Does The Colts Organization Ruin The Careers Of Defensive Backs?

[GoGoColts]

The lack of defensive tackles and the light linebackers forces safeties and corners to tackle way too many running backs and we can't keep a DB healthy. Recall, the one year that we had DTs, Bob Sanders stayed healthy (for him) and was defensive player of the year. Discuss?

[J@son]

In the past I think it could very well be argued that you're right. However we're not as undersized as we used to be so it shouldn't be an issue like it was in years past.

[natelombardi]

what we are still undersized name 1 lb that is over 6 foot 3 and weighs over 240 pds? and name a big dt on the team? lol we are not as small as we used to be yea we are smaller

[natelombardi]

and to be totally honest its not that we are small but we are not physical enough. we are finesse on off and def and i would love to balance it out on both ends. get more smash mouth on off and get some trench players on d. just what i think

[J@son]

what we are still undersized name 1 lb that is over 6 foot 3 and weighs over 240 pds? and name a big dt on the team? lol we are not as small as we used to be yea we are smaller

Phillip Wheeler is listed at 6'2" and 240 lbs. Kavell Conner is listed at 6'0" and 242 lbs. For a full breakdown of our starting defense comparing size to years past and also to the '02 Bucs (who didn't have injury issues with their DB's due to the D being undersized) see here (it does still have Brackett listed at starting LB though instead of Conner):

[J@son]

and to be totally honest its not that we are small but we are not physical enough. we are finesse on off and def and i would love to balance it out on both ends. get more smash mouth on off and get some trench players on d. just what i think

That's why Anderson and Brayton are getting more playing time, especially on early/run downs. I felt the defense was a lot more physical in week 1 than in week 2. Honestly I think a lot of the guys on defense responded having Angry Pat at MLB in place of Brackett. Not that I think any of the players have an issue with Brackett, but...well kinda like in years past when our defense played a lot better when Sanders was in but they looked terrible when he wasn't, even though Bob was the only difference. I think the Defense on Sunday responded to having a more physical type of MLB. I could be way off base but it seemed that way to me. Plus having some guys who can stuff the run at DE helped too.

[BOTT]

Phillip Wheeler is listed at 6'2" and 240 lbs. Kavell Conner is listed at 6'0" and 242 lbs. For a full breakdown of our starting defense comparing size to years past and also to the '02 Bucs (who didn't have injury issues with their DB's due to the D being undersized) see here (it does still have Brackett listed at starting LB though instead of Conner):

if phillip wheeler is 240lbs i'm 8ft tall. u can never trust nfl teams when it comes to actual height/weight. i remember when sapp was officially measured for the draft and he came in under 6'1. cato june admitted to playing at 213 lbs.

[J@son]

if phillip wheeler is 240lbs i'm 8ft tall. u can never trust nfl teams when it comes to actual height/weight. i remember when sapp was officially measured for the draft and he came in under 6'1. cato june admitted to playing at 213 lbs.

Info I got is from NFL.com...without being in the locker room and weighing him myself it's the only thing I have to go by. I agree about Cato June. I don't have any proof unfortunately but I would swear during his years here nfl.com listed him at 218 lbs.

[Smitto]

At first i thought the name of the thread was ridiculous but you do bring up a good point and i think it does make the chances of the DB's higher but thats just how the game has evolved, look at deion sanders CBs never had to tackle much but now they have to cause of the way the game has changed and how stronger players are becoming.

[Andy]

I don't think we ruin the careers of the DBs, I mean, we made Antoine Bethea one of the best free safeties in the league, Bob Sanders a defensive player of the year, and produce some pretty good CBs. However, I believe that our system and schemes don't go well with the DBs, and that's why they shine on some other teams.

[OLD FAN MAN]

and to be totally honest its not that we are small but we are not physical enough. we are finesse on off and def and i would love to balance it out on both ends. get more smash mouth on off and get some trench players on d. just what i think

when our dbs are in the top 3 in tackles it means someone completed passes, and the dbs were not agressive

[number28]

what do you expect from a cover 2?

[OLD FAN MAN]

what do you expect from a cover 2?

i agree this system is not working for us, i hope we dont waste all season waiting for our guys to improve.change our system this year and we will be ready for next year.

[buccolts]

I don't think we ruin the careers of the DBs, I mean, we made Antoine Bethea one of the best free safeties in the league, Bob Sanders a defensive player of the year, and produce some pretty good CBs. However, I believe that our system and schemes don't go well with the DBs, and that's why they shine on some other teams.

Whom are you referring to?

I can't think of any.

[number28]

I miss coach Dungy

[Brett Snyder]

I miss coach Dungy

I miss Peyton

[21isSuperman]

It is interesting to think of whether our defensive system causes DBs to be injured. One guy that hasn't been all that injury prone is Bethea, he has been there for a long time, and is always one of the top tacklers on the team. However, he could he an anomaly instead of the trend.

[GoDeep]

Whom are you referring to?

I can't think of any.

He must be thinking of Jason David.

lol

[LUVTHESHOE]

i agree this system is not working for us, i hope we dont waste all season waiting for our guys to improve.change our system this year and we will be ready for next year.

i think kevin thomas should be playing over lacey. i relize i am not at practice watching

everyday but he appears to more athletic , and there is know way he could be worse.

[pizza guy]

Whom are you referring to?

I can't think of any.

I was thinking the same thing. It seems like in years past, our zone coverage CBs have managed to get contracts with other teams only to be exposed as a product of Dungy's system when they were asked to cover man-to-man. Jason David was an embarrassment after he left here, despite being barely good enough here.

I do think it could have something to do with Sanders' health because he asked to play LB essentially, and his body was not able to handle that. Had we utilized bigger DTs and LBs, maybe he isn't in the box making so many hits and he stays healthy.

But, I think it's got more to do with who, and where, we pick players at those positions. We have stuck with smurfs at DB, and we always use later round picks to get guys who have question marks on their scouting reports. Polian tries to find the gems by picking guys who had an injury their senior year and their stock dropped. That's how we got Sanders. Sometimes it pans out and they stay healthy. Sometimes it bites us in the rear.

I just want them to draft some CBs with real NFL size and talent.

[bayone]

He must be thinking of Jason David.

lol

jennings on bears ? better there than with us

[GoDeep]

jennings on bears ? better there than with us

Yes, Jennings has done much better.

Harper didn't amount to much with the Titans.

David got torched on the Saints.

Marlin Jackson has been hurt.

We will see how Hayden does.

Bob is healthy so far.

I guess it's kind of a mixed bag in the past several years.

[J@son]

I'll give Nick Harper credit simply for going to another team and still being a starter for 3 years after leaving the Colts. They got about the same production out of him as we did, but that's not saying a whole lot.

Tim Jennings is probably the best example of someone leaving and being successful somewhere else, though it helps him that the Bears run a very similar defense. I honestly wasn't upset with us letting Jennings go because he's so short but I'll now admit that I was wrong. He's played well with Chicago and would have been worth keeping around considering our current starters. I hope CB is addressed early in the draft next year.