02-08-2020, 06:05 PM
(02-08-2020, 05:35 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I can see why he would say that. Teams want LBs that can do it all; Stuff the run, cover the pass, execute a blitz. If a LB only seems to have value as a coverage guy or defending the flats, but gets easily caught up in blocks or trucked in the running game, they might as well run Nickle or go with a 3 Safety alignment.
It's a catch 22, really. I personally like the idea of having fast, rangy linebackers in a league where you know that you're going to run into Lamar Jackson twice a year and might see a guy like Watson if you are good enough to contend for the conference. Your point is fair, though. LA shut Lamar down running a defense with 7 DBs on the field.
The only thing I know for sure is that the old AFC North style linebacker isn't going to cut it anymore. Preston Brown's demise proved that pretty handily. If you run out linebackers that can't run, you will be eaten alive not only by RPO quarterbacks, but also misdirection a-la Kyle Shanahan. The Bengals linebackers were stuck in the mud against those play calls because they just flat out could not run with them. It wore out the entire defense in short order. Pittsburgh came out and did almost the exact same thing 2 weeks later, and the results were very similar. it wasn't as if they hadn't seen that kind of offensive game plan before, they just couldn't do a damn thing about it. Not having linebackers that can run comes with a price, for sure.
