FanPost

What is the Defensive Scheme Going to Look Like This Year?



So I have heard that with the new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, there should be no major changes in the look of the defense. Fox had talked earlier though about the need for some changes after last season. And that there were going to be changes even if Dennis Allen was still the DC. So my ? for anyone willing to answer is, what do you expect out of the defense scheme wise. I can t say I really know what the scheme was last year with Dennis Allen. So what did they run primarily last year and what do you expect this year?

I honestly have a few concerns that I hope are not legitimate. From what I hear about Del Rio I see a lot of similarities in the style and defense that was run for years in Indy with the 4-3 Tampa-2. They favored speed over size, and a conservative bend dont break mentality. And I read a little from the HoosierTeacher archives that Metalman so kindly made available. It put into words some of the reasons why I dont really like the scheme in a some situations. One thing he pointed out was that the defense was designed against the West Coast Offense and very effectively counteracted it. But he did mention how teams can exploit it with, among a few other things, good tight ends. The things he mentioned were exactly what the Patriots strengths are on offense. The Patriots really expoited the Colts defense. The Bears run the same scheme with better players, but The Pats ate them alive two years ago in Chicago. Teams that man up against them and find ways to get pressure cause them the most trouble... I also dont like the defense with Peyton Manning as the QB. Why? Well What do teams want to do when they are playing Manning or another good qb? They want to keep it out of his hands. The Tampa 2 seems to play into teams gameplan, as they can be patient. If they effectively run the ball, and have a solid qb who can find the holes of the zone, they can milk clock and keep the ball out of Peytons hands.. I think with a more aggressive mentality, you may get burned sometimes, but you will also make plays. And Manning will get the ball more. I would much rather Brady throw an 80 yard pass to Welker, then methodically take a 14 play drive and tons of time off the clock, with the same resulting touchdown....

I just dont want the Broncos D to be too similar to the Colts D. When I look at the players that were drafted this year, and some of the players on the roster, it seems like the Broncos favor speed over size. For example, They passed on a big LB, Alabama's Hightower and traded back to get a smaller sized DT, but faster more energized Derek Wolfe. That in itself could a good move. But again my concern is that as a whole the defense will be simliar to the Colts of the last decade. They get a bunch of defenders who are undersized. They are fast to the football, but can get outmuscled by bigger, more physical teams.

As far as strength in personnel, there are similarities. The Colts had some good pash rushers like the Broncos do. They had Freeney and Mathis; Broncos have Dumervil and Miller. The Colts had Bob Sanders in there secondary(when he was rarely healthy) the Broncos have Champ Bailey.

With all of that being said, I am optimistic that this defense will be better. The Broncos seemed to switch things up last year from game to game. The Colts never changed there defense, and rarely did they blitz and get aggressive. I think that the Broncos have some versatile guys that they can use in different ways. And overall, they seem to have more quality players than the Colts really did.

Thanks for letting me yap a little, and any thoughts and insight on what the defense will look like would be appreciated!







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