Been a while since I've posted...but I've been (painfully) watching the demise of Rex this year and inclined to post about the "future". As a huge fan of Rex I will be sad to see him go, but don't see any way he survives this season. While RR has failed to develop any kind of an offense under his watch (which could be argued was due to front multiple inept decisions in the front office) it will no doubt be a painful process to "rebuild" the defensive personnel & scheme once he is "out". IMO, he has done more with less on the defensive side than any other coach could have done & it would have looked even better if we could have had a least a middle of the road offense that didn't turn the ball over every other possession...but I digress. As a fan, what I am most interested in is seeing the fastest path back to fielding a competitive team 7 something to root for. Idzik's "long term" approach is maddening since the NFL is set up for everyone to be 8-8 plus or minus 2 wins and the "best" teams bet on an elite QB / getting hot & fighting it out in the playoffs. (with a nod to actually staying health as well). All that said, I see a more offensive minded coach coming in for 2015 and hopefully we can bring in a vet QB AND draft a potential franchise QB with our high first rounder. I am by no means an expert on the 2015 draft class so that is all yet to be seen. But assume we bring in a stop gap vet to just not turn the ball over and go after a Mariota type talent I see that as the best case scenario. On the defensive side, I see the quickest road to respecability coming in the move to a 4-3 scheme & taking advantage of our considerable D-line talent & scheme fit for our secondary weapons. This would maximize our high draft picks & allow us to bring in lower priced FAs to the secondary & LB core. The way I see it, if we could just bring in 2 quicker linebackers we are ideally set up to make the scheme work, focusing on pressure from the front 4 and it takes pressure off having "shut down" corners. We also have the safeties built in (A. Allen + C. Prior) to make the move work very well on the back end. Assuming we hold on to Percy Harvin next year and draft a fast RB to compliment Ivory, the offense could be respectable & the defense could thrive with the following on defense (not I'm not doing into the depth chart, just looking more at the baseline starters): DE: Coples (at his "natural" rush position). Wilkerson (As the "big" DE, and would be huge against the run in a 4-3). Draft 1-2 developmental "tweeners" and/or see how IK & TR develop. DT - S. Richardson (also more at his "natural / projected" position at the 3T), Harrison/Ellis are an ideal tandem at the nose (and I WOULD pay to keep both to be space eaters for the new "slimmer" LB corp) MLB - D.Davis is an ideal MLB in the 4-3 with his range & ability to drop into the middle. OLB - THIS is where the shift hits a skid. If we could re-sign D Harris to a cap friendly deal to occupy the strong side I would be open to it, but ideally we'd be looking for TWO fast & smaller OLBS to man the scheme...fortunately these are NOT cap busters in todays NFL so its not unrealistic to sign / draft 2 starting caliber players here in the OS CB - Milliner, McDougle, SIGN secondary tier #2 (kid from Seattle? Maxwell?) & draft for depth. This position is the key. It looks TERRIBLE in Rex' scheme with 2 guys coming off injury. But Both Milliner & McDougle ARE talents & would be better "protected" in a zone scheme. Bringing in a legit starter & drafting for depth would round this group out and present better opportunties for them to flourish S - C. Pryor & A.Allen. Draft a back up & competition for AA. Allen has gotten a lot of hate but he has been put through a lot this year with all the positional moves. Both safeties are better fit in a cover 2 scheme & could play more of a "john lynch" role in this system. This is a 100% philosophical shift from the current regime but I think it is likely once Rex leaves as no one will be able to operate "his" 3-4 / hybrid scheme quite the same way. This will also mirror JI' plan of becoming "seattle east" (and no UNFORTUNATELY I don't see Idzik going this early since Woody will look foolish...or more foolish than he already looks!). Seattle has a SIMPLE scheme, but has the athletes to execute it without thinking & just going to play. We DO have the horses to make that work NOW with only a few (non-expensive I might add) tweaks. THOUGHTS?????
As far as the OLBs, I just posted a thread today about both of Seattle's OLBs being free agents this year. They are exactly the type of OLBs we would need in a 4-3 if Rex is gone, fast guys, good in coverage, good tacklers, and probably won't be too expensive to sign, unless some team completely overspends. Don't think Pryor and Allen would work as a safety tandem. Right now, they both look better at SS. Neither really has the range or ball-hawking skills for a true FS, unless Pryor really improves in this in the future. I think Pryor will eventually be moved to SS, and Allen will just be a backup.
I mean ideally Coples and Wilkerson can line up outside but those guys aren't pass rushing types...they can get to the QB with their strength but those guys don't and won't be the ones that rush up the field. In the sense of a philosophical change, a guy like Coples will either become a backup DE/DT or off the team...Wilkerson/Ellis/Harrison can be the DT's and I feel Richardson has the motor and skills to lineup at either DE or DT spots if need be. You still would need a speed rush type of end and then OLB's who are faster. Davis maybe the type who could move to the outside or stay inside.
It's a fair criticism on couples / Wilkerson as the base DE tandem as they aren't true "speed" guys. But I think that could be an advantage as they are both skilled pass rushers while allowing us to field a huge front 4, all skilled pass rushers, albeit not "speed" rushers. The nfl is about coming up with a new wrinkle that offenses aren't prepared for. Everyone is looking to draft the next Dwight freeney...but usually end up with the next Aaron maybin.
Every year with this franchise the blame game gets played and somebody gets scapegoated. We all at various times assumed these guys were the problem: Coslet? Pete Carroll (he was actually our HC, yes)? Richie Kotite? Hackett? Herm? Mangini? Schotty? Sparano? Tannebaum? Nope. Over the last 5 years the common thread has been Rex Ryan, a "head coach" in name only who lives for 1 side of the ball and lets his OC do whatever the hell he wants and sucks at in-game challenges and clock / timeout management. Over the last decade plus, the common thread has been Terry Bradway. Draw your own conclusions. Beyond that, we have had Woody Johnson and Leon Hess, 2 owners who care more about producing oil and making money than delivering winning football to its team's fan base. Men who refuse to hire competent FOOTBALL people to run a FOOTBALL operation. And why should they bother when they know the fans will pay 25 K for PSLs, league-high ticket prices, concessions, merchandise, etc. no matter what garbage product is trotted out on that field every Sunday.
I have been saying for the longest that the Coples project should be put to an end and to put the man at his natural position with his hands on the ground. He will be an absolute beast if put in this position along with Will, Snacks, and Sheldon. We need help in the secondary, and in the secondary we need ball hawking. Neither of our safeties seem capable of doing so. Go out there and get a ball hawking FS unless Pryor can become that guy. We have too little interceptions this year and it affects how our games play out not to mention it is pretty boring. Sign some LBs like those that have been mentioned in this thread already.
If we went to the 4-3 it wouldn't be too bad. We could get all our best d-linemen in the game and they are all versatile so they could do it. It's not the end of the world if Rex leaves.
Im trying to find clarity on this stat but according to this http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...n-may-still-be-the-best-player-in-the-country has winston not lost a game in college? if this is the case Id say start vick the rest of the year, draft this guy and have vick mentor him (from a character perspective, as he has had a rough road in the NFL and came out of it well). from what i read of his player breakdown is that he plays a pro style offense and goes though his progressions where mariota is the opposite. (geno had the same amount of ints in his last season at WVU in 10 mins yesterday so non-pro offense and not going through reads seems like a faster geno to me)
Antonio Allen is a practice squad player on other teams besides the Jets. The guy cant cover WRs or TEs. It would be a disaster if we had to rely on Pryor (who cant cover anyone either) and Allen as the starters next year. This team just has so many holes to fill next year with LBs, S, and CBs. It would be a miracle if the secondary issue was fixed by next year. Probably looking at 2 years to clean up this mess.
Why are some of you so hooked on 4-3 3-4 with Rex? He plays ALL of them 4-6, 3-4, 4-3, 3-3-5..etc...enough with this damn hang up on the 4-3 defense with Rex. Now, that said..your points are pretty accurate but you have to understand Rex has a philosophy that isn't textbook. So, that pretty much makes most of your valid points invalid because under Rex...there are no Typical "Rules".
Nice write up...welcome back...long time no "read!" As I'm with Royal Tee about the whole "scheme" thing on defense I only have ONE question. Name a Vet QB that is going to come free that is WORTH bringing in. I'll say this one more time and then drop it forever...I lobbied HARD for Alex Smith and got laughed off the board. He was...and still is...the only FA QB worth two shits of bringing in and...well...enough crying over spilt milk. So WHO...WHO do we bring in?
I'm with you on this one. The guys who continuously bang the drum about a 4-3 alignment are almost as bad as the guys who were all up on Braylon Edwards nob every post the last two seasons.
Offense is a bigger problem on this team than defense. If the offense could regularly control the game, the Jets would not be 1-7.
Sounds a lot like Herm and the Cover Two right here. Are Donnie Abraham and Aaron Beasley available? I do like the thought though. I noticed Coples had a sack Sunday coming from his hand on the ground with a classic straight rush from the end. They need to force him to play lower to the ground.
Yes he has and we've seen success out of him. I feel like I've been seeing him make plays every game now. He needs to be fully incorporated into the pass rush consistently, in a 4-3 Defense.
i know but hes playing the same way in the 3-4 sets also..he role hasnt changed except his title (OLB) on the teams depth chart that are jokes anyway
