How exactly is your defensive scheme going to work?

[Kurb]

First I will explain physics to a dog, then this.

[prowler2k8]

hadn't heard really anything about man coverage but from what i can tell is that it is going to be a hybrid of a few things.

pretty much, though, the bulk of the pressure on the QB is going to come from the front four. the secondary is going to be using a very aggressive zone focused on breaking up routes and attacking where the ball goes either disrupting the passes or aggressively hitting and stripping the ball. they are going to have to be quicker and much more aware of what is going on than before. the LBs will be covering the middle of the field controlling the run and helping out with coverage.

nothing earth shatteringly different in the concept but in the way it is going to be carried out and the attention to detail compared to what we have had before will be very different. the aggressiveness will also be a pretty big difference from what i can tell.

Speaking of hybrid, do you think there's any chance that the Panthers will run a hybrid form of D like the Patriots (if you can call what they do hybrid), except the base formation will be 4-3 instead of 3-4?

I'm asking because we have the personnel IMO to run either 4-3 or 3-4. I know Fox is not a 3-4 guy, but we have the depth @ DE, DT and LB to pull off some 3-4 looks and formations to create pressure and confuse opposing offenses. Peppers, Brown, Taylor, Davis and possibly Johnson could be aligned at the OLB/DE position to rush the passer, Kemo, Brayton, Lewis/Irvin, Johnson at the DT/DE and Beason/Connor/L. Johnson could work the MLB positions. Couple that with the aggressive zone scheme you mentioned earlier, and our D could be fierce. The only difference would be that, unlike New England, our primary defensive alignment would be a 4-3.

I'm sure it sounds better in theory than in reality, but I just wanted to some input on whether such a scheme would work with the players we have. What say you?

[Kurb]

is cover 2 man really that hard to understand?

Godfrey's hands and Harris's pimphand should do well in that D.

[CatMan72]

Meeks said he's not even sure yet, he needs to see what he's got and then build the scheme around that.

[panthers55]

Speaking of hybrid, do you think there's any chance that the Panthers will run a hybrid form of D like the Patriots (if you can call what they do hybrid), except the base formation will be 4-3 instead of 3-4?

I'm asking because we have the personnel IMO to run either 4-3 or 3-4. I know Fox is not a 3-4 guy, but we have the depth @ DE, DT and LB to pull off some 3-4 looks and formations to create pressure and confuse opposing offenses. Peppers, Brown, Taylor, Davis and possibly Johnson could be aligned at the OLB/DE position to rush the passer, Kemo, Brayton, Lewis/Irvin, Johnson at the DT/DE and Beason/Connor/L. Johnson could work the MLB positions. Couple that with the aggressive zone scheme you mentioned earlier, and our D could be fierce. The only difference would be that, unlike New England, our primary defensive alignment would be a 4-3.

I'm sure it sounds better in theory than in reality, but I just wanted to some input on whether such a scheme would work with the players we have. What say you?

We actually did some interesting things last year. I am forgetting which game it was at the end of the season where we stood up Peppers and had several players on the D line playing from a 2 point stance rather than a hand on the ground (NO??) If so, it was likely due to Brees' quick release and the fact that our DTs were somewhat hurt. Still I thought that we tried some things to generate more pressure last year.

Seems to me that 3-4s morph into 4-3s by bringing a linebacker up in a 3 point stance more than 4-3s morph into 3-4s. Only rushing three guys instead of 4 and dropping back into coverage isn't a 3-4 look. The largest issue is that the blocking assignments and coverage assignments aren't the same so it sometimes makes it hard going back and forth easily. Teams like Arizona tend to do both but they are the exception rather than the rule.

[Snake]

First I will explain physics to a dog, then this.

You will have a better chance getting the dog to learn. I mean they do play pool on occasion.

[prowler2k8]

We actually did some interesting things last year. I am forgetting which game it was at the end of the season where we stood up Peppers and had several players on the D line playing from a 2 point stance rather than a hand on the ground (NO??) If so, it was likely due to Brees' quick release and the fact that our DTs were somewhat hurt. Still I thought that we tried some things to generate more pressure last year.

Seems to me that 3-4s morph into 4-3s by bringing a linebacker up in a 3 point stance more than 4-3s morph into 3-4s. Only rushing three guys instead of 4 and dropping back into coverage isn't a 3-4 look. The largest issue is that the blocking assignments and coverage assignments aren't the same so it sometimes makes it hard going back and forth easily. Teams like Arizona tend to do both but they are the exception rather than the rule.

How does that typically work in the 3-4? Wouldn't the rush come from the OLB/DE and the 3 down linemen? Could a blitzer be selected from the back LBs or DBs to provide additional pressure? For example, rushing one of the two MLBs or a CB/S?

[CatMan72]

It should be noted that we seemingly have all the pieces required to run an effective Tampa-2 defense:

1. Good DL pass rush (assuming Brown lives up to his potential and Peppers is back).

2. Fast LB squad capable of playing coverage (perhaps much more so with Dan Connors or Landon Johnson replacing Diggs?).

3. A secondary capable of playing very physical (Marshall, Harris and Godfrey have all demonstrated they can lay the wood and Gamble is a solid tackler).

With that said I think there are two major disadvantages to us running the the Tampa-2:

1. We play a team twice a year that mastered it and therefore knows exactly how to attack it.

2. Good TE's are usually very effective against a Tampa-2, and right now our division rivals have 3 of the best in the league (Gonzales, Shockey, Winslow).

[Pejorative Miscreant]

The prevalent philosophy with most with most DC is to tackle the man with the football. This thought seemed to. Have eluded Monte Kiffin in our last meeting with TB. Hopefully your new DC will learn from this.

[goncrazi]

With that said I think there are two major disadvantages to us running the the Tampa-2:

1. We play a team twice a year that mastered it and therefore knows exactly how to attack it.

2. Good TE's are usually very effective against a Tampa-2, and right now our division rivals have 3 of the best in the league (Gonzales, Shockey, Winslow).

Just a quick interjection...

1) The brains who mastered the Tampa 2 are all gone from Tampa now, including the one that made them good enough to win the Super Bowl almost a decade ago. (That would be Monte Kiffin, just so you know.)

2) a] Gonzales is a future hall of famer, most likely, but on the down-slope of his career.

b] Shockey was, is, and always will be a joke. He makes more headlines with his mouth than with his play on the field. Hell, he gets more publicity from his annual injuries than his play.

c] Winslow may very well be the real deal (the jury is still out IMO), but Tampa doesn't have a solid QB to throw it to him. At least not yet. The Bucs would be foolish to expect Flacco/Ryan type play from Freeman.

[goncrazi]

Meeks said he's not even sure yet, he needs to see what he's got and then build the scheme around that.

this

[Sandy Claws]

I'm more curious about your defense then anything on the team as I'm already sold on your halfbacks and Smith on offense.

Wondering what type of scheme you guys are running on defense this year and what each position on defense is slated to do.

Like I heard it was a Tampa 2 scheme with man to man coverage with your corners?... Not sure exactly how thats going to work out but who is doing what on your defense this year (I don't need the names of the talent as I know most of your defense)... just wondering what the DT, DE, LBs, Secondary do for the most part and how often you guys blitz and what not...

You might consider putting a little thought into the Bucs D. They've had a far bigger turnover than we have. OHH that's right, you'll be a Saints fan by week 3 anyway.

Before the draft

I really hope the Bucs trade down and land either Peria Jerry or Michael Johnson. I think there is a good chance one of them will be there in the later 20s and give us some ammunation to get a 2nd round pick for the K2 trade.

I'm pretty pumped up and imma be pissed if we grab Freeman at #19, really hope he's gone by then.

After the draft

Nothing Spells Franchise Like Freeman.

[panther4life]

if i didnt know any better i'd say lone buc fan is a closet panther fan

[dexterpyro]

Instead of calling our defense Cover 2 man or Tamba 2 how about we call it Panthers D....Meeks is going to make it good this year