4-4

Johnson's been at what you would consider ROLB if you were charting, but for all real purposes he's just standing up at end. He did drop twice against AZ, but I don't remember if that was a 3-4 or if it's just the standard zone blitz 4-3 we've been using. Either way they were both positive plays for Johnson, if I remember right he had a batted ball and the other play he just covered his guy.

I'd have kept Brown, personally, but as much as it sucks that our 2009 draft is officially trash two seasons in, he didn't keep a guy just because of past status and I like that. Applewhite has come in and done a good job, and he was a good stand up rush specialist with the Chargers last year.

 

Turner had his biggest run against our 3-4 scheme, that we employed only 3 times during the ATL game. Sounds to me like the players are confused by this hybrid defense.

 

I wouldn't call it an identity crisis. You wouldn't have called last year's Chargers to have an identity crisis, and they ran a lot of base 4-3. We're undermanned, we could definitely have more talent. I think that's a lot of what you're seeing, more than anything.

FWIW, while they can't get off the field on third downs (odd since I stand behind them having a solid secondary), they're 17th in overall defense and 12th against the pass. The run, and trying to change to stop it, has been a challenge. I think, outside of doubling Johnson on 3rd downs, lack of a solid nickel and losing two top coverage linebackers hasn't helped either.

 

You're completely wrong. It was reported that the Panthers would use some 3-4 elements, not that they would convert to the 3-4 full-time. You got confused.

Because injuries hurt depth and made it harder to run 4-3 for most of the game.

 

I don't know about completely. Rivera and McDermott have not said which scheme will be predominate in the future. If they intend to blend Rivera's 3-4 hybrid and McDermott's 4-3 aggressive, then who is to say what the final look will be. Honestly, I don't know if Rivera and McDermott know what it will be.

Here is the strange part. They draft 2 DLs that fit into a 4-3, then they go out and add 2 unqualified DLs to play NT in a 3-4 once injuries take place.

I guess my question is, does Hurney know what Rivera and McDermott want? Do Rivera and McDermott know what they want? Is there a plan that's going to turn around this defense who ranks at the bottom of the league in run defense and points allowed? I do not see the direction. I feel like Rivera needs to clarify the defensive direction with the organization, coaches and players. I looks like a big mess right now.

Again, I'm not sold on Captain as our starting CB, he should be our nickel back and we should find a CB as good as Gamble or better. Giving up 3rd and longs over an over again, falls on the DBs. I realize that statistically they are in the middle of the pack, but that has a lot to do with how poor our run defense is. Our DBs get torched a couple times a game for huge plays.

 

Let's just hope he only plays OLB a couple plays a game, otherwise we paid WAY too much for an OLB.

 

Fua & Edwards both had experience as a 3-4 nose. I doubted McClain's ability to play 3-4 end, but I'm not crazy about him as a 4-3 under either. The only thing that really signaled a commitment to the 4-3 was giving out big contracts to Beason, Anderson, and Davis since none of those guys are suited to play 3-4 OLB.

It looks like a big mess because of all the injuries, although it would take time to learn the new scheme even if it was a full-time 4-3 or 3-4. Whether or not you see a direction, it's there.

Agreed, but that's completely unrelated to how they use the front seven.

 

Fields and Kearse? Yeah- hasn't really helped w the scheme or the run much, but I guess that's to be expected at this point...not much good out there.

Completely fair, because if there was a clear direction, can someone tell me that it totally went to shit when Edwards went down? Were we already planning to incorporate more 3-4 into our defense going into the season? I don't know, maybe we were.

Maybe we were planning on moving our best DL into linebacker position more often when Davis and Beason were healthy.

Again, the injuries are at linebacker. We lost one DL. I'm guessing we're trying different looks, and adjusting to the injuries, taking advantage of big bodies on the LOS while giving our playmakers a better chance to have impact with 95 and 76.

Either way, I like us using it more. We haven't used it much though. But when we ran it vs. Atlanta, we got killed in it.

I think at this point, it's McDermott's D. (thought I posted this earlier, but maybe not)

I think Rivera is going to have to do a lot of hand holding from here on out.

 

statistically maybe, good point.
In the end though you're talking a few snaps a game standing up.