Sturm: Morning After: Checking In With The Linebackers

[RS12]

One interesting aspect to that study about the Cowboys decision after 2012 to change coordinators and scheme is that the principle concern about a change like that was that they had the wrong personnel to run a 4-3. If you draft players as 3-4 players (Kyle Wilber, Bruce Carter, Sean Lee, Tyrone Crawford), making them fit in the new scheme is often a major issue that some times cannot be pulled off. But, when they made the change, they publicly announced (on several occasions) that this change is made with Carter and Lee in mind. They were doing it because those 2 would be such perfect fits in this new scheme.

Lee looked very strong in his role in 2013, but was again sabotaged both in 2013 and in the spring of 2014 by his brittle body. It does appear that we may never see him at his very best, just because his body does not appear fully capable of withstanding the NFL punishment that his particular position requires. Either way, we absolutely won't see him in 2014.

Carter, on the other hand, has been a bit of a fully healthy disaster. He has not shifted into the "Will" LB position with ease, and in fact has been picked on by opposing offenses throughout 2013. He has been healthy, but he has also been such that we are starting to see signs that the Cowboys are so disappointed with his fit in their defense, that despite their talent deficiencies on the unit, they may be getting near the end of their rope with #54. His contract expires at the end of 2014, and it may be another 1st or 2nd rounder when at the end of his rookie deal where he should be ready to dominate, the Cowboys might not even make him an offer to keep him around (like Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins, and Martellus Bennett before him).

http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2014/08/morning-after-checking-in-with.html

 

[RS12]

Sturm isnt as impressed with McClain as some others but he might be more salvagble than Carter.

 

[Jenky]

Bruce Carter makes me wanna cry.

McClain just needs more time.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Bruce Carter makes me wanna cry.

McClain just needs more time.

bruce was good in 3-4 role, but is struggling in 4-3. people thought we can just shift into 4-3 because we played kind of a hybrid with ryan, which is a total misunderstanding of what that hybrid was vs. what an actual 4-3 is.....not sure why we change defensive scheme when you are 8-8....and expect to continue to get better.....

 

[reddyuta]

trade carter now when he still has some value for a 4th or 5th rd pick because they wont re-sign him.

 

[waving monkey]

43Carter may be the best we have at his position or at least a back up

 

[Gaede]

Ugh, not a pretty picture.

Just love how we switch defenses to get the most out of our two LBs--one of whom is injury prone while the other either is not smart enough or willing enough to learn the new system.

And then burn a 4th round pick on a backup MLB and special teamer who apparently isn't good enough to do the main thing he was drafted to do--step in at MLB when our prize pig goes down for the year.

Our team just cannot seem to scout and draft defensive players. I attribute this to constantly changing DCs and changing our defensive philosophy. We don't have any consistency there and as such, start from scratch every two years

 

[JeffInDC]

bruce was good in 3-4 role, but is struggling in 4-3. people thought we can just shift into 4-3 because we played kind of a hybrid with ryan, which is a total misunderstanding of what that hybrid was vs. what an actual 4-3 is.....not sure why we change defensive scheme when you are 8-8....and expect to continue to get better.....

Actually, people thought (rightly so) that Lee and Carter should benefit from playing in the 4-3 because that's what they BOTH EXCELLED in at the college level. Carter was a 4-3 WLB for most of his college career while Lee played both MLB and OLB in the 4-3. So, the idea wasn't a stretch at all. The problem has simply been health for Lee and smarts for Carter.

 

[AsthmaField]

There is no doubt that physically, Carter should be better at WLB in this 43 scheme. Perhaps the mental aspect is much more overwhelming and he is having trouble adapting? I'm not sure, but he should be better but isn't.

 

[LatinMind]

Move Carter to the SAM, McClain the Mike and Durant the WILL. Stop trying to force the whole Wilber experiment. In 2015 Carter, McClain and Lee at the WILL would be real nice.

 

[morasp]

That's what I saw from McClain too. I agree with him about Wilber too. If we had drafted Shazier he would probably be starting over Carter.

 

[perrykemp]

His comments on McClain aren't exactly positive. Let's hope McClain is just shaking off the rust.

"Oh, sure, Rolando McClain is here and the Cowboys desperately want him to take this position and run with it, but from all I have seen to this point, McClain has done very little to show that he can be anything better than serviceable. He is big and full of ability, but if you are not fit and fired up, then you can quickly become a liability.

I have no idea how his body is snapping back into NFL shape, but for much of Saturday night against Baltimore, it was very ordinary stuff from the standout at Alabama. You just don't see that destructive force that existed a few years back where he attacked the line and blew up plays. Now, in fairness, the defensive tackles are often getting shoved back into his lap, but I just don't see him going north very often.

From all I can see from McClain, he still is a ways away from being that guy we all remembered. And, when you read stories that indicate his heart just isn't really into it, it all seems to make more sense. "​

 

[Denim Chicken]

His comments on McClain aren't exactly positive. Let's hope McClain is just shaking off the rust.

"Oh, sure, Rolando McClain is here and the Cowboys desperately want him to take this position and run with it, but from all I have seen to this point, McClain has done very little to show that he can be anything better than serviceable. He is big and full of ability, but if you are not fit and fired up, then you can quickly become a liability.

I have no idea how his body is snapping back into NFL shape, but for much of Saturday night against Baltimore, it was very ordinary stuff from the standout at Alabama. You just don't see that destructive force that existed a few years back where he attacked the line and blew up plays. Now, in fairness, the defensive tackles are often getting shoved back into his lap, but I just don't see him going north very often.

From all I can see from McClain, he still is a ways away from being that guy we all remembered. And, when you read stories that indicate his heart just isn't really into it, it all seems to make more sense. "​

From what I saw, I think his technique and awareness were there. I think his problem is conditioning. I noticed after a few plays he was breathing heavily from his mouth--telltale sign of being gassed.

 

[Idgit]

From what I saw, I think his technique and awareness were there. I think his problem is conditioning. I noticed after a few plays he was breathing heavily from his mouth--telltale sign of being gassed.

Yeah. I'm not high on McClain in particular, because I don't like the whole 'crazy' thing, but he played fairly well on Sat. Not sure that Sturm's really saying his play was a negative, but I also don't remember the guy being a particular destructive force for OAK, either. He'll probably end up being what he is: a physically gifted serviceable MLB for us for a season, and we'll take it from there.

 

[Plankton]

There is no doubt that physically, Carter should be better at WLB in this 43 scheme. Perhaps the mental aspect is much more overwhelming and he is having trouble adapting? I'm not sure, but he should be better but isn't.

Personally, I think he has a major confidence problem. He plays a step slow as a result, because he doesn't trust his eyes or his ability in space right now. With his athleticism, that's a shame.

 

[diehard2294]

How did Carter play on sat.??

 

[morasp]

How did Carter play on sat.??

Fuzzy did a really good play by play of the ones. He had a pass break up to force a three and out and was in on several tackles. The one negative was a holding on a receiver.

 

[TheDude]

bruce was good in 3-4 role, but is struggling in 4-3. people thought we can just shift into 4-3 because we played kind of a hybrid with ryan, which is a total misunderstanding of what that hybrid was vs. what an actual 4-3 is.....not sure why we change defensive scheme when you are 8-8....and expect to continue to get better.....

It was part of the master plan and held up to the tenant of "consistency of constant philosophical change"

 

[xwalker]

Sturm isnt as impressed with McClain as some others but he might be more salvagble than Carter.

Sturm did a good job a few years ago with his blogs, but since the Cowboys moved from the Ticket to the Fan as their flagship station, it seems he now tries harder to find fault than to do an objective analysis.

 

[chicago JK]

Sturm is excellent.

The front 7 is really bad. I was hopeful Carter will rebound, but so far it doesn't appear the reports are glowing. I would be hesitant to give him a big contract next year regardless but it would be nice to make the decision tough. The rest of the guys are either JAGs or young depth guys. Nothing wrong with JAGs either. You just want to count on them as key members of the defense. Unfortunately we seem to be counting on quote a few.