Something Positive: Thoughts on the front seven so far.

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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:

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

I love Cesaire :icon_evil:

 

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) ....