Is our Defense Aggressive?
by renke81 on Nov 2, 2010 9:04 AM PDT
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Remembering back to the game on Sunday, there was one thing that I remember being an absolute life saver for us. While the 49ers were already down, the Broncos ran a flea-flicker that if it weren't for a penalty flag, would have been the nail in the coffin for the 49ers and we would have gone on to lose that game. But this brought up a question that I have about the 49ers defense this year. Why are we so bad when it comes to flea-flickers, screens, and play-actions?
Those plays are designed to hurt an aggressive defense and from what I have seen out of our defense this year, we have not been an aggressive defense. We aren't sending all kinds of different blitzes at the QB, we aren't getting a large amount of sacks and our defense does a pretty good job at containment (especially when it comes to another trick play, the reverse). So why have these plays been so effective? Is it because of the play-calling? Is it the fault of the DB's and Safety's being too aggressive and biting on plays? And what do you think should be done to fix it. Whenever we get hit with a 2nd or 3rd flea-flicker in a season and it continues to work, something is very wrong.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.
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No
It’s bad.
"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before." ~Steve Young #8
No
We have to put the right pieces of the puzzle together. I say next year we will be ready…..!!!!!!
No
They can’t be the Jets but they need to get aggressive at times.
"Coach, it came down like a hail marry"
Is anyone reading this?
I’m asking why our defense is getting burned if they aren’t aggressive. You guys are repeating my words that we don’t have an aggressive defense, so tell me why we get burned on screens, play actions, and trick plays (such as the flea-flicker).
Because
It’s a poor D that we overrated big time.
"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before." ~Steve Young #8
by Young_To_Rice on Nov 3, 2010 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions
HAHAHA wow yall
apparently no one took this post seriously…one of a few legitimate FOOTBALL questions…look, we have a polarized team…some guys, are getting old, slow, less agile…and while they DO play good containment most of the game…they’re not in the peak shape they were as 3rd and 4th year returning vets…yes i’m talking about you Nate…so that’s why i think Manusky calls the plays he does…our secondary doesn’t have the depth the leave our 1 and 2 1 on 1 very often…so we play soft coverages, either zone or a combination where our corners play soft man with a floating LB in zone…this makes the containment easier far easier, so long as the ILB stay vigilant against the run ( because your OLB are going to be a step late to the ball as they’re first looking to be in position to take away an angle from the receiver)…
ALSO…We have a few HIGHLY talented and HIGHLY motivated young players who are trying WAY too hard to force their dominance on the field…i.e. Navarro,Mays, Kristick Keaton, and LaBoy…They all play extremely aggresive, especially against the run…i.e. the fleaflicker play the original post cites…
This is not an issue of our defense being soft/aggressive…it’s about us not have the complete package right now…Unfortunately P Willie doesn’t have the freedom to run wild from hash to hash like he should…Somehow, him staying home…disciplined…is still netting him great stats…But, it’s hampering our defenses ability to get the hell off the field
so you ask…“please, toufelhounden, tell us how to fix this”
and here is my answer:
-you should’ve signed Merriman to a 1 year contract … we need some more aggressive OLB play…
-DRAFT a high dollar CB next year…there are a few good choices if they’re still around…(unfortunately the niners will win a few more games, and finish in the middle 1/3 of the pack…wow did i just say unfortunately?)
-Manusky needs to grow a pair and dial up some heat a few more times a drive…it’s not that he doesn’t bring 5 guys into the box often…it’s just that it’s not often enough…qb’s are able to recognize the difference and easily adjust where the ball’s going…if we atleast show that look a few more times a series…I think we’ll have far more success…even with depleted depth and speed in the secondary
Lcpl Martis
Thanks for the legitimate discussion on the topic
It makes writing posts much more fun. It makes sense what you are saying. I think the fact that we do have some parts to our defense that are aging makes things a bit more difficult (honestly I feel that our best CB, Nate Clements, is only a #2 or #3 CB at best. I don’t necessarily think Merriman would add anything to the defense though. We have some guys who can be very aggressive at the OLB position. Brooks, LaBoy, and Haralson (at least he used to be aggressive) that is what got him the contract extension. I think that if Manusky dialed up a few more blitz packages, then that would change things (at least from the front 7 positions).
I think we should be drafting for a high round CB for next year as well as a possible OLB/DE who can be a great pass rusher. I don’t necessarily know who but if there is someone there who can manhandle an offensive lineman, that would make life much easier. We have to get pressure to the QB and if Manusky can call a few more blitzes plus adding a few pieces, our team’s defense could look like a legitimate force.
I agree...
I think opponents know they are dealing with young safeties and are making them bite on flea flickers… and as we saw in the seattle game clements is hopeless on double moves… this is my suggestion to fix this problem:
1 Trade clements, he is no longer our best corner… Spencer is. Clements is slow and prone to double moves.
2. draft a top 3 CB and go after a proven vet in FA… the Browns Wright is a free agent in 2011…
3. Hire Ronnie Lott as a consultant to help the safeties break down film
4. BLITZ, BLITZ, BLITZ… mostly with LBs… if you pressure the QB, he will make mistakes and make all DBs look like superstars… all those flea flickers will never work
Joe and Steve were under the same system for years... don't expect ___?__ to be super so soon. Alex Smith is no longer expected to do much for this team in the future... on to the next one!!
...sigh
i understand everyone’s distatste for clements…all i have to say…is he’s still producing at a decent level where only spencer is …so what you gotta take into concideration it that … Clements was never a guy that had flash speed…or crazy agility to always be able to outmaneuver a wideout…Nate made his money…and yes…we pay him way too much, by beign disciplined and aggressive with a reciever…I think he gets exposed because of the weaknesses around him…i mean, it’s true too that he’s injured, and really has a hard time turning his hips over…but i’m telling you Nate is still sharp and driven…i think that if our OLB could limit the looks that opposing quarterbacks have down-field…this entire conversation is mute…
the draft issue is far more complicated than simply pointing out the glaring difficencies of our depth chart
concider this Abreyu Franklyn is probably not sticking around next year….can Jean Francois fill that role…I say no way in hell…but then again i think playing a 3-4 without the OLB depth to take advantage is just silly…Not here to argue the organization’s philosophy
so not only the NT position but also aging DE’s and CB…both starting 5 year OLB vets are entering free agency at the end of the year…i have a hard time believing we sign either of them back…much less both…which is sad…I thought they were the tandem to be envied…PWillie and company…god it was supposed to be epic wasn’t it? that’s just what i don’t understand…at this point in the season…as a defensive coordinator, i have to feel that manusky would be embarrassed…
the way i see manusky’s playcalling is like this…he’s constantly reacting…using his weopons as tools to plug the growing leaks in the damn…‘oh, we give up big chunks of yardage to the dumpoff screen’ so he leaves willis to spy and slip underneath the screen block to shut it down. ‘oh, now we are caught staying inside waiting for the dump, meanwhile playaction results in a decent 20ish yard corner route by a slow tight end because your best pass defending LB is spying QB?’ so he slides p willie and takeo to play zone outside the hash…‘oh, so now we leak 7-10yd runs up the middle?’
you see what happens here? he needs to grow a pair and release the hounds…the solution is in aggressiveness…clearly reactive play calling has resulted in the team being outfoxed…we get it…you don’t have the players to cover EVERY corner of the field…but make Sam Bradford beat you next weekend…don’t sit there waiting for the OC to call a play that does the work for him…
Lcpl Martis
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