So much for Kuechly being done or over the hill: he's once again PFF's top graded LB this season

[Sam Mills Fan]

He's at an 85.1 which would be his worst graded year since 2013, but still #1. Yeah he had a pick yesterday, but Bobby Wagner is down to 67.3 this year, easily his worst season ever. You saw that when McCaffrey juked him out of his cleats at least once yesterday.

Some other notables:

Deion Jones: 79.1

Lavonte David: 84.2

Darius Leonard: 79.8

Anthony Barr: 55.6

Donta Hightower: 68.8

Jamie Collins: 78.2

Leighton Vander Esch: 58.6

Sean Lee: 62.6

KJ Wright: 65.2

Thomas Davis: 63.3

CJ Mosley: 75.0

Jaylon Smith: 73.6

Note: I only looked at guys listed as linebackers on PFF, not anyone listed as an edge player.

[rippadonn]

They're starting on Luke now. They won't be happy until this is JV football.

[Sam Mills Fan]

I'll say this though: that we could have the best linebacker in the league and yet our defense still be as bad as it is really speaks to the importance or lack thereof of linebackers in 2019.

[1of10Charnatives]

Guys I’m a huge Luke fan and not generally a doom and gloom type, but I don’t care what PFF says, actually watching the games I don’t get the feeling he is having the impact he has had in the past. Hoping this is owing to correctable factors like bad line or poor fitting scheme, but that’s my 2 cents.

[Sam Mills Fan]

2 minutes ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Guys I’m a huge Luke fan and not generally a doom and gloom type, but I don’t care what PFF says, actually watching the games I don’t get the feeling he is having the impact he has had in the past. Hoping this is owing to correctable factors like bad line or poor fitting scheme, but that’s my 2 cents.

He's not and that's not the point. I said even by their metrics he's having his worst season in 6 years. Just that he's so much better that we take him for granted. Even his worst season in 6 years is still better than everyone else.

[WarPanthers89]

4 minutes ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

Guys I’m a huge Luke fan and not generally a doom and gloom type, but I don’t care what PFF says, actually watching the games I don’t get the feeling he is having the impact he has had in the past. Hoping this is owing to correctable factors like bad line or poor fitting scheme, but that’s my 2 cents.

Name one player who has on defense...it’s this trash 4/3 - 3/4 scheme that is one of the worst we have seen. This much talent and we look like we have the 2011 team with Fua starting. Remember the effect is had on Ray Lewis in Baltimore...once they switched and upgraded DT he was back to his old self. Luke is still the GOAT but this defense must change in order for him to get back to making the game changing plays he made before and it starts with us actually having an identity.

[1of10Charnatives]

1 minute ago, Sam Mills Fan said:

I'll say this though: that we could have the best linebacker in the league and yet our defense still be as bad as it is really speaks to the importance or lack thereof of linebackers in 2019.

Linebackers stop the run primarily. It’s just not a run oriented game anymore.

Also as the money in professional sports has made everyone millionaires over the past generation or so and these guys full time train, practice and watch film, linebacker is the most generic skill set on a defense. You just need a really good athlete, not with hyper specific physical attributes the way you do with corners or pass rushers. This leads to less variance in the quality of linebacker play and thus less impact on your defenses performance.

[1of10Charnatives]

2 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

Name one player who has on defense...it’s this trash 4/3 - 3/4 scheme that is one of the worst we have seen. This much talent and we look like we have the 2011 team with Fua starting.

Ross Cockrell.

 

*ducks*

 

Nah I know what you mean.

[RumHam]

He needs short out there but the huddle told me months ago short was trash

[TheRumGone]

45 minutes ago, Sam Mills Fan said:

I'll say this though: that we could have the best linebacker in the league and yet our defense still be as bad as it is really speaks to the importance or lack thereof of linebackers in 2019.

This is exactly the point a couple of us have been trying to make. We can’t resign Luke to some monster deal with shaq just signed to a 57 million contract. Luke isn’t getting younger, concussion history. It would be wise for us to trade or move on and beef up other areas while drafting his replacement these next couple of years.

[Riverboat Ron]

Tells you how bad this defense is when he rates this highly but always seems to be near big plays for opponents. Dude is being asked to do everything. We need competent coaches.

[joeyxfresco]

PFF sucks. Luke doesn’t. With that said Luke is having a bad year because he’s stretching himself to thin in a shitty scheme. 

[d-dave]

Opposing Olines are having their way with our DL.  Luke is going his best, and still makes several plays a game, but whenever they go into a running highlight, you see where Luke and Shaq are getting blocked out by Guards or the Center because our DL is getting manhandled.

If we stick to a 34 defense, get some big hogmollies to protect Luke and Shaq.  Likewise for CMC and whoever is QB next year.  We need to dramatically rebuild both lines.

[SetfreexX]

Top Defenses in the NFL (Just two months ago)

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001066462/article/patriots-bills-niners-bears-among-top-nfl-defenses-of-2019

1-Patriots - Hybrid 

2-Bills - 4-3

3-49ers - 3-4 

4-Bears - 3-4

5-Vikings - 4-3

6-Broncos - 3-4

7-Saints - 4-3

8-Panthers - Hybrid

I know we are all feeling some type of way, but on each side of the ball injures / personnel have taken there toll over the course of the season. Coaching also plays it's roll as well. I think there is a lot more to look forward to once we improve the coaching / personnel to continue to fit the 3-4 defense. The sack production is already there, taking care of run fits / gap responsibility better coaching and true 3-4 fits on the DL will help to mitigate. 

Current Top 5 Total Defense - http://www.nfl.com/stats/team

Patriots - Hybrid

49ers - 3-4

Bills - 4-3 

Steelers - 3-4

Chargers - 4-3 

Those harping on the 3-4 need to realize that there are just a lot of issues at play, injuries, scheme familiarity / fit, and coaching. We are currently 26th overall quite the fall from two months ago. 

Surprisingly we are still 16th versus the pass and as we all know we are now 30th versus the run.