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Fox0r
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No, I was going off the PFF grades I saw and things I read from people who seemed to know what they were talking about. Seems I was mistaken.
Can someone explain how we're making our run defense better??
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I think that the team has to commit to a scheme and to me these moves signal that they are doing that. The 3-4 "Bear" / "Tite" seems to work well against the run but maybe not the pass as much (at least so far). From my understanding you need a huge 2-gapping 0-tech (sometimes 1-tech) flanked by two 1-gapping 3-techs (sometimes 4i-tech). Sometimes the players will shift based on offensive formation (often due to multiple TEs) and so the 3/4i-techs will sometimes need to play more like a 2-gapping 5-tech. You need players who have the size, length, and strength to do that while still holding up against the run and providing some pass rush.
These moves are mostly about getting the right personnel who can fill these roles so they can consistently execute the scheme. Jones and Reed fit well in the 3/4i roles. Harris was probably the best fit last year but was just too expensive and getting older so Jones makes more sense. Poona is not a great fit for any of the roles and Jefferson is a liability against the run.
Equally important is you need your OLBs to be able to a) consistently set the edge against the run, b) provide lots of pass rush, and c) not be a liability in coverage. Taylor wasn't able to do a and c well which I think is why he was demoted. Mafe is a work in progress with potential but I'm guessing we might see a high draft pick to work across from Nwosu.
Woods and Mone fit the 0-tech role but I think we'll also see a player added here based on the age and injury concerns of these two. Reed could potentially fill in here but it wouldn't be ideal.
It's a process... let's wait to see what we end up with. I suspect the run defense will be a lot better in 2023.
These moves are mostly about getting the right personnel who can fill these roles so they can consistently execute the scheme. Jones and Reed fit well in the 3/4i roles. Harris was probably the best fit last year but was just too expensive and getting older so Jones makes more sense. Poona is not a great fit for any of the roles and Jefferson is a liability against the run.
Equally important is you need your OLBs to be able to a) consistently set the edge against the run, b) provide lots of pass rush, and c) not be a liability in coverage. Taylor wasn't able to do a and c well which I think is why he was demoted. Mafe is a work in progress with potential but I'm guessing we might see a high draft pick to work across from Nwosu.
Woods and Mone fit the 0-tech role but I think we'll also see a player added here based on the age and injury concerns of these two. Reed could potentially fill in here but it wouldn't be ideal.
It's a process... let's wait to see what we end up with. I suspect the run defense will be a lot better in 2023.
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Fox0r
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Thank you for the detailed response.
Own The West
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Video discussing how Fangio defenses suck against the run and underneath stuff. (Sean Desai was a Fangio student.)
I think some people are under-rating how a penetrating, disrupter type guy on the inside can be effective against the run. They do have to be smart and alert enough to not let an RB "run by them," but getting into the backfield can destroy run plays as well as pass plays.
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Thanks for this - really interesting video.
One of the things highlighted was how the coverage scheme generally dictates light boxes due to keeping both safeties deeper, and how YPC is at an all-time high as teams take advantage of this. I think the 3-4 Bear/Tite is one way to cope with that - The A, B, and C gaps are all essentially covered by the front 5.
In theory this means that the ILBs (or ILB + Nickel) don't have to be big run stuffers who consistently take on O-Linemen at the line of scrimmage. My understanding is that generally one ILB needs to be ready to fill whichever A-gap is open when/if the 0-tech commits to one of the two A-gaps, and the other ILB needs to be ready to take an outside gap on the TE side, on either side of the Edge to that side. Both need the speed to move laterally on outside runs or on screens or quick passes to the flats, in addition to being able to carry routes down the field. This is why Bobby was no longer a fit, and smaller faster players like Brooks and Barton were out there - and Jamal Adams could potentially play ILB/Big Nickel as well if the front 5 are holding up. Unfortunately they didn't consistently play this base scheme up front (it was often just two IDL instead of three) and we were run over.
The other thing is the OLB/Edge players have to be able to set the edge consistently against the run. Taylor was getting bullied so unless he magically improves in this area he's looking like a pass-rush specialist albeit a pretty effective one especially if he can focus his play there. Mafe was clearly better against the run but a Will Anderson would be a big upgrade there. I'm also curious how the team sees Nolan Smith - he's not the biggest but he actually holds up well against the run and has the athleticism to be great in coverage.
You mention the injury but it's worth noting for those that aren't aware. Carroll's update on Mone's ACL surgery was unusually pessimistic, citing it was very difficult due to extensive work needing to be done to clean up old injuries. There's really no way of projecting a potential timeline, and it's entirely possible that Mone spends the entire year on the injury list until he is released with an injury settlement.
Coupled with Woods getting reduced snaps last season and turning 36 we're probably looking at least two more guys who can play 0/1.
