RealGM

I think its safe to assume that peprah and Burnett are not working well as a safety combo. There is just not enough of a veteran presence back deep. After reading the recent jsonline article regarding the loss of Collins, it seems to me moving Woodson to safety and starting shields at the other corner spot could solve the problem. You rely on bush more as a nickel, or maybe peprah could come in and just cover the backs and smaller tight ends.

Not sure this is the best move to make mid-season.

But if Collins isn't back by training camp next year, I would give it some serious thought.

He pretty much plays as a third safety now. He's rarely, if ever, outside on WR's. He's a safety that plays at the line of scrimmage and covers slot WR, TE, and makes play reads. I like him in a diagnosing the defense role though, even if he's giving up more catches due to lost foot speed. If Collins isn't back, we do need to make some kind of move there though in the offseason.

I don't think a defined position matters a whole lot in Capers defense the way they use Woodson.

We should be using him as a safety-type more often than as a cover corner. As evidenced in the Chargers game, Wood just can't help himself anymore with the holding, due to his decline in speed/acceleration.

I guess I just feel a secondary of : SS Woodson FS Burnett CB Williams CB Shields would be better in our base D. Regardless of how they use Woodson.

Right now though, the 2-4-5 is our base D, so we'd need five D-backs. It may change given personnel changes, but given how the league is pass happy right now, wouldn't expect it.

Don't you think when Neal comes back if he's good they would be in a 3-3-4 alignment more though?

Max-Power wrote:Don't you think when Neal comes back if he's good they would be in a 3-3-4 alignment more though?

I think we use more 2-4-5 with Neal/Raji at DL. Throw Pickett in there as a third DL on clear running downs.

Btw, I think losing Brandon Chillar has had an impact on our pass rush too. I think he was the worst player overall out of Hawk/Bishops/Barnett... but he did a pretty good job of blitzing from the MLB spot.

Newz wrote:Btw, I think losing Brandon Chillar has had an impact on our pass rush too. I think he was the worst player overall out of Hawk/Bishops/Barnett... but he did a pretty good job of blitzing from the MLB spot.

he was good in pass coverage

Newz wrote:Btw, I think losing Brandon Chillar has had an impact on our pass rush too. I think he was the worst player overall out of Hawk/Bishops/Barnett... but he did a pretty good job of blitzing from the MLB spot.

I don't think losing Chillar has hurt the pass rush at all.

The best way to make those MLB blitzes more effective would be for other pass rushers to actually win one on one battles once in awhile so that another lineman has to help and/or so the backs and tight ends left in to help pass protect have to make a tough decision on who to block. Instead, since so many of our guys aren't winning those one on one battles, those backs/tight ends left in to pass protect have an easy call to just step up and block the in coming MLB. There rarely are 2-3 rushers all creating pressure which can leave indecision for the extra blocker or two to decide in a blink who to help block/pick up.

The interior pass rush has been especially weak by our defensive lineman. By them almost never penetrating or at least collapsing the pocket, it just makes it so much easier for an offense to pick up those middle linebacker blitzes.

I actually think that Hawk's a pretty good blitzing MLB. Dude nailed it, though. Our linemen frequently lose the one on one battles, which renders a blitz useless.

I don't think it would make a major difference, but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Raji back at NT. He's been way too invisible at end this season.

Raji has taken only a handful of snaps at DE this year.

I feel like I'd be in favor of moving Woodson into Peprah's role if we had a CB who was screaming for playing time. We don't, though.

Rodgers should play safety. Problem solved.