than the 3-4 OLB that Harrison, Porter and Ware play. 3-4 ILBs are oversized 4-3 MLBs (because they have less protection from the DL so have to take on more blocks). It’s the 3-4 OLB spots that Mathis and Freeney could kill at.

I don’t think there’s really anything that different about the angles OLBs get when they rush compared to our guys. Freeney especially lines up way outside to get that same kind of angle a lot of the time. Like 11 technique (off the chart) way past the tight end wide. They do a lot to change it up and never give the tackles the same look twice.

Oh the flipside of this is that we’re perfectly setup for a Tampa 2 minus a DT. Our safeties are extremely fast and provide good coverage and give run support on occassion, our DEs are probably up there, if not the best combo in the league, our LBs are good in coverage and extremely fast, and our corners know how to set up a zone. That’s one of the main reasons why we’ve only given up 6 TDs this year. When you’re 11-4, at SOME point teams are trying to win the game. But we’re keeping them out of the end zone.

The reason we’re not getting pressure as much pressure on the QB is because our DTs don’t scare anyone. Especially after losing Johnson at the beginning of the season and the last game it was terrible when Foster didn’t play. And Foster should be a #2 DT at best. If we don’t threaten anyone with our DTs they’re just going to put one guy on them and double up the DEs and force them to the outside, leaving gaps on our ends. They just bracket and pinch the DTs to the middle and if our DEs even try to spin or swim to the outside the O-line just uses Freeney and Mathis’ momentum to cause them to overcommit to the edges.

There’s nothing wrong with our scheme. Some of the best defenses in the past decade have used it. Bears and Tampa are both Tampa 2s, and I honestly think we’d be about as good or better if we had a Warren Sapp or a Tommie Harris.

At the moment we’d be even worse in a 3-4. Much worse in fact. In a 3-4 your NT has to be able to demand double teams. If we’re using the dudes we are now we’re basically using glorified LBs to try to take on a center and a guard.

And we’ve seen first hand what the Tampa 2 with our players can do when they have almost the exact same personel but a decent DT.

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=coachbio&coach_id=23

You can read it for yourself, but if you don’t want to it basically says that last year we were first in defensive scoring and third in total defense. And that’s after Booger got hurt but we found out we had an up and coming talent. Until he got caught smoking the dope and you guys know about the Colts and character requirements.

But in 2005 when we had Corey Simon “In 2005, Indianapolis surrendered 247 points, the lowest 16-game seasonal total in club history and ranked 2nd in NFL scoring defense. Mathis (11.5) and Freeney (11) produced a torrid sack pace.” That’s what a Tampa 2 with a decent DT allows your DEs to do. Johnson was 300 lb undrafted FA rookie. Simon was a #1 draft pick but never showed potential in Philly so we went after him. McFarland was the second guy behind Sapp.

Personally, I love the Tampa 2 and I think our personel if probably one of the best out of alot of Tampa 2s I’ve seen. Except we don’t have a decent DT. Tampa 2s are great for pass rushing DEs and safeties. If you get two dudes like Mathis and Freeney on the edges and a safety like Bob, you cause chaos on the front line and force them to throw into very complex coverage. And the safety has so much freedom they really shine. But on the flip side if you don’t have a DT that isn’t bigger than the majority of the leagues TEs, you get exactly what we have been. 125.5 ypg against us on the ground.

If we switched to the 3-4 with our personel it’d literally be up around 170-180 per game.

This is a great web site, but anyway, this is the defense I think we might be perfectly setup for. Sanders basically being in the box almost the whole time in an 8 man front and still have zone coverage. I actually think if we did this in the playoffs it would improve our chances significantly. We definitely need Brackett back for me to feel comfortable doing it though, MLB has middle deep/short. If you can combine that with the two DTs stunting in the middle it’d be extremely confusing. And the best part? We account for our defiency in the run and have the perfect LB/FS/CB setup to run the zones it requires. The only thing that might be a problem is the man to man on the #2 receiver. It’d definitely be good against alot of the teams that are making the playoffs though. Not many of them are great passing teams.

Of course we use Tampa 2 vs Denver. But I think we could use it if we see the Ravens, Jets, Titans, Bucs, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers or Giants. Best CB (Hayden) mans on their second receiver, zone goes to their #1. Steelers might be tough because I don’t think we can man up on Holmes or Ward, and they use Washington more often now. But their line isn’t that great and we got to Ben last time anyway. Besides, their run game isn’t that great anymore.

http://huddleuponline.com/Huddlemain/html/under_3_buzz_play_.html

Thena after we draft a DT we can go back to normal. I know, just mindless rambling. But this stuff we’re pulling in the regular season won’t fly come playoff time. Even with Foster and Brackett back.