Something Positive: Thoughts on the front seven so far.

[AnteaterRaider]

The front seven w/o Godfrey and Edwards looks fast, looks powerful and looks aggressive as hell
No let down and i'd say maybe an improvement perhaps with Wilhelm and Cooper in there.
I think they can get good pressure from everyone

 

[Shamrock]

I saw a variation on a stunt when Wilhelm sacked Favre.

Merriman lined up with his hand on the ground and pinched in from the left DE spot. Wilhelm faked a stunt to his left, and the guard was going to slide under and outside of the tackle that mirrored Merriman's pinch move to the inside. But, Wilhelm came straight through the gap as soon as the guard started to move out and Matt basically got a free run at Favre.

I've not sure if the whole thing was choreographed like that, or if it was just a blitz and that's how Wilhelm did it instinctively.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I'm always hesitant to draw too much from preseason, but our linebacking corps has seemed quicker, more physical, and faster sideline-to-sideline with Wilhelm and Cooper in there. It might just be time to bring in the understudies. Last season we seemed weak up-the-middle. The defense just looks different right now, like the soft underbelly has been firmed up.

 

[boltssbbound]

BTW Williams is my favorite...watch him 50% of the downs, but he was abused last year at times one-on-one (Miami for instance) - Much better in 2004. Still the man though.

Williams anchored the #1 rush defense in the league last year. I saw no drop off in his play at all.

 

[MtlBoltsFan]

I'm not too fond of Wade P. He's a good coordinator but I wouldn't even go near calling him one of the top coordinators in the league. For our defense to be successful we need to protect the intermediate area much better. IMO we should come up with more creative blitzes and play our LBs in zone so we can deny the intermediate area. Short area I'm not worried about... we can defend the run and if they want to get it to outlet receivers Cro and Jam are great tacklers and our LBs have the closing speed to make such passes no more than 2-3 yard gains. We need protection in the slot on deep plays and Cro will bring that if not right away then soon. McCree should be an upgrade (though still not great) matching up with tight ends.... really the area of concern for me is 5-10 yard passes in the intermediate zone. Merriman and Foley were liabilities last year, Godfrey stinks and Donnie wasn't dropping back and reacting properly. Wilhelm will bring that protection, hopefully Cooper is played on 3rd down for the entire year, Merriman will be better..... shadow the opposing tight end and deny the intermediate area and we will become a dominant defense. Wilhelm and the year of experience Merriman has are positive steps in the right direction :icon_banana:

 

[Trumpet_Man]

I say "positve" because I feel they are the best in football IMO, and everything I've seen so far in PS solidifies that. Props to Wade for getting aggresive in PS...haven't seen any D-Line stunts (right?) but I love the two blitzing LBs on 2nd down in the 3-4.

But I'm a 'ball watcher' :icon_huh:

So you guys tell me..how does the front 7 look so far? What do you think of Wades job so far? Any letdown at ML with Cooper/Wilhelm rotation? Will we be able to get a decent pass rush on critical 3rd down situations? Both Igor and Foley are playing at a Pro Bowl level, can they keep it up? Does Williams revert to his old pre-contract 2004 self?

Delayed or drag dogs and stunts are being run.

This is the one advantage the 4-3 offers and that is the number of stunts you can typically run.

A 3-4 can immitate that look as well but not as prolific out of a base 4-3.

 

[exodus]

Our front 7 is about as good as it gets. And they keep getting better. It's what's behind them that's been the problem:deadhorse:

But up front, no worries for me.

 

[MtlBoltsFan]

I found Igors brother
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/08/22/math.genius.ap/index.html

It's only a matter of time before Igor's unibrow starts kicking in and he has to shave it :icon_rofl:

 

[Trumpet_Man]

Our front 7 is about as good as it gets. And they keep getting better. It's what's behind them that's been the problem:deadhorse:

But up front, no worries for me.

I have a worry. Jamals back up.....and any of our defensive ends back ups....

 

[MtlBoltsFan]

I have a worry. Jamals back up.....and any of our defensive ends back ups....

I love Cesaire :icon_evil:

 

[compubolt]

I have a worry. Jamals back up.....and any of our defensive ends back ups....

we lose a DE maybe we see phillips and harris with more time with the hand on the ground?

 

[Trumpet_Man]

we lose a DE maybe we see phillips and harris with more time with the hand on the ground?

Pick any LB you want including Merriman (which he does) ....