would the flex work today?

[iceberg]

with all this talk of defenses and the basic 3-4, 4-3, i was wondering if these were our only real options. i've brought up the flex before to get some commentary on it to simply find out more about it, but i'm curious, would it work today?

 

[Aikbach]

It would except in the instant gratification and hyper media age of today it would likely be crucified before it took off.

Parcells could've implemted it in 2003 and by next year you would have seen results but his capital with fans is quickly being exhausted and he'd be nearing 70 before the system took form if it were implemented tomorrow.

Plus both Stautner and Landry are dead so it's origins are vanished to the grave.

 

[Hostile]

with all this talk of defenses and the basic 3-4, 4-3, i was wondering if these were our only real options. i've brought up the flex before to get some commentary on it to simply find out more about it, but i'm curious, would it work today?

The success of the flex depended on 2 things besides physical talent. High intelligence to make the reads and chemistry as a unit so you knew what each other were doing.

I think Free Agency killed any chance of the 2nd part.

 

[conner01]

i think thats a fine point. it's a complicated system and i'm not sure we have the brain trust to run it.these guys are blowing some pretty simple assignments

 

[iceberg]

The success of the flex depended on 2 things besides physical talent. High intelligence to make the reads and chemistry as a unit so you knew what each other were doing.

I think Free Agency killed any chance of the 2nd part.

you and connor01 make good points - the chemistry and knowing to read off each other as well. FA is the bigger killer in this i would think cause top players come and go so easily these days.

 

[Hostile]

you and connor01 make good points - the chemistry and knowing to read off each other as well. FA is the bigger killer in this i would think cause top players come and go so easily these days.

Unfortunately it's very true.

Back in the days I loved guys who had time on other teams.

Herb Adderley
Preston Pearson
John Dutton

Nowadays not so much because I think there's so much movement that the actual product on the field is watered down. That's why I call Free Agents "retreads."

 

[notherbob]

The success of the flex depended on 2 things besides physical talent. High intelligence to make the reads and chemistry as a unit so you knew what each other were doing.

I think Free Agency killed any chance of the 2nd part.

Agreed.

 

[iceberg]

Unfortunately it's very true.

Back in the days I loved guys who had time on other teams.

Herb Adderley
Preston Pearson
John Dutton

Nowadays not so much because I think there's so much movement that the actual product on the field is watered down. That's why I call Free Agents "retreads."

this is probably one of the reasons i'm not as "huge" a football fan as i used to be. it used to be about teamwork and getting it together. these days it just seems much more about instant "slightly better than average" and the concept of a team or players staying on teams is simply gone.

i prefer bad arse dynasties (even when not ours) over what we have today.

 

[Doomsday101]

this is probably one of the reasons i'm not as "huge" a football fan as i used to be. it used to be about teamwork and getting it together. these days it just seems much more about instant "slightly better than average" and the concept of a team or players staying on teams is simply gone.

i prefer bad arse dynasties (even when not ours) over what we have today.

I agree. I like the ideal of building something long term over quick fixes and hired guns.

 

[Hostile]

this is probably one of the reasons i'm not as "huge" a football fan as i used to be. it used to be about teamwork and getting it together. these days it just seems much more about instant "slightly better than average" and the concept of a team or players staying on teams is simply gone.

i prefer bad arse dynasties (even when not ours) over what we have today.

Exactly how I feel.

It actually amuses me to hear the Patriots called a dynasty. Good team, but I just don't see it at all.

 

[iceberg]

the patriots did some amazing things in their run - take nothing away from them. when they lost talent they replaced it. very few teams do that and do it well. but they're not a dynasty in the sense we, or the 9ers were.

i wonder how many of us older fans feel this way vs. fans that came around in the last 10 years or so.

 

[Doomsday101]

Exactly how I feel.

It actually amuses me to hear the Patriots called a dynasty. Good team, but I just don't see it at all.

Closest thing we will see of one.

 

[iceberg]

Closest thing we will see of one.

the rules changed once. if for whatever reason the $ of the sport is threatened by people "not as into it" they would change again.

the trouble is - how many of the younger fans who've only known it this way and were brought up in a "quick fix" society would be as inclined to want it the way it used to be?

 

[Doomsday101]

the rules changed once. if for whatever reason the $ of the sport is threatened by people "not as into it" they would change again.

the trouble is - how many of the younger fans who've only known it this way and were brought up in a "quick fix" society would be as inclined to want it the way it used to be?

A lot of truth in that. I would love to see the return of the NFL go back to what it once was but it is not going to happen anytime soon I'm afraid.

 

[The30YardSlant]

The flex defense, and the team chemistry needed to run it, died with the creation of the salary cap.

 

[Eddie]

If we make the Super Bowl, I think we need to do two things ...

First offensive play ... OL Hitch.

First defensive play ... line up in the Flex.

Then they can do what they want for the rest of the game.

 

[Chuck 54]

with all this talk of defenses and the basic 3-4, 4-3, i was wondering if these were our only real options. i've brought up the flex before to get some commentary on it to simply find out more about it, but i'm curious, would it work today?

The flex would work because it was designed to stop the run...with players alternately on the line and just off it, with players driving into the OLman and holding ground and reading, the flex was designed to stop the Run...it cut down on cutback running lanes...

however, what you gain with the flex against the run, you lose against the pass as it is harder to get a great pass rush...you get that pass rush from having guys like Harvey Martin, TooTall Jones, Jim Jeffcoat, Randy White, and John Dutton on your DL...and that's after the early days of having guys like Bob Lilly and Jethro Pugh.

One can only dream of actually finding great DLmen in Dallas nowadays.

I'll tell you one thing...3-4 or not, it would be nice to have a guy like Glover on our DL today...in pass situations, he could play NT or DE and give us more than all three of our starters give us together against the pass.

 

[Hostile]

If we make the Super Bowl, I think we need to do two things ...

First offensive play ... OL Hitch.

First defensive play ... line up in the Flex.

Then they can do what they want for the rest of the game.

That would put a smile on my face.

 

[iceberg]

That would put a smile on my face.

if nothing else it would freak out the other team for a bit.

 

[lurkercowboy]

One thing Dallas had going for it in all the years that the flex worked was an excellent, I mean superb, defensive line.