So you like the 3-4 defense? How about a 4-2-5 defense?

August 22, 2007 by Nicholas Sumas

The injury to Chike Okeafor is a big blow to this defense.  Previous to the injury, I thought our defense didn’t have enough quality linebackers to make the transition smooth.  Okeafor’s injury just confirms it.

What can we do about it?  Realistically, not much of anything.  It is highly unlikely that an injury to one of your starters will force you to completely change your defensive philosophy.  However, as a fan, there HAS something we can do about it. 

If I could take a page out of the Mike D’Antoni school of coaching, it would be to put the best 5 players on the court at the same time.  In football’s case, it would be 11 players.  You first have to look at our roster to determine what the best 11 defensive players would be.  I’ll show you which players I think are the best, and how we can put them in a position to succeed.

If I could be Clancy Pendergast for one day, or one year for that matter, here is what my base defense would be.

LE: Dockett
UT: Watson
UT: Branch
RE: Berry
LB: Hayes
LB: Dansby
CB: Green
SS: Wilson
FS: Francisco
CB: Hood
5th DB: either Rolle/Holt

I can’t quite decide who would be the 11th man on the field between Rolle and Holt at this time.  We can use the rest of the preseason to determine that.  For my evalution, I am going to use Rolle. 

The idea is for us to get rid of the 3-4 scheme that they are trying to implement this year, and go back to having 4 down lineman.  With the drafting of Alan Branch this year, it gives our defense two stout run stopping linemen to clog up the middle of the field.  The combination of Branch/Watson in the middle of the field will command teams to double team at least one of them, or possibly both of them.  Doing so creates one-on-one coverage for our defensive ends.  When you look our division, you see 3 teams with 3 great running backs in Shawn Alexander, Stephen Jackson, and Frank Gore.  It only makes sense that we would do what we can to stop them.

Putting both Watson/Branch on the field at the same time would be perfect for Berry.  It allows him to focus on what he does best, rushing the passer.  We won’t expect him to drop into coverage, or play a position (OLB) that he really hasn’t played since his rookie year. (not very well I might add)  Dockett won’t benefit as much as Berry, he will benefit.  He has already seen double teams this early in his career, but most of them have been against centers and guards.  Pendergast is now asking him to go against tackles on a regular basis, and so will I.

Berry isn’t the only player(s) that would greatly benefit from Watson/Branch line, Hayes and Dansby would too.  Hayes would now have the ability to roam and would be free to make plays on the ball.  Dansby would benefit as well.  You wanna blitz, we know that Dansby is great at getting to the QB, as his 8 sacks last year indicate.  He is also good at dropping back into coverage. 

This now leaves 5 players in our secondary.  Our secondary has had a hard time defending for quite some time now.  I think that the extra defensive back in the game on a regular basis could do a ton to help that.

First, we have our All-Pro Adrian Wilson.  Everyone knows that he is at his best when he is at the line of scrimmage.  This forces teams to account for him on every play.  Keeping him near the LOS is what I would also do with Wilson.  We would essentially be making him an LB, but a LB that could and would excel in dropping back into coverage.

Now this is where it gets interesting.  We would essentially have Rolle in the same position as Wilson, except that he would be playing on the other side of the field, opposite to Wilson.  When you look at Rolle’s strengths, you see a sure tackler (sorry Wolfley) that has a tendency to get lost out on the field, and does not have the ability to line up with the elite receivers in the NFL.  This is what we have asked Rolle to do thus far in his career, and he hasn’t lived up to those expectations.  I won’t expect him to do that anymore.  Like Wilson, Rolle will be playing the middle of the field.  He will be lined up against tight ends.  Outside of Antonio Gates, Rolle should be able to defend and excel defending TE’s.  He will also be asked to drop back into coverage.  I would rather trust Rolle to play the zone in the middle of the field, than Pace/Blackstock. We now move onto…

Green.  He will be asked to step into Rolle’s role (for lack of better words) and play every down against the opposing team’s top receiver.  I think Green is ready for this role.  She has shown flashes last year, and some this preseason.  He is also the best corner we’ve got right now.

Francisco.  He hasn’t had a very good preseason, but he has had a good training camp.  Francisco’s main responsibility would be playing the traditional free safety role.  He doesn’t have the speed you would hope to see in a FS, but he has just about everything else.  If he gets the starting nod over Holt this year, I expect him to have a solid year.

Hood is next in line.  He will be asked to line up against the #2 receiver.  Of all of the free agent signings, Hood was my favorite and now has created depth in the secondary.  I expect him to have a good year as well.

With any defense, we won’t expect this defense to stay on the field the entire game.  When one of our big boys in the middle needs a blow, in comes Cooper.  He has had a great camp and preseason.  I hate to leave him off of the field, but he would be great as a backup to all 4 line positions.  On 3rd downs, he would come in for Watson/Branch as well.  Smith can also be a situational player.

As of right now, we do not have the personnel to be a 3-4 defense.  We are short 2 quality linebackers.  Even with Okeafor, we were short one.  The personnel that I suggested looks at our linebacker weakness, and creatively finds a way to hide it, while putting the best 11 defensive players on the field for our traditional defense.

Thoughts?? Comments??

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