Whisenhunt and the 3-4 alignment

[CardsGuy]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/87625

 

[Pariah]

I'm cool with all of that.

Don't be surprised to see a guy like Woodley that can play both DE and a OLB in a 3-4 scheme taken on in the second round. In fact, I bet dollars to donuts a "tweener" is taken on day one.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

interesting.

I wouldn't mind seeing Dockett on the end of a 3-4 formation. Not sure how Berry will do as a stand up WLB though.

 

[Pariah]

Not sure how Berry will do as a stand up WLB though.

He started his NFL career as a LB, I think.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

He started his NFL career as a LB, I think.

Yeah, he played it in college, and briefly with the Colts.

I just don't think that his body will hold up anymore. I hope I am proven wrong though.

 

[BigWatson]

dansby at ILB sounds good to me. he could become a bart scott like linebacker. scott had 100+ tackles, 10 sacks and 2 interceptions i believe while playing 3-4 ILB and 4-3 OLB at the same time. we need to do the same with dansby. i cant read the article right now because their website is down or something like that...so any word on our NT? clancy is too small, i dont want to see him at NT in our 3-4 defense. plug watson in there so he can protect dansby and hayes

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Whisenhunt: Defense will have look of 3-4 alignment
Darren Urban, Tribune
After saying recently the Cardinals will remain in a 4-3 defensive alignment, coach Ken Whisenhunt acknowledged Wednesday his defense will have many elements of a 3-4 look -- including using former Pro Bowl defensive end Bertrand Berry at linebacker, using outside linebacker Karlos Dansby inside and putting one-time defensive tackle Darnell Dockett at end.

"The defense is going to be a little bit different scheme-wise from what they were doing," Whisenhunt said. "Certainly there were things I was comfortable with in Pittsburgh that I want to incorporate and (defensive coordinator) Clancy (Pendergast) has been good at that, and the process of blending those things in with what he likes will be like a merger."

The Cardinals will hold their first minicamp this weekend, beginning Friday.

Whisenhunt said it was hard to categorize positions at this point because of the many different packages the Cards will use. But he said both Berry and fellow end Chike Okeafor will be "quasi-end/linebackers" who may rush from a three-point stance one play and stand up on another.

Calvin Pace will take a similar role, while Dansby will play inside with middle linebacker Gerald Hayes.

Whisenhunt also said the work will be "experimental." The minicamp this weekend will not be as intense as the one held two weeks after the draft with the filled-out roster.

Guard Milford Brown, who is getting married this weekend, is the only player Whisenhunt isn't expecting to be here. Whisenhunt said running back Edgerrin James, who had minor knee surgery to drain fluid on his knee after the season, could be limited in his work. Quarterback Matt Leinart, who had shoulder surgery, should be OK but the Cardinals will monitor his progress.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/87625

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Whisenhunt said running back Edgerrin James, who had minor knee surgery to drain fluid on his knee after the season, could be limited in his work.

??????? first I've heard of that ..

 

[dreamcastrocks]

??????? first I've heard of that ..

I hadn't heard of it either.

 

[BigWatson]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/87625

thanks. nothing on our NTs though

 

[CardLogic]

It's good to utilize the talents of your players...

I just hope that Whis and Pendy don't get so "tricky" that they are confusing their own players more than the opposition!

 

[kerouac9]

Really can't wait to see more Calvin Pace involvement on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe Whis is just trying to confuse everyone by making the exact same mistakes Denny Green did last offseason, only he'll do it this offseason.

Good lord. This has all the earmarks of a 2-14 season. Feel the excitement, everyone!

 

[JC_AZ]

??????? first I've heard of that ..

DRAFT AP!

 

[Covert Rain]

Whiz wants a full blown 3-4 "D". I don't think he has the horses to do a full blown 3-4 with our current guys. I would say watch what he does over the couple drafts. I bet the type of guys we end up drafting will speak volumes to the direction the team is taking with the "D".

 

[kerouac9]

Whiz wants a full blown 3-4 "D". I don't think he has the horses to do a full blown 3-4 with our current guys. I would say watch what he does over the couple drafts. I bet the type of guys we end up drafting will speak volumes to the direction the team is taking with the "D".

Just FYI--while converting to a 3-4 base defense under Mike Nolan, the San Francisco 49ers compiled records of 4-12 & 7-9. During that period, they ranked 32nd and 26th in total defense.

 

[Buckybird]

If we switch to a 3-4, Whiz's head will be on the chopping block by year 3.
As stated earlier we do not have the personell to make a full blown switch,
especially the LB's. Pace has already proved he can't play the position and
I doubt Berry or Chike have the speed to play that style of defense for any
extended period of time during a game. Alot of the comments coming out of
Cardinal land makes me wonder..."What the hell are we doing".

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Really can't wait to see more Calvin Pace involvement on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe Whis is just trying to confuse everyone by making the exact same mistakes Denny Green did last offseason, only he'll do it this offseason.

Good lord. This has all the earmarks of a 2-14 season. Feel the excitement, everyone!

Geez man - get a grip

They are only going to implement certain looks of the 3 - 4 to take advantage of our versatile personnel. Personally i have always thought Chike was better suited as an outside rushing LB. This isn't like trying to convert Pace into a LB in a 4-3 after he has only played DE. Like it or not he has LB experience so Wiz is just trying to carry over what Denny started and make the best of it. I'm sure Pace will be rushing from a three point stance as well (which i think is his strength) which would be the smart thing to do.

Its not a full blown conversion like Nolan's 9er's. If that was the case then he would not have retained Clancy and brought in his own guy who is a 3-4 specialist. I regard this much like i did when the said they wanted to run the "Bear" defense or the 5 -2. I'm sure it will come into play during the season but it won't be the whole enchilada

 

[kerouac9]

Geez man - get a grip

They are only going to implement certain looks of the 3 - 4 to take advantage of our versatile personnel. Personally i have always thought Chike was better suited as an outside rushing LB. This isn't like trying to convert Pace into a LB in a 4-3 after he has only played DE. Like it or not he has LB experience so Wiz is just trying to carry over what Denny started and make the best of it. I'm sure Pace will be rushing from a three point stance as well (which i think is his strength) which would be the smart thing to do.

Its not a full blown conversion like Nolan's 9er's. If that was the case then he would not have retained Clancy and brought in his own guy who is a 3-4 specialist. I regard this much like i did when the said they wanted to run the "Bear" defense or the 5 -2. I'm sure it will come into play during the season but it won't be the whole enchilada

If they really weren't going to institute the 3-4 defense, they would have extended Pendergast's contract. If (When) Clancy fails this season, he'll be allowed to go do Miami or wherever to be DC (I'd guess New Orleans since he's familiar with Sean Peyton) and Whis will bring in Dick LeBeau after he's fired so that Pitt's new HC can bring in one of his own defensive coaches.

We don't have "versatile personnel", unless you mean that our defensive personnel aren't good at anything. Get a grip yourself. This team was 29th in total defense last season, both in yardage and scoring. They were 8th in yardage defense in 2005, but 27th in scoring defense.

We have a pass-rushing DT who we just extended who we're going to shackle with having to play a 2-gap assignment. How long until he gets disinterested and either quits trying or gets benched & released L.J. Shelton-style? We have a NT in Gabe Watson who's good for maybe 15 plays a game. Our 3-4 OLBs can't play in space, and Calvin Pace is useless no matter where you put him.

On the other hand, we have no depth at ILB except for Monty Beisel, who wasn't good enough to be retained by the Pats but is apparently good enough to be our primary backup at both ILB positions.

Not to mention that when he was hired, Whis said, "we'll implement some 3-4 philosophies" to implementing a 3-4 defense without having seen the team play once on the field. Whis was hired because he sold himself as a guy to correct whatever coaching deficiencies were there under Dennis Green. Now he's changing philosophies on both sides of the ball.

This team was sold a bill of goods.

 

[Heucrazy]

If they really weren't going to institute the 3-4 defense, they would have extended Pendergast's contract. If (When) Clancy fails this season, he'll be allowed to go do Miami or wherever to be DC (I'd guess New Orleans since he's familiar with Sean Peyton) and Whis will bring in Dick LeBeau after he's fired so that Pitt's new HC can bring in one of his own defensive coaches.

We don't have "versatile personnel", unless you mean that our defensive personnel aren't good at anything. Get a grip yourself. This team was 29th in total defense last season, both in yardage and scoring. They were 8th in yardage defense in 2005, but 27th in scoring defense.

We have a pass-rushing DT who we just extended who we're going to shackle with having to play a 2-gap assignment. How long until he gets disinterested and either quits trying or gets benched & released L.J. Shelton-style? We have a NT in Gabe Watson who's good for maybe 15 plays a game. Our 3-4 OLBs can't play in space, and Calvin Pace is useless no matter where you put him.

On the other hand, we have no depth at ILB except for Monty Beisel, who wasn't good enough to be retained by the Pats but is apparently good enough to be our primary backup at both ILB positions.

Not to mention that when he was hired, Whis said, "we'll implement some 3-4 philosophies" to implementing a 3-4 defense without having seen the team play once on the field. Whis was hired because he sold himself as a guy to correct whatever coaching deficiencies were there under Dennis Green. Now he's changing philosophies on both sides of the ball.

This team was sold a bill of goods.

Not even a single scrimmage or walk thru conducted yet, let alone the draft,or training camp and already Whiz is a hack according to you.

Unbelievable.

 

[kerouac9]

Not even a single scrimmage or walk thru conducted yet, let alone the draft,or training camp and already Whiz is a hack according to you.

Unbelievable.

I knew it about Dave McGinnis before he'd been hired as the permanent HC, and I was skeptical about Denny Green, as well.

When every decision the Cards make turns out to be bad, it's hard to say that this is the moment they accidentally make a good one.

 

[Heucrazy]

I knew it about Dave McGinnis before he'd been hired as the permanent HC, and I was skeptical about Denny Green, as well.

When every decision the Cards make turns out to be bad, it's hard to say that this is the moment they accidentally make a good one.

That's pessimistic and yet sadly sound logic when dealing with the Cards FO.

 

[RedStorm]

I knew it about Dave McGinnis before he'd been hired as the permanent HC, and I was skeptical about Denny Green, as well.

When every decision the Cards make turns out to be bad, it's hard to say that this is the moment they accidentally make a good one.

Well... 2 out of 3 is not a bad thing. You can be happy with that...

 

[RonF]

"Quarterback Matt Leinart, who had shoulder surgery, should be OK but the Cardinals will monitor his progress."

Why do Ithink that we are only one blind-side tackle away from starting our second string QB? It's going to be a long season.

 

[Shogun]

You can play a 3-4 alignment in a 4-3 defense. Nick Saban did this at LSU and in his first year at Miami.

 

[40yearfan]

Sounds to me like Pendergast and Wiz are not content to run regular defensive schemes and are looking to implement some new looks.

As usual, when new things are tried, some people will complain about it because it's different. Really, some will complain about this team regardless.

I commend Wiz for having the cajones to try different things. The only way this team is going to compete is to give them confidence. If Wiz and company can come up with some new defensive schemes that will throw the other teams for a loop in the first two games and we manage to win them because of that, this team will be off and running. The first part of the season is extremely important and we need to get some wins right off the bat.