Let me start by saying I've wanted Rex since we lost out on Cowher. The knocks on Spags are the probable transition back to a 4-3 and that he has 2 more games experience as a DC than Mangini had when he took over...and to me it spelled being stuck in the same craphole 3 years from now as we are today. Rex would stay in a 3-4, make it much more aggresive and blitz happy, and has several years DC experience. Plus I hope he can bring either Suggs or Scott to the Jets. I also hope that having been in the league for as long as he has that he has a solid extensive network to bring on as coordinators and assistants. My one area of concern with Rex is that he might not be bigger than the system in Baltimore. The system was essentially created by Marvin Lewis, and it transitioned well to Mike Nolan, and Rex has never finished worse than 6th in total defense in the 4 years he's run it. Lewis's defenses in Cincy have been f'ing terrible, absolute jokes. What is your take on this? Does anyone share the same concern that it's the system that makes Rex look great rather than Rex making the system work, or do you feel he can rise above the transition in ways that Marvin never could. Thanks, Mike
Well it helps that the Ravens are loaded at great defensive players, not everyone but the front 7 is great.
I think the fact that Lewis is working for an incompetent franchise that has it's players picked by the owners son. The cause for concern may be there but at least in San Fran Nolan brought in some really good players and just couldn't coach. The Jets are ahead of both the Bengals and 49ers in terms of talent when Lewis and Nolan got there.
my response would be if the system has made rex, the great system Lewis implemented. Lewis lack of success on installing a sound defense in Cincy makes the argument a wash. the only argument that could be made against ryan is the talent he has to work with. but at the same time that is a plus because he knows the kind of players it takes to run an elite defense and as HC you know he wouldnt field scrubs to try to run the system. plus even though we know Ed Reed, and Ray Lewis make the defense ive heard them both do nothing but praise the preparation and strategy Rex Ryan gives them each week. im totally sold on Rex Ryan, if not him I want someone with actual HC experience like Billick. call me crazy but I like Ryan as the only coordinator to jump on. the idea of overhauling to a 4-3 again isnt attractive its more practical in the trenches, putting gholston back to his college position, having coleman/ellis rotate at DT and DE while kris jenkins stays in at the 4-3 NT. the question would be LB'ers how that would work out is beyond me and 3-4 or 4-3 we need some young blood at LB to contribute.
It's a fair point... But on the flipside, Ryan has been immersed in a great D for several years now, so you can assume he knows what types of players (on D) will get it done and, therefore, can recognize what players we need. I think any type of speed upgrade and Defensive creativity, along with aggressiveness, will make this D a lot better.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but when Lewis ran the Baltimore D it was a 4-3. That's what he ran in Washington and now has in Cincy. I believe he is a Cover-2 guy. This is a completely different D. I think Nolan installed it and Ryan improved it. Remember how much Lewis was gripeing to Vilma about a 3-4? There are different ways to run a 3-4 and I prefer the way that Ryan does it with our talent than how Schwartz does it. The difference is subtle. With Schwartz, you never know who is covering, with Ryan you never know who is blitzing. Ryan runs it more like Pitt with the zone blitz.
You bet I'm concerned. Good to great coordinators do not necessarily make a head coach. It would be too easy to say good defense coordinator = great HC. You gave two very good examples already of HC failures - Lewis and Nolan. Johnson is looking for a person who has the ability, charisma and vision to be a HC that will set up a system that will be here for years. Johnson is going to make a big comittment to the next HC. He is investing alot of time. Personally I feel it's between Schott and Ryan. Johnson can tell alot with face to face meetings.
I don't know if Marvin Lewis is a Cover-2 guy, but the statement (about Lewis running 4-3) is 100% correct one. Baltimore transitioned into 3-4 after Lewis's departure (I don't know under whose guidance they pulled it - I am thinking it's Nolan) and Ray Lewis at first hated playing MLB in 3-4, as I recall. True, some core players - Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed - still play in the Baltimore defense, but they did go through fundamental transition once in the past.
Johnny4, You are right, the did run. 4-3, with probably the best combo of DTs ever, Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa. But what they call the "baltimore system" (the thread "baltimore's view on losing ryan" has a good article discussing this) of being very blitz happy was put in by Lewis and though Nolan went to a 3-4, the core philosophy of never knowing who was blitzing remained. What I've gotten from this thread is that hopefully there are enough differences b/w Lewis and Ryan, and most importantly, that Ryan can identify what he needs to run his system. I don't see Tanny as a personnel guy, so he will need guidance (ond the offensive side too).
to me the only common thread is newsome. marvin is long gone from baltimore. Newsome has picked some good talent down there.
