Posts Tagged ‘NFL football’
Lions: “3-4″ Defense In Leos’ Future? (update2)
Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has his work cut out for him.
Okay, I admit it.
At first glance this must sound like a crazy idea.
How could the 0-16 Detroit Lions go from a undersized, quicker “Tampa-2″ style defense to a “3-4″ which requires bigger, more powerful guys? The answer is 345# NT Grady Jackson.
Signing Jackson — to a 3-year deal — solidifies the NT position and gives the Lions their Tony Siragusa, the wide body who clogs up the middle. More to the point, it also allows DTs Cory Redding & Andre Fluellen to play DE.
Redding is considered a “tweener” — too small to play tackle, too slow to play end — exactly the type you want in a 3-4. You might even say he’s a “natural” 3-4 DE.
Fluellen… (insert scouting report on Fluellen’s skill set)
Now what about the LBs?
A lot of times a “3-4″ is really more of a “5-2″ with the ends standing up as OLBs. So this means the Lions may actually need less new LBs running a “3-4″ scheme than even a standard “4-3″ does. ”Tampa-2″ style LBs are 225-230# while “3-4″ LBs range from 245-280#, depending on the position. The OLBs are more like stand-up defensive linemen than typical “4-3″ LBs.
The SOLB is more of a run stuffer, but can also have pass rush skills. The WOLB has the least responsibility, he’s primarily a pass rusher. His job is to get sacks. At 251# 2nd-year pass rusher — and “4-3″ DE – Cliff Avril would play the rush WOLB position and collect sacks.
Cliff Avril’s “10 Yard Split” time, 2008 Combine: nat’l football post
To put the 10-yard splits into perspective, I constructed a range of times using only the DE/OLB position.
Note: NFL Combine times as a whole have gone down dramatically each of the past couple of years, so the most relevant times are those from the past three years.
A “Great” 10-Yard Split Time (1.55 seconds and under)
Cliff Avril, Lions: 1.50 (2008)
Chris Long, Rams: 1.53 (2008)
A “Good” 10-Yard Split Time (1.56-159)
Gaines Adams, Buccaneers: 1.58 (2007)
Derrick Harvey, Jaguars: 1.59 (2008)
An “Average” 10-Yard Split Time (1.6-1.62)
Kamerion Wimbley, Browns: 1.6 (2006)
Bruce Davis, Steelers: 1.62 (2008)
Below Average 10-Yard Split Times (1.63-1.69)
Charles Johnson, Panthers: 1.63 (2007)
Anthony Spencer, Cowboys: 1.64 (2007)
Dewayne White plays the strong side OLB position. White is good in space, has rush skills, and is also good vs the run. Rarely seen 3rd year DT/DE project Ikaika Alama-Francis backs up White at SOLB.
Ernie Sims plays the “tackling machine” WILB position and racks up 120 tackles, a la Chris Spielman. Jordon Dizon or Alex Lewis becomes Sims’ backup.
And the punchline?
The Detroit Lions draft the best player available in 2009, Wake Forest OLB Aaron Curry for the starting SILB spot. A natural 4-3 SLB, his all around speed, skills, and explosiveness finally allow the Lions to cover a TE on 3rd down…
Crazy enough to work?
(insert diagram of base “3-4″ lineup)
But Curry could also play the Ray Lewis “tackling machine” WILB position or even the WOLB rush end position… he’s a nice problem to have.
Lions new head coach Jim Schwartz is known as a “moneyball” coach. In other words, he’s a stats and trends kind of guy. If his numbers say they have a better chance of running the ball on 3rd and 4, Schwartz will pull the trigger.
So let’s look at the trend of running a 3-4 defense and how it affects the most important stat of all, wins and losses.
2008 NFL teams playing “3-4″ defense
- 12-4, AFC, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 11-5, AFC, Baltimore Ravens
- 11-5, AFC, Miami Dolphins (hybrid)
- 11-5, AFC, New England Patriots
- 9-7, AFC, New York Jets
- 9-7, NFC, Dallas Cowboys
- 8-8, AFC, San Diego Chargers
- 7-9, NFC, San Francisco 49ers
- 4-12, AFC, Cleveland Browns
Seven out of nine teams running the “3-4″ had .500 or better records. Moneyball, indeed…
