Sorry for the rant, but on the rare occasion that I get to talk Hawkeyes on a Cowboys board, I'm jumpin on that one.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Cowboys need more players like Mitch King, guy who is an all day sucker & plays 1000% on every play. He is not only quick, but very strong for his size. He may not be a traditional 3-4 DL or LB, but I trust Wade to put these type of players (high character, high effort, vertically challenged) into successful situations.

I think King would be great as a goal line MLB. And I would love to see him in James' role in the 46 fronts, rushing the passer with only a FB to block him.

And due to King's combine measurements (4.8 40, he put up to much weight at 280), he will not go as high as projected 2-3. He should be available with one of the lower 4th's or even 5th rounders.

Again, Randy White was not very big for a DL either, even in a 4-3. He just had crazy intangibles to go along with his quickness & "monster" strength.

I take King w/ our 1st, 4th rounder and not look back

you sacrifice girth for speed w/ him, but this D is built on speed anyways, he would be deadly in our 1-gap scheme, because he has extraordinarily quick hands to slap away blockers, to redirect inside, combine that w/ his non-stop motor, and you'll be needing to give him extra attention

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Sure wish I was a TE in the NFC East. Imagine playing the Cowboys twice a year with this set of safeties and ILB's.

With the only difference, so far, being Brooking instead of Thomas, could you direct me to the game where one of the NFC East TE's killed that group this last season?

I'm guessing there must be an example of one of them putting up a huge day, and I just don't remember it, but I don't recall Cooley, Boss, or LJ Smith having any enormous days against us last year.



After looking it up for myself it broke down like this....


Chris Cooley -
1st game: 4 receptions, 28 yards, 0 TDs
2nd game: 7 receptions, 48 yards, 0 TDs

Totals: 11 receptions 76 yards, 0 TDs


LJ Smith -
1st game: 1 reception, 10 yards, 0 TDs
2nd game: Nothing

Totals: 1 reception, 10 yards, 0 TDs


Kevin Boss -
1st game: 3 catches, 30 yards, 1 TD
2nd game: 1 catch, 23 yards, 0 TDs

Totals: 4 catches, 53 yards, and 1 TD



None of those stats are exactly mind blowing. That means we gave up 16 catches for 139 yards and 1 TD to the starting TE's in the NFC East.

Unless you think that the loss of Thomas and replacing him with Brooking as the starter at ILB is going to make the TE's explode this year I don't really see where the TE's were the major issue this season.

Our bigger problems came from Henry being able to even cover the 3rd best WR's options on a team and Adam Jones not making enough heads up plays on his guys. And of course Newman having a struggle early in the season when he was hurt.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Jasper Brinkley. I just think he's going to go a lot higher than everyone thinks.

 

[Paniolo22]

With the only difference, so far, being Brooking instead of Thomas, could you direct me to the game where one of the NFC East TE's killed that group this last season?

I'm guessing there must be an example of one of them putting up a huge day, and I just don't remember it, but I don't recall Cooley, Boss, or LJ Smith having any enormous days against us last year.



After looking it up for myself it broke down like this....


Chris Cooley -
1st game: 4 receptions, 28 yards, 0 TDs
2nd game: 7 receptions, 48 yards, 0 TDs

Totals: 11 receptions 76 yards, 0 TDs


LJ Smith -
1st game: 1 reception, 10 yards, 0 TDs
2nd game: Nothing

Totals: 1 reception, 10 yards, 0 TDs


Kevin Boss -
1st game: 3 catches, 30 yards, 1 TD
2nd game: 1 catch, 23 yards, 0 TDs

Totals: 4 catches, 53 yards, and 1 TD



None of those stats are exactly mind blowing. That means we gave up 16 catches for 139 yards and 1 TD to the starting TE's in the NFC East.

Unless you think that the loss of Thomas and replacing him with Brooking as the starter at ILB is going to make the TE's explode this year I don't really see where the TE's were the major issue this season.

Our bigger problems came from Henry being able to even cover the 3rd best WR's options on a team and Adam Jones not making enough heads up plays on his guys. And of course Newman having a struggle early in the season when he was hurt.

He is implying the loss of Burnett.

 

[wileedog]

You know you can design your blitzes to free up certain players right?.

Again, if you actually get fooled to the point that you wind up with a TE blocking the other teams best pass rusher and one of the best in the league you don't deserve a job in the NFL.

Yes, you can create mismatches, but it only goes so far, and your protection schemes when playing against someone like Ware start with "Ok, before snap locate Demarcus Ware, designate large body who tries to block him." Especially since Ware almost never comes inside.

When is the last time you saw Ware going up against anything other than a tackle?

 

[MONT17]

6'2" 241lbs Brooking

6'1" 250lbs Lewis

You're right... Lewis is SO much bigger than little old Brooking....

please dont tell me you got that info off the web site? lemme guess it says Emmitt Smith is 5-9 209...

 

[Hoovie]

please dont tell me you got that info off the web site? lemme guess it says Emmitt Smith is 5-9 209...

I got it off NFL.com

do you have a more reputable web site in mind?

 

[NextGenBoys]

Again, if you actually get fooled to the point that you wind up with a TE blocking the other teams best pass rusher and one of the best in the league you don't deserve a job in the NFL.

Yes, you can create mismatches, but it only goes so far, and your protection schemes when playing against someone like Ware start with "Ok, before snap locate Demarcus Ware, designate large body who tries to block him." Especially since Ware almost never comes inside.

When is the last time you saw Ware going up against anything other than a tackle?

Maybe you dont understand the NFL

I can remember many times last season when they would shift their defense pre-snap, and disguise their blitz that Ware came in clean off the edge.

It is then a TE/RB job to pick up the free blitzer.

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80abc7b1

Take note at 1:54. Dual read assignments per the offensive guard. Shortest distance to an object? Straight line. Therefore, if we bring a middle on a blitz, the guard will pick him up, and Ware will be picked up by a back/TE. It's an elementary concept, and basic football.

Let me be clear that Im not implying this happens many times throughout a game. It doesnt. Like you said Ware is one of the best in the league and is always the focal point for blockers. Football is a chess match, and there are times our defense gets the best of the offense in mismatch.

It does happen.

 

[wileedog]

It does happen.

Show me a video of Ware actually being picked up solo by a TE, not Billick playing Madden.

Again, if it happens, the OC screwed up terribly or someone made an awful protection scheme call. If you actually get "out-chessed" to the point you are letting a 20 sack player in on a RB or TE, you are probably not long for your job.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Maybe you dont understand the NFL

I can remember many times last season when they would shift their defense pre-snap, and disguise their blitz that Ware came in clean off the edge.

It is then a TE/RB job to pick up the free blitzer.

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80abc7b1

Take note at 1:54. Dual read assignments per the offensive guard. Shortest distance to an object? Straight line. Therefore, if we bring a middle on a blitz, the guard will pick him up, and Ware will be picked up by a back/TE. It's an elementary concept, and basic football.

Let me be clear that Im not implying this happens many times throughout a game. It doesnt. Like you said Ware is one of the best in the league and is always the focal point for blockers. Football is a chess match, and there are times our defense gets the best of the offense in mismatch.

It does happen.

wileedog is thinking of Parcells' 34, where this never happened. :

 

[wileedog]

wileedog is thinking of Parcells' 34, where this never happened. :

It happens with other LBs.

It doesn't happen with guys who record 20 sacks, especially when no one else on the line is a particular threat.

Again, my original point wasn't that it could never happen, it was that if it did someone screwed up large - beyond just being outschemed on a particular play.

Its like single covering TO - sure it happens, SF tried it. Look what happened - nobody else did.

Why is this so hard to understand that certain players you are just not going to "scheme" to be un-accounted for, unless you have multiple other threats to worry about, which we don't, or the other guy is an idiot?

And LT did fine in Parcell's system....

 

[NextGenBoys]

wileedog is thinking of Parcells' 34, where this never happened. :

Ware came in completely untouched against Indy in 06 and cleaned Peytons clock blindside and created a fumble.

We can all see the difference in results though. 16 and 20 sacks with Wade? Oh baby.