The Starters In Cards' 34 Base Defense

[Mitch]

Darren Urban wrote a blog about this yesterday---in his opinion---the starters in the 34 base defense will be:

LOLB---Golden
LDE---Rucker
NT---Peters
RDE---Campbell
ROLB---Jones

SILB---Minter
WILB---Bucannon

LCB---Peterson
SS---Jefferson
FS---Mathieu
RCB---Bethel

The two players here that I do not think will be starters are Rucker and Bethel. I think they will be valuable contributors in sub packages.

In my opinion, the best scenario for the 34 base defense would be:

LOLB--Golden
LDE---Nkemdiche
NT---Peters
RDE---Campbell
ROLB---Jones

SILB---Minter
WILB---Bucannon

LCB---Peterson
SS---Jefferson
FS---Branch
RCB---Mathieu

Having the Honey Badger opposite of Patrick Peterson presents a whole different set of problems for offenses, as they would no longer focus on trying to exploit the RCB.

Depending on some matchups, James Bettcher could flip-flop Branch and Mathieu if he wants to have a little more size on the outside and more flexibility with Mathieu in the middle.

Then in the sub packages (nickel and dime)---Bettcher can fit the personnel to the best man-to-man matchups, while moving Mathieu up to the slot or into the box. As BA calls it---the "you got that guy" defense.

 

[BigRedRage]

id rather have honey badger free roam as an FS then be a dedicated corner. He has amazing ball location abilities and seems to always be in the play as an FS. As a CB, he would dissapear for entire games like peterson does as they can simply throw away from him.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

id rather have honey badger free roam as an FS then be a dedicated corner. He has amazing ball location abilities and seems to always be in the play as an FS. As a CB, he would dissapear for entire games like peterson does as they can simply throw away from him.

Agreed. I would keep Mathieu roaming, and allow him to get near the line of scrimmage, and the ability to rush off the edge.

Bethel and Williams will compete for that cornerback spot across from Peterson.

Yet, I fully agree with Mitch on Nkemdiche.

Also, my sleeper for this season is Alex Okafor going into a contract year. We will see if the can give Golden (who has earned the right to be penciled in as a starter, BTW) a run for his money.

 

[Mitch]

id rather have honey badger free roam as an FS then be a dedicated corner. He has amazing ball location abilities and seems to always be in the play as an FS. As a CB, he would dissapear for entire games like peterson does as they can simply throw away from him.

In the base 34...we are only talking about 1 out of every 3 snaps---which means 2 out of every 3 snaps (in the sub packages) Honey Badger would be free to roam.

Plus, in the base 34, Bettcher can still blitz Mathieu every now and then from the corner and slide the safety over to fill in the coverage.

My issue is this---I can't fathom Brandon Williams being ready to start in his first year---he will be able to match up one on one in the sub packages with certain WRs, but it should take some time to groom him as a starter opposite Peterson.

As for Justin Bethel, unless he has significantly improved, he won't be one of the Cardinals' best cover CBs---moreover, I think that at some point between now and next year, he will be moved to safety.

The Honey Badger was ranked the #1 cover DB in the NFL last year---to have him play elsewhere at the expense of other teams exploiting the RCB over and over, would, imo, be a mistake.

 

[BigRedRage]

In the base 34...we are only talking about 1 out of every 3 snaps---which means 2 out of every 3 snaps (in the sub packages) Honey Badger would be free to roam.

Plus, in the base 34, Bettcher can still blitz Mathieu every now and then from the corner and slide the safety over to fill in the coverage.

My issue is this---I can't fathom Brandon Williams being ready to start in his first year---he will be able to match up one on one in the sub packages with certain WRs, but it should take some time to groom him as a starter opposite Peterson.

As for Justin Bethel, unless he has significantly improved, he won't be one of the Cardinals' best cover CBs---moreover, I think that at some point between now and next year, he will be moved to safety.

The Honey Badger was ranked the #1 cover DB in the NFL last year---to have him play elsewhere at the expense of other teams exploiting the RCB over and over, would, imo, be a mistake.

I am expecting Bethel to be a solid #2, especially with a pass rush in front and Mathieu behind him.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Then in the sub packages (nickel and dime)---Bettcher can fit the personnel to the best man-to-man matchups, while moving Mathieu up to the slot or into the box. As BA calls it---the "you got that guy" defense.

We play so much nickel, that I think you should do a nickel starting lineup, and they typically drop an OLB over a DL, so...(and I'm starting with Rucker over NK to start the season).


LOLB---Golden
LDE---Rucker
NT---Peters
RDE---Campbell

SILB---Minter
WILB---Bucannon

LCB---Peterson
SS---Jefferson
FS---Branch
HB---Mathieu (hybrid)
RCB---Bethel

 

[BigRedRage]

We play so much nickel, that I think you should do a nickel starting lineup, and they typically drop an OLB over a DL, so...(and I'm starting with Rucker over NK to start the season).


LOLB---Golden
LDE---Rucker
NT---Peters
RDE---Campbell

SILB---Minter
WILB---Bucannon

LCB---Peterson
SS---Jefferson
FS---Branch
HB---Mathieu (hybrid)
RCB---Bethel

I dont think we play as much nickel now that we have chandler jones. Nickel was largely to disguise our lack of pass rush.

 

[Mitch]

We play so much nickel, that I think you should do a nickel starting lineup, and they typically drop an OLB over a DL, so...(and I'm starting with Rucker over NK to start the season).


LOLB---Golden
LDE---Rucker
NT---Peters
RDE---Campbell

SILB---Minter
WILB---Bucannon

LCB---Peterson
SS---Jefferson
FS---Branch
HB---Mathieu (hybrid)
RCB---Bethel

Here's my projection:

LDE---Golden
LDT---Nkemdiche/Rucker
RDT---Campbell/Gunter
RDE---Jones

ILB---Bucannon
SILB (TE)---Jefferson/Clemons

CB #1 (WR)---Peterson
CB #2---(WR) Williams/Bethel/Miller
CB #3 (slot)---Mathieu

S #1---Branch
S #2---Swearinger/Christian

* Note---if the Cardinals sign Leon Hall, they can play him at nickel CB and play Honey Badger at nickel safety.

 

[Mitch]

I dont think we play as much nickel now that we have chandler jones. Nickel was largely to disguise our lack of pass rush.

Do you mean playing 5 man lines?

Nickel refers to having 5 DBs in the game instead of 4.

 

[BigRedRage]

Do you mean playing 5 man lines?

Nickel refers to having 5 DBs in the game instead of 4.

The nickel formation he outlined had 3 DL and one OLB. I think we will more predominantly play two DE two OLB of 3 DL 2 OLB formations in the front with golden and jones. The nose tackle is likely to only play on obvious running downs.

 

[kerouac9]

The nickel formation he outlined had 3 DL and one OLB. I think we will more predominantly play two DE two OLB of 3 DL 2 OLB formations in the front with golden and jones. The nose tackle is likely to only play on obvious running downs.

I agree with this, but I think our "Base" defense will feature 5 DBs, with Mathieu in the slot, and 1 ILB with a safety shaded close to the LOS.

It's basically the three-deep look that Seattle plays with all the time.

Kevin Minter sits, because he's the worst starting defender.

I think people forget how hard it is to play DL as a rookie in the NFL. J.J. Watt only had 5.5 sacks as a rookie before becoming the best defensive player since Reggie White. Muhammad Wilkerson only had 3 sacks as a rookie before becoming a top DL. Gerald McCoy only had 3 sacks his first season with the Bucs.

Rucker was a solid, solid player last year. Frostee Rucker played the last half of the season with a high ankle sprain.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Here's my projection:

LDE---Golden
LDT---Rucker
RDT---Campbell
RDE---Jones

ILB---Bucannon
SILB(TE)---Jefferson

CB #1 (WR)---Peterson
CB #2---(WR) Bethel
CB #3 (slot)---Mathieu

S #1---Branch
S #2---Swearinger

I like that Mitch and think K9 is right about Minter too, so I removed all your options since Urban took a crack at the 11 guys taking the first defensive snap of the season and you guessed with 17 players

I'll roll with these 11 for starting nickel defense, even though it's a dime.

 

[Mitch]

I like that Mitch and think K9 is right about Minter too, so I removed all your options since Urban took a crack at the 11 guys taking the first defensive snap of the season and you guessed with 17 players

I'll roll with these 11 for starting nickel defense, even though it's a dime.

Actually, it's 4 pass rushers and 7 DBs, if we count Deone as a DB!

 

[Mitch]

I agree with this, but I think our "Base" defense will feature 5 DBs, with Mathieu in the slot, and 1 ILB with a safety shaded close to the LOS.

It's basically the three-deep look that Seattle plays with all the time.

Kevin Minter sits, because he's the worst starting defender.

I think people forget how hard it is to play DL as a rookie in the NFL. J.J. Watt only had 5.5 sacks as a rookie before becoming the best defensive player since Reggie White. Muhammad Wilkerson only had 3 sacks as a rookie before becoming a top DL. Gerald McCoy only had 3 sacks his first season with the Bucs.

Rucker was a solid, solid player last year. Frostee Rucker played the last half of the season with a high ankle sprain.

There were some games last year where Bettcher played a hybrid just like you are describing for the vast majority of the snaps. You are onto something there.

Rucker was having a good season until he got injured. He's still rehabbing, but, even though you make a very good point that rookie DTs are not very productive, one has to hope that Nkemdiche will emerge as the best "quick" pass rushing DT on the team---something that has been missing since Darnell Dockett was injured.

Regardless---the Cardinals are going to try to be a menace up front, sending 4-6 guys after the RBs and QBs, and then have an array of DBs who can chase, cover and finish.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Mitch, you do not move HB to the #2 position, you just do not. I do not care if he was ranked as a top corner because what he actually is, is a top roaming nickel corner with insane quicks and instincts who can be anywhere. They have no position to rank him on that, so they tag him as a corner. For all HB is, to move him to corner would nullify his versatility and his expertise in sapping the shifty slot WRs which are so popular among other things he can do in an exotic defense. I do not want his short butt covering some 6'3 WR on the edge and turning the wildcard which is him into part of the standard deck. I still think Rolle was a stud nickel corner and a better than average safety. People did not want to pay Rolle big bucks here to be a nickel which to me was stupid because it really has become a position in itself in this passing league. Honey Badger is a corner, a safety and any given thing to mess with a defense and the guy should be free to run wild and be the ultimate monkey wrench in the plans of an opposing offense

 

[Lagerfilled]

Where's Gunter? Y'all are crazy if you don't have him as the starting base end opposite CC. Nkemdiche will be DE/DT in sub packages. Frostee may not even make the team.

 

[DVontel]

I agree with this, but I think our "Base" defense will feature 5 DBs, with Mathieu in the slot, and 1 ILB with a safety shaded close to the LOS.

It's basically the three-deep look that Seattle plays with all the time.

Kevin Minter sits, because he's the worst starting defender.

I think people forget how hard it is to play DL as a rookie in the NFL. J.J. Watt only had 5.5 sacks as a rookie before becoming the best defensive player since Reggie White. Muhammad Wilkerson only had 3 sacks as a rookie before becoming a top DL. Gerald McCoy only had 3 sacks his first season with the Bucs.

Rucker was a solid, solid player last year. Frostee Rucker played the last half of the season with a high ankle sprain.

And then there were guys that had very good rookie seasons like Ndamukong Suh, Aaron Donald, & Aldon Smith

 

[Mitch]

Mitch, you do not move HB to the #2 position, you just do not. I do not care if he was ranked as a top corner because what he actually is, is a top roaming nickel corner with insane quicks and instincts who can be anywhere. They have no position to rank him on that, so they tag him as a corner. For all HB is, to move him to corner would nullify his versatility and his expertise in sapping the shifty slot WRs which are so popular among other things he can do in an exotic defense. I do not want his short butt covering some 6'3 WR on the edge and turning the wildcard which is him into part of the standard deck. I still think Rolle was a stud nickel corner and a better than average safety. People did not want to pay Rolle big bucks here to be a nickel which to me was stupid because it really has become a position in itself in this passing league. Honey Badger is a corner, a safety and any given thing to mess with a defense and the guy should be free to run wild and be the ultimate monkey wrench in the plans of an opposing offense

So, J-Green---if our RCB is getting exploited in the base 34 and we are behind in the game---you don't move Honey Badger over there?

Please remember, I am not saying that the Cardinals should move him there exclusively---I am talking about when they are in the 34 base defense (32% of the snaps).

BTW---Mathieu and his short butt, can cover 6'3" WRs all day long---because he is outstanding at getting WRs to re-route and taking away clear passing lanes and angles.

 

[Mitch]

Where's Gunter? Y'all are crazy if you don't have him as the starting base end opposite CC. Nkemdiche will be DE/DT in sub packages. Frostee may not even make the team.

Gunter will play a lot---but, let's be real---Nkemdiche has rare physical abilities and if the Cardinals are putting their best lineup out there, Nkemdiche is in it.

 

[Jetstream Green]

So, J-Green---if our RCB is getting exploited in the base 34 and we are behind in the game---you don't move Honey Badger over there?

Please remember, I am not saying that the Cardinals should move him there exclusively---I am talking about when they are in the 34 base defense (32% of the snaps).

BTW---Mathieu and his short butt, can cover 6'3" WRs all day long---because he is outstanding at getting WRs to re-route and taking away clear passing lanes and angles.

That is the key word then, 'move' him over there because he is served better when not starting at the #2. I still think we need a vet corner on the roster not named Asa Jackson,

 

[Buckybird]

That is the key word then, 'move' him over there because he is served better when not starting at the #2. I still think we need a vet corner on the roster not named Asa Jackson,

Hey former Horn Tarell Brown is a available & pretty damn solid.

 

[WildBB]

Mitch, you do not move HB to the #2 position, you just do not. I do not care if he was ranked as a top corner because what he actually is, is a top roaming nickel corner with insane quicks and instincts who can be anywhere. They have no position to rank him on that, so they tag him as a corner. For all HB is, to move him to corner would nullify his versatility and his expertise in sapping the shifty slot WRs which are so popular among other things he can do in an exotic defense. I do not want his short butt covering some 6'3 WR on the edge and turning the wildcard which is him into part of the standard deck. I still think Rolle was a stud nickel corner and a better than average safety. People did not want to pay Rolle big bucks here to be a nickel which to me was stupid because it really has become a position in itself in this passing league. Honey Badger is a corner, a safety and any given thing to mess with a defense and the guy should be free to run wild and be the ultimate monkey wrench in the plans of an opposing offense

 

[Jetstream Green]

Hey former Horn Tarell Brown is a available & pretty damn solid.

Never thought the day would come when I would say this with our really illustrious history in college football... but being a Longhorn on the pro level is not exactly a good thing but I hope they can a find a QB and stop the ultimate suckage lol