Our defense

[General Chaos]

I am still confused on exactly what defense we run, is it a 3-4 or a 4-3? I realize we switch between the two but are we eventually trying to become a 3-4 only? I'm trying to figure this out so I know what the draft possibilities will be.

So under a 3-4 we have:

NT-Watson, Branch
DE- Smith, Dockett
OLB- Okeafor, Berry, Laboy
ILB - Hayes, Dansby

I guess we need a young pass rushing OLB to take over for Berry and Okefor. But I still don't understand if Berry's position is different that Okeafor's. It seems that Berry plays more DE that Chike. So what do we need to do to improve our front 7? Thanks for reading my rambling and confusing post.

Thoughts?

 

[Pariah]

We, and lots of other teams, run both. I don't think we'll ever be an all 3-4 team all the time.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I am still confused on exactly what defense we run, is it a 3-4 or a 4-3? I realize we switch between the two but are we eventually trying to become a 3-4 only? I'm trying to figure this out so I know what the draft possibilities will be.

So under a 3-4 we have:

NT-Watson, Branch
DE- Smith, Dockett
OLB- Okeafor, Berry, Laboy, Tafoya
ILB - Hayes, Dansby, Beisel, Brandon Johnson

I guess we need a young pass rushing OLB to take over for Berry and Okefor. But I still don't understand if Berry's position is different that Okeafor's. It seems that Berry plays more DE that Chike. So what do we need to do to improve our front 7? Thanks for reading my rambling and confusing post.

Thoughts?

Apparently, the Cards have decided that the media can start calling our defense a "base 3-4", for whatever that's worth.

Berry plays with his hand on the ground pretty frequently, he's mostly a rush OLB. It's exceedingly rare to see him drop into coverage. Okeafor? We don't really know since we didn't get to see him, but I think that he'll rush less frequently than Berry, and he'll stretch out plays and drop into coverage more--that's what Pace did last season.

We need to definitely improve our DE position. We don't have anyone behind Dockett and Smith, and Smith is a free agent after this season. I'd like to add another rush end/OLB to compete with Tafoya and develop into the Next Calvin Pace.

I feel really comfortable with our position at ILB, though we might want to get a developmental player for Dansby's position.

 

[SuperSpck]

They run a lot of different combinations along the front.

In the Steelers game the Cardinals ran a play with 2 d-linmen in a 3 point stance, with Dockett in a two point stance in the B gap. Strange play, I'm surprised Ben didn't audible to a run. Dockett got great penetration and help fizzle the offense.


Other defensive fronts played through the year:

Dockett at LE, Watson and Smith at DT and Berry at RE.

Pace at LE, Watson and Dockett at DT and Berry at RE.

In passing situations I've seen:

Smith at LE, Dockett at NT, Pace/Berry at RE.

I'm sure there are countless variations I haven't noticed yet.

With the exception of Watson it looks like the team believes all the D Line is interchangeable. That includes Branch, who can play DE in the 3-4.

I'd also like to take a moment and say I was flattened by how quickly Dockett gets off the ball at the snap. As long as he's got gas in his tank, he's disrupting.
I've also been really happy with how Smith played and am hoping he get tendered.

 

[Stout]

I think we are a base 3-4 that runs a lot of 4-3 looks. IMO, we MUST, MUST, MUST find a way to choose a base defense (3-4, from the looks of things) and ABSOLUTELY be able to do it well. THEN we can tweak and run other looks. I realize last year was a wash because of the injuries, but if we don't settle on one as our base and then play variants out of it and change up every once in a while, we will be horribly average at both.

 

[jrjbritt]

we also have jonthan lewis (DT) in the mix too. a another big wide body

 

[joeshmo]

we also have jonthan lewis (DT) in the mix too. a another big wide body

Lewis hasnt been on the team since last August.

 

[SuperSpck]

we also have jonthan lewis (DT) in the mix too. a another big wide body

Is he still on the roster?

 

[SuperSpck]

Lewis hasnt been on the team since last August.

Nevermind.

1 minute Joe!

 

[joeshmo]

Without question we run more 3-4 looks then we do 4-3 looks.

Either way we have a huge need for DL right now. Watson, Branch, Smith, Dockett are the only DL on the roster. Not good at all. Bailey and a draft pick are big time needs right now.

 

[Trey]

Nevermind.

1 minute Joe!

TMI!!!!

 

[HookemCards]

With the exception of Watson it looks like the team believes all the D Line is interchangeable. That includes Branch, who can play DE in the 3-4.

I'd also like to take a moment and say I was flattened by how quickly Dockett gets off the ball at the snap. As long as he's got gas in his tank, he's disrupting.
I've also been really happy with how Smith played and am hoping he get tendered.

Smith was tendered. And yeah, Dockett's production dropped off late in the season, partially because Berry was out, but he bust his ass on every play so he was probably worn down alot because of the lack of depth. A DE in FA would be great.