I think we need a linebacker

[Shake n Blake]

(03-21-2018, 05:01 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: You are right. It's not a popular opinion (with me, at least). 


You don't need HoFers at LB, but I don't think you can trot out anything close to what the Bengals did last year. It needs to be much much better. Not going to win too many championships with the 30th ranked rush defense (22nd by YPC).

You mention the Eagles and their highly ranked rushing offense, but you also need to mention that they were the BEST rushing defense in the NFL by yardage, and 6th by YPC. Heck, they were a very mediocre 17th in passing defense, but they could absolutely shut down an opponent's running game.

SB Winner Rush Defense Rank (YPC Rank)
'17 Eagles: 1st (6th)
'16 Patriots: 3rd (8th)
'15 Broncos: 3rd (1st)
'14 Patriots: 9th (8th)
'13 Seahawks: 7th (7th)

Last 5 SB winners right there, and none of them rank outside the top-10 in either of those rushing defense categories. LBs are important, because stopping the run is important.   :andy:

There's more to stopping the run than just having awesome LB's though. We had some really good years stopping the run before Burfict even showed up. 

2011: 10th in yards, 8th in YPC
2009: 7th in yards, 7th in YPC

IMO, we didn't have any big time LB's in these years. It was scheme and good DL play. DE's setting the edge. 

Besides, we already have Preston, and Burfict isn't going anywhere. I'm not sure how much things will change under Austin, but we run way too much nickel to be spending a top pick on a SLB that we rarely use. Despite the suspension, I doubt we're drafting Burfict's replacement this year. Marvin has been around for 15 years and the only LB that made an obvious impact was Burfict. I just don't see the value in round 1.

Even with the Eagles, was it amazing LB play that was most responsible for their stout run defense? Pro Football Reference lists them as having 4 different guys who started at least 2 games at MLB. It was a revolving door of Nigel Bradham, Jordan Hicks, Dannell Ellerbe and Joe Walker. Their top LB had 88 tackles. #2 had 73. No other LB had more than 28 tackles.

Check out this article for more insight into why the Eagles were so great against the run: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2017/12/08/nfl-los-angeles-rams-philadelphia-eagles-week-14-run-defense-sean-mcvay/

Quote:They say NFL games are won in the trenches. That phrase is mostly true, but having an elite quarterback or a shutdown corner certainly helps, too. The Eagles may not have either (yet), but they’re still among the best teams in the NFL.

How, you ask? By winning in the trenches.

Sean McVay and the Rams are well aware of just how dominant the Eagles are up front, but that won’t make it any easier to run the ball against them on Sunday. McVay has a good grip on what makes the Eagles so good against the run.

“I think they’ve got great players, it’s a great scheme. They’ve got great get-off. You look at the way that those guys up front get off the football, they can run on all three levels, they pursue, they’re sound,” McVay said. “They play a lot of single-high structures, especially on those early down-and-distances. When you’ve got great players and you’re playing a lot of eight-man fronts and things like that, you’re going to get hats to the football.”


The Eagles do play a lot of single-high safety, which allows the second safety to come down into the box. That player is usually Malcolm Jenkins, who can play essentially anywhere in the secondary.




Loaded boxes certainly help stop the run, but McVay heaped praise on the players that the Eagles have on that side of the ball.
“I think it’s a credit to their players, their coaching staff and they mix it up, but it’s just about the effort they play with,” he added. “I think a lot of times, what measures a great defense is the way they come off the football, the way they pursue, the way that they stay sound in terms of their gap integrity and you can see why they are the best run defense in the league.”

To me it seems the Eagles' run success had more to do with an excellent line and scheme, including stacking that box a lot. Which may help explain why their pass D was less than stellar.