Why we reallly switched to the 3-4

by alsonot on Oct 26, 2009 11:38 AM EDT

Written by MICHAEL C. WRIGHT , and posted on jacksonville.com, this article's got everything; context, great quotes, stats etc.... Most importantly I suspect it'll give us something to talk about! Enjoy: click here

In short it's explaining that the 3-4 is what we're playing most of the time, and that the switch was necessary due to injuries and roster complications. Here's a few talking points:

Does this switch make "post roast" (AKA T.Knighton) our defensive MVP?
How much credit does JDR get for recognizing what he's got on his roster? Do you buy into that premise that he had two bad choices, and as a result prepping the team to play 3-4 just in case was exactly what you'd expect a good coach to do?
What about the impact of potential/future injuries, post 3-4 conversion? Does that change what we look for in our safeties?
When will Durant be back, and is our LB core really as deep or good as we thought?

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I believe what I read as the reason

but is it a curious development Mel Tucker is a 3-4 guy?

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by Tkopa on Oct 26, 2009 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

I don't think it's a curious development but rather a fact.

Regardless of choice or necessity it definitely seems the latter is true…we may as well get used to this because in my mind we are not going away from it. You can’t keep flipping back and forth. These schemes are already confusing, and the more you switch the more confused the players will be. Only the draft will tell us for sure what we will be doing going forth.

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by JagsCub on Oct 26, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

i think the better question is whether or not tucker is a plays or players guy

if he’s a players guy, well he may have stuck with the 43 if we had the guys

we’ll never know

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by Surteal on Oct 26, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Tucker

says he’s a players guy, and with the weird mixes we’ve, like that of making Ellison a DE, I believe him. And as far as I remember he has nearly the same amount of experience in a 4-3 as a 3-4.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 26, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

we’ve had*

by Ewdtrey on Oct 26, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions

The reason is simple.

Gene Smith wants a 3-4.

To answer you question about our LBers being good. Even with Durant the core group of guys are average. They play the run well but get destroyed in the passing game.

Durant is probably the best out of them to survive a transition to a 3-4.

by Slvrgun on Oct 29, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions

I think all of them have played well

even in the passing game, though I have to admit Ingram has hardly been in coverage to screw up. Smith for a LB is about as good as it gets in coverage.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 30, 2009 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Then you haven't been looking. They are supposed to be the ones to generate a pass rush.

And they aren’t good enough. Smith and Ingram are average LBers.

by Slvrgun on Oct 30, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Well

Smith has hardly been given a chance to pass rush. He’s been playing a lot of ILB. Groves and Smith and etc have been playing on that left side at OLB. Ingram has been doing all that can be expected of him. He’s not quick off the ball, so for him to be a great pass rush threat without someone great opposite him pass rushing would be unreasonable for us to expect. He has collapsed the pocket a couple of times and even raddled the QB a few times.

by Ewdtrey on Oct 30, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

smith and ingram are too slow and can't cover.

What don’t you get?

by Slvrgun on Oct 31, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

What don't you get?

Covering as LB has less to do with speed than you think. Even then your argument is weak because Daryl is actually fairly fast for a LB. But to expect a LB to go toe to toe with players like Dallas Clark and Owen Daniels is crazy. Covering as a LB is more about hips and intelligence. It’s about getting in passing lanes, not trailing a receiver on a drag route.
Ingram, I admit, isn’t great in coverage. But that’s not how he’s being used, so why gripe about it?

by Ewdtrey on Nov 1, 2009 5:04 AM EDT up reply actions