Does hiring of Eberflus mean a return to 4-3 defense?

[Gustavus Adolphus]

well talk is cheap, we'll see once the season starts

Yeah, I guess we will. I'll be there. Will you?

 

[Chicago4Life]

Yeah, I guess we will. I'll be there. Will you?

of course. its a fresh start with hope that they'll actually get it right

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

of course. its a fresh start with hope that they'll actually get it right

So why you giving me grief, pal?

 

[dentfan]

Correct.

The plan is to have mac and Quinn play at the ends, Goldman will be your nose tackle, and Smith will be your will.

I know the last time we had the Tampa to we had Brian urlacher and everything was funneled to the middle linebacker, but that isn't how the Tampa two is usually run. Lovie modified it because we had such a special player at the mike.

A better comp would be looking at the Tampa 2 under Tony Dungy, and the roquan Smith comp would be Derek Brooks. In the dungy version of the Tampa 2, things were funneled to the will instead of the mike.

Ive always thought of the Whip/Will as the pass rushing guy who attacks, the middle as the funnel type cleaner, and the strong as the rangy cover space kind of guy. I guess I have it backwards.

Im trying to digest the T2 running through the WLB. Would the M be more of a thumper to cover the run?

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Ive always thought of the Whip/Will as the pass rushing guy who attacks, the middle as the funnel type cleaner, and the strong as the rangy cover space kind of guy. I guess I have it backwards.

Im trying to digest the T2 running through the WLB. Would the M be more of a thumper to cover the run?

Not 100% certain - I'm more well-versed in the Lovie version.

 

[Canth]

I think the Bears have the pieces along the defensive line to switch to a 4-3 front. As pointed out by Adam Hoge, Quinn is probably jumping for joy as he prefers playing DE. Mack was a DE in Oakland before becoming an OLB here so he will be fine if he can stay healthy. Roquan would fit in any defensive scheme - probably at Weakside LB, but he has the range to play in the middle too.

They likely needed to move on from Goldman anyway just due to his contract, so I think that is a non issue.

Where is gets more interesting will be addressing the secondary and filling out the linebackers. Where does Trevis Gibson fit? SAM? Does Graham's skillset fit better or worse at CB? etc.

The big key is that you still have Quinn and Mack to provide pass rush. When you have a pass rush, it makes any defense work easier.

 

[bears51/40]

Question for smarter football minds than me, which doesn't require much. How do the pieces we already have fit in a 4-3?

Colts were in a 4-2-5 nickel well over 70% of the time, so a better question might be who will be in that defense. TBD at a later date.

 

[greg23]

4-3
3-4
Either way hopefully his system only requires 1 db

 

[Toast88]

The Colts' starting Sam linebacker was on the field for 13 percent of defensive snaps, so I don't think it will matter. There'll be a 4-man rush and a guy in Nickel the majority of the time, just like with a 3-4.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

The entire family loves feet

I’ve never understood the whole foot fetish thing.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

The Colts' starting Sam linebacker was on the field for 13 percent of defensive snaps, so I don't think it will matter. There'll be a 4-man rush and a guy in Nickel the majority of the time, just like with a 3-4.

Not doubting you but where did you find that stat? Thanks.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Imagine that, a coach not married to his system.

System and scheme are two words I wish I never had to hear again.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

System and scheme are two words I wish I never had to hear again.

Until Nagy I thought adapting to the players you have on the roster was what a coach actually did.

 

[dennehy]

i think that if the style remains the same the Bears will need two nickels, one more like a box safety and one more like a traditional slot corner. If you've got 6 in the box almost 80% of the time you need someone who can function like a third linebacker on early downs.

 

[gallagher]

Ive always thought of the Whip/Will as the pass rushing guy who attacks, the middle as the funnel type cleaner, and the strong as the rangy cover space kind of guy. I guess I have it backwards.

Im trying to digest the T2 running through the WLB. Would the M be more of a thumper to cover the run?

So as I understand it (and I did not play football after freshman year of HS, so lets recall that I dont really have an X and O background here) your three linebacker spots are going to GENERALLY designate a guy as the person to hunt down the ballcarrier (recall urlacher and brooks both had great speed for their position), and the other linebackers shoot gaps t occupy blockers. Briggs was particularly good at shooting into the backfield to et a pulling guard or tackle to have to engage on a block early, forcing RBs to either make something up or accept a negative play.

So here, imagine Alec Ogletree running as fast as he can into a tackle so that Quan can take the RB down like the missile that he is.

 

[Toast88]

Not doubting you but where did you find that stat? Thanks.

Carmen and Jurko had the Colts' JJ Stankevitz on the radio yesterday talking about it. Was a good listen, since he used to cover the Bears for NBC Sports Chicago and now works for the Colts as a media guy.

 

[dentfan]

So as I understand it (and I did not play football after freshman year of HS, so lets recall that I dont really have an X and O background here) your three linebacker spots are going to GENERALLY designate a guy as the person to hunt down the ballcarrier (recall urlacher and brooks both had great speed for their position), and the other linebackers shoot gaps t occupy blockers. Briggs was particularly good at shooting into the backfield to et a pulling guard or tackle to have to engage on a block early, forcing RBs to either make something up or accept a negative play.

So here, imagine Alec Ogletree running as fast as he can into a tackle so that Quan can take the RB down like the missile that he is.

I think I understand more like you do, as roles. I guess the location of which LBer is which is contingent on the role they are to play, so the Whip can rush or the SLB. It depends on the scheme to fit the needs of the D. I think I'm getting it.

 

[gallagher]

I think I understand more like you do, as roles. I guess the location of which LBer is which is contingent on the role they are to play, so the Whip can rush or the SLB. It depends on the scheme to fit the needs of the D. I think I'm getting it.

Like I said, I only understand it from what I see on the couch, but Lovie's defense had a very common shell that Urlacher would adjust on the field. If you watch a game from. 2006, you'll see a lot of running plays that have the following:
1) Hunter Hillenmeyer occupying a tight end on a run fit that doesn't let him get to the second level. This means a strong side run will have an edge right where HH is, and Urlacher flows to that point.
2) Briggs crashes down on a pulling guard and with penetration redirects the play back inside. Tommie Harris will clean up the cut back, and the rest of the defense swarms.
3) an outside run where everyone fits the lane so a RB has to keep looking outside, where Urlacher chases him to the sideline.

Basically, even if Flus only uses Tampa 2 as an inspiration for how he draws up our defense, the priority will be on speed at the linebacker position.

 

[Visionman]

I don’t care if Mack has his hand in the dirt or not. I do care if he’s rushing the QB as opposed to being used out in coverage though. Seemed to be far too often under Nagy as HC…