The Jets are stout against the run, have rushed the passer AND have some really solid players in the secondary. Still, they have gotten torched on D. One would think our linebackers stink in coverage. We're bad on third down. Another sign. Linebackers make plays by the sticks because lineman are busy at the line and receivers run decoys to bring two secondary guys downfield. The old clearout......so our linebackers have to run in space and make plays, which they ain't making. At least, not before the imaginary yellow line. Barton, Harris, etc....meh. We need some speed at the position.
I think Harris is the shit but maybe he isn't the best at pass coverage. Still, I want him in on most plays. Barton seems to add little to the D. I haven't thought much of his game for years--I see the back of his jersey way too much.
Where is Gholston I hope he improves he is such a great athlete if only he can bring that athletism to the games.
This is what I don't understand, if you criticize making Danny Partridge head coach people start shouting, "but its only week 4!". But if someone criticizes David Harris there is no rush to his defense. Harris was super last year and so far he's just been good. Its only week 4! Give Harris some time, he'll be super by the years end.
If I were to add my two cents; trading Vilma away wasn't the brightest idea IMO. in 3-4 ILBs, one of them will be run stuffer, and the other will cover against the pass. Not exclusively that way, but that's the main job description. Now look at Barton and Harris. They are good against the run. How about pass?
I was just so shocked by the thread I just didn't know what to say. Our LB'rs are the most solid unit on the team IMO. For someone to say we're weak at linebacker just makes me think I am completely missing something. So what am I to say?
Linebackers are not weak, we just have a glaring hole in our pass coverage in the middle of the field. I think its a combo of Harris and Barton not being able to get over and make some plays. We should think about going to a 3-3-5 on obvious passing downs. Especially if we are only going to rush 3 or 4 at a time. You can get and extra corner on the field to make a play in coverage.
Jets are weak at EVERYWHERE. LB is just one of the spots. Hell, Jets are weak at QB for all I know. You know, that 39-year INT king dude.
I could very well be wrong, but it seems to me that most of our passing yardage is being given up by CB's and S's. 30, 33, 34 and 36 seem to be numbers I say "fuck" at a lot.
Yeah I mean it's not like the secondary has been stellar except for rhodes and revis, but When your in zone the middle of the field 10-15 yards behind the line is up to the Middle Linebackers to cover. I like what our linebackers are doing they just need more time to gel, and hopefully this bye week helped them get it straitened out.
I haven't been happy at all with our linebackers coverage so far. However, cornerbacks have a far wider scope of field coverage than either safeties or linebackers do, while LBs and Ss have a large responsibility in run coverage. Safeties and linebackers are heavily-relied-on insurance plans in the passing game when you think about the responsibility that corners have in that same passing game. They are spread all over the field in terms of revolving zone and man schemes. It's an overlapping coverage map with them and the LBs and Ss, so it's hard to determine whether the nearest guy to the other team's plays being made is the culprit or just a heads-up teammate that recognized the play before his teammate who was actually responsible for that play to begin with. One of the San Diego plays belonged to Eric Smith although I saw on the replay that he had been picked and Coleman was actually trying to make a heads-up play on the other guy's man when he recognized what was happening. The fact that Rivers recognized Coleman was in the area and threw there shouldn't be ignored either, though. One thing I am sure about, while Coleman didn't seem to be the culprit for that play, he is around the ball during to man clutch plays by the other team that it just can't be as coincidence. He is a target for other teams. Get #30 off the field, please.
Since Harris bumped up he's been worse at pass coverage than he was last year. That's why I think that we have to draft someone with the size to play strongside and let Harris slim down and go back to playing the weakside. Ray Maualuga comes to mind for that role (crosses fingers)!
when we drafted keller we all said wow! he's gonna reak havoc running free b/c no lb can cover him. well, i guess we know what that feels like from the 'other side' of the conversation.
One of the criticisms of the 3-4 is that the scheme uses these big, hulking linebackers. Those guys are great at stuffing the run or crashing down on the QB. But huge guys are generally not nimble and speedy. And that's what you want in coverage. I really liked rookie Brandon Renkart at ILB this preseason. The kid from Rutgers was undersized at 230 but played great on passing downs. He stuck like glue to any RB or TE that came across the middle. I wish we would have kept him this season for use on passing plays.
wow seriously? LB is the best unit we have aside from WR. yeah they struggle in pass coverage but most of the gouging plays come from drew coleman. our LBers are animals against the run. Especially Barton hes having a great year. Pace usually seems to be around the RB if its a curl or a short out route. anyways we are far from weak at LB'er. depth wise yea this team lacks depth everywhere. but im completely satisfied thus far as long as they continue to stop the run and generate sacks/turnovers i think we should be more worried about our DL depth if anything. anytimes Jenkins is resting the whole defense goes into question, Mosely is a average rotation player and who els do we have Mike DeVito? he looks effective in the red zone but thats it.
