What do you think of this DL to start the season?

[Denim Chicken]

So our number one addition as a pass rusher isn't going to start?

Who Moywa?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Who Moywa?

No, Mayowa.

He was brought in to start.

 

[Denim Chicken]

No, Mayowa.

He was brought in to start.

Well, I haven't seen him, so I can't make a prediction. I think the time missed hurts his chances, at least early. He'll probably be worked in.

Besides, J. Crawford had a better year than him.

 

[Floatyworm]

Mark this down...your 3rd down nickle pass rush (the 1st four weeks) is gonna be......

LDE-Mayowa
NT-Jenkins
DT-Irving
RDE-Wilber

Your 1st down D is probably gonna be....

LDE-T. Crawford
NT-Collins/McClain
DT-Thornton
RDE-J.Crawford

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Well, I haven't seen him, so I can't make a prediction. I think the time missed hurts his chances, at least early. He'll probably be worked in.

Besides, J. Crawford had a better year than him.

Crawford is better as one of those guys that you spot in different places.

Mayowa is the only guy we have with true RDE ability, outside of Gregory. Lawrence could play there but probably not his best spot.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Mark this down...your 3rd down nickle pass rush (the 1st four weeks) is gonna be......

LDE-Mayowa
NT-Jenkins
DT-Irving
RDE-Wilber

Your 1st down D is probably gonna be....

LDE-T. Crawford
NT-Collins/McClain
DT-Thornton
RDE-J.Crawford

I think Irving and Jenkins' injuries will have a lot to say about your prediction.

 

[kiheikiwi]

T. Crawford IS NOT playing as a DE. Don't know why some of you guys keep doing that ! He was drafted as a 3-4 DE, a run stopper, who found a home inside as an undersized 3-tech. He will not be moved back outside. If they have to rotate players all day every day, T.Crawford will not be one of them.

 

[Sydla]

Are Mayowa and Collins going to play tonight?

 

[JoeyBoy718]

First four 4 games:

RDE: Mayowa/Tapper
3DT: T. Crawford/Irving/Collins
1DT: Thornton/T. McClain
LDE: J. Crawford/Russell

After first 4 games:
LDE: Lawrence/J. Crawford

After first 10 games:
RDE: Mayowa/Gregory/Tapper

 

[Denim Chicken]

Are Mayowa and Collins going to play tonight?

Yep.

 

[speedkilz88]

Crawford is better as one of those guys that you spot in different places.

Mayowa is the only guy we have with true RDE ability, outside of Gregory. Lawrence could play there but probably not his best spot.

Lawrence was drafted as an edge guy also, but when you can throw Lawrence over on the left side and still be strong against the run you make your defense better as long as you also find someone on the edge.

 

[Sydla]

Yep.

Excellent.

 

[Doomsday101]

In 2014 we were pretty much the classic bend but don't break defense. We gave up a lot of yards but not points. That pretty much is what we will get this year at least to start.

None of our first 4 opponents have anything better than an average OL so we caught a bit of a break there.

Yes but that will only get you so far. I think we can make the post season but beyond that I don't think we can do much unless this defense performs to a much higher level than 2014. All in all for the talent they had they did a good job but once we hit teams like GB that defense was pretty much shredded

 

[jday]

Are you sure you want to mention Gregory?

I'm not expecting huge returns from him, but at the same time I'm not going to completely discount him.

 

[jday]

I hope your right. It is a concern. it is the one area of the team where you look across the board and we have few playmakers.

This true, but the same can be said of 31 other teams. The question, at the end of the day, is can our strength overcome our weakness...I think it can.

 

[sbark]

Id say maximize rush up the middle....ala Carolina scheme. I'd go so far as to say keep Irving if he can go in the middle on passing downs (Crawford and Irving) .....He was very effective in limited downs in there last year. His wingspan can disrupt passing lanes better in stymied at los.

 

[Doomsday101]

This true, but the same can be said of 31 other teams. The question, at the end of the day, is can our strength overcome our weakness...I think it can.

To an extent it can I think once you get into post season where you have high octane offense you are facing along with top defense then it is hard to depend on just 1 side of the ball

 

[kiheikiwi]

So, injured D-linemen ...
Tapper - sore back, not really any explanation on severity
Irving - groin
Jenkins - Knee, no explanation on severity
Collins - coming off broken foot
McClain - Toe, will see how he looks
Crawford - Concussion, will see how it progresses
Mayowa- coming off knee scope
I do like this group better than the 2014 collection, but they have to get healthy. If, somehow they do - all these guys rotating and with Thornton (once he learns the 1-tech position), Lawrence, J.Crawford will be a capable group I think.

I still see a DE as a 1st round option next year, and there are plenty of them coming out. As I don't know we can ever trust Gregory.(Also corner) But that's for the great off-season debates.

 

[jday]

To an extent it can I think once you get into post season where you have high octane offense you are facing along with top defense then it is hard to depend on just 1 side of the ball

I suspect even in the playoffs every team will be depending on one or the other side. Teams that have top 10 everything are rare.

 

[Doomsday101]

I suspect even in the playoffs every team will be depending on one or the other side. Teams that have top 10 everything are rare.

Again to an extent. Carolina avg 31 points a game their defense ranked 6th in the NFL and 6th in sacks.

I don't think it is that rare for teams to have both offense and defense that one does not suck.

looking at this line and even comparing it to 2014 is a bit of a reach, we don't know. 2014 defense was good at getting turnovers and I think they did great considering we lacked a lot of talent and had injuries to guys like Lee. However walking into 2016 we don't know, right now it is one big guess what this DL and defense in general will do. There are few star players on this defense and they are weak vs the run from what I have seen thus far and they get no pass rush. Irving is a guy we are counting on yet he has managed a half of a sack and he is going to be our pass rusher? I hope he is but based on what he has done it is nothing more than potential. Ryan Russell 0 sacks, Benson Mayowa in 3 season has a total of 2 sacks. Gregory will be out 10 games and in the meantime you have to worry will he test positive again before the 10 weeks is over, he already failed after being given 4 games which lead to the 10. The of course is Lawrence who seems to be the most consistent yet is out 4 games. My hope is the defense steps up but just looking at it with no bias one way or the other it does not bode well. I can hope but right now that is all it is hope