Our defense heading into 2021

[headhunter]

I've been meaning to make this thread for a bit but waited until the draft was over. I do expect a dramatic change from last year's defense. We will playing more man, brought in Schwartz and added and spent alot on defense this year. 

I've been wondering if we are changing our scheme quite a bit, since last year we could not rush the passer until we switched things up later in the season. Guys like DaQuon and Crawford really hindered us in the pass rush, I think they learned that the hard way. It's like they were playing the run first and have guys read and react first even on passing downs before going after the QB. 

 

I really do think we will be seeing more 4 down lineman this year even on some run downs and actually attacking some gaps. 

 

 

[abenjami]

I would tend to think how much man coverage we play will be dictated by the quality of the pass rush.  Last year it was non-existent and playing man would have been just as futile as what we did.

 

Dupree is going to make or break this defense IMO.

[oldschool]

2 minutes ago, abenjami said:

I would tend to think how much man coverage we play will be dictated by the quality of the pass rush.  Last year it was non-existent and playing man would have been just as futile as what we did.

 

Dupree is going to make or break this defense IMO.

 

Lost in all the "Defense is changing" talk is the fact the team has always wanted to play more man coverage. They signed Butler because he played both zone and man, and drafted Jackson and Fulton for their man skills as well. the only reason the team didn't play more man last year is because Jackson and Fulton got hurt early on. Dupree is the key to the entire defense as you said. If he can wreak havoc off the edge, it will open up one one opportunities for Simmons and Landry. I'm not sure Dupree is really that guy to be honest. He reminds me of Orakpo; very good all around Edge but not a game changer.

[abenjami]

I don't think Dupree is Khalil Mack or Von Miller but he better be better than Orakpo and he better not bust like Clowney and Beasley.

 

We need him to be disruptive enough to cause a snowball effect that benefits Simmons and helps the rest of the front 7 to produce.

[10 A See]

Thank you for mentioning how guys read and react on the defense. This is why Rashaan Evans moving to edge made ZERO sense. Our ends read even on passing downs before rushing. It's kinda stupid and it was part of the reason for the defensive regression. Evans couldn't just rush blindly based on how the defense was run last year. He would've had the same issues. 

 

With that said, I'm hoping that changes this year and we allow them to just all out rush, at least on 3rd and long. I need to see some changes from a schematic standpoint, not just personnel. 

[OILERMAN]

33 minutes ago, 10 A See said:

Thank you for mentioning how guys read and react on the defense. This is why Rashaan Evans moving to edge made ZERO sense. Our ends read even on passing downs before rushing.

 

This will hopefully be one of the changes 

[headhunter]

35 minutes ago, 10 A See said:

Thank you for mentioning how guys read and react on the defense. This is why Rashaan Evans moving to edge made ZERO sense. Our ends read even on passing downs before rushing. It's kinda stupid and it was part of the reason for the defensive regression. Evans couldn't just rush blindly based on how the defense was run last year. He would've had the same issues. 

 

With that said, I'm hoping that changes this year and we allow them to just all out rush, at least on 3rd and long. I need to see some changes from a schematic standpoint, not just personnel. 

I even think the DL were reading and reacting too. It just slowed the defense down in the front 7. I really hope we go away with that. And makes me think where we didn't sign a NT or even draft one we we'll be more aggressive and shoot more gaps

[oldschool]

Why do we think the front 7 is going to change schematically? They've played the same way for 3 years and its the same system Vrabel used his single year as the Texans DC. As it pertains to Evans, I've been saying for the past few years he doesn't fit the read and react style of the front 7. He's a downhill player and needs to be used as such. 

[tgo]

2 hours ago, oldschool said:

 

Lost in all the "Defense is changing" talk is the fact the team has always wanted to play more man coverage. They signed Butler because he played both zone and man, and drafted Jackson and Fulton for their man skills as well. the only reason the team didn't play more man last year is because Jackson and Fulton got hurt early on. Dupree is the key to the entire defense as you said. If he can wreak havoc off the edge, it will open up one one opportunities for Simmons and Landry. I'm not sure Dupree is really that guy to be honest. He reminds me of Orakpo; very good all around Edge but not a game changer.

 

To me, Dupree is kind of a lunch-pail version of Clowney. Less talented of course, but more productive. 

[tgo]

16 minutes ago, oldschool said:

Why do we think the front 7 is going to change schematically? They've played the same way for 3 years and its the same system Vrabel used his single year as the Texans DC. As it pertains to Evans, I've been saying for the past few years he doesn't fit the read and react style of the front 7. He's a downhill player and needs to be used as such. 

Well Vrabel did explicitly mention the other day that they’re going to do things a bit different this year at Evans’ LB spot that and Evans is excited about it, so that does signal some sort of adjustment. 

[cenj]

8 minutes ago, tgo said:

 

To me, Dupree is kind of a lunch-pail version of Clowney. Less talented of course, but more productive. 

Totally agree. He's what they wanted in Clowney; he's not a pass rush specialist that other teams often covet. 

 

I also am with @oldschool on the scheme "changes." I don't forsee any changes. They've always wanted to run a a lot of man, evidenced by the Adoree pick and Butler signing. They've just never had the personnel to run it because they've missed on so many player signings and picks (and devalued defensive positions). 

 

Vrabel kept the defensive coaching staff in place and cut damn near the entire defensive roster. They still have the same plan.

[cenj]

Having Evans rush the passer more isn't some crazy idea. It was a primary strength at Bama and one of the things he brought at ILB. People thought he gave us the versatility to rush from ILB, adding to Pees penchant for mixing up ways of generating pressure. 

 

He's clearly failed as a read and react ILB and needs to attack. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he's utilized more in pass rush packages.

[tgo]

20 minutes ago, cenj said:

Totally agree. He's what they wanted in Clowney; he's not a pass rush specialist that other teams often covet. 

 

I also am with @oldschool on the scheme "changes." I don't forsee any changes. They've always wanted to run a a lot of man, evidenced by the Adoree pick and Butler signing. They've just never had the personnel to run it because they've missed on so many player signings and picks (and devalued defensive positions). 

 

Vrabel kept the defensive coaching staff in place and cut damn near the entire defensive roster. They still have the same plan.

Same plan, but some adjustments. 

[AussieTitanFan08]

Strictly from a player not coaching standpoint there are two concerns I still have about the defense heading into 2021 both concerns can only really be addressed by the passing of time

 

- Firstly I think there is too much expectation that Dupree is going to immediately return to the Dupree we all saw at the Steelers, while I fully expect him to completely recover from the ACL injury it might not be until 2022 that we see the same destructive player he had become at the Steelers.

 

- Secondly there is a massive lack of experience in that CB group now between Farley/Fulton/Molden/Borders there is not a lot of actual NFL game snaps between them, if the pass rush isn't significantly improved from last year there is the potential to see the same coverage issues we had.

 

I'm not usually a subscriber to the importance of when you play particular teams on your schedule but I wouldn't object to being handed the Texans/Jags/Jets over the first 6 weeks as we try and integrate all these new defensive pieces.

[AussieTitanFan08]