Freeney's Role

[OllyDawes]

I was under the impression that Freeney would be playing as an OLB, but Evan Silva from Rotoworld just said Freeney is on the right of the front 3 with Redding on the left.

Is he playing as 3-4 DE or OLB?

[Fx Stryker]

Pagano said a "Suggs-ish" role. So probably OLB.

[OllyDawes]

Pagano said a "Suggs-ish" role. So probably OLB.

Thank you! Really wasn't sure!

Who's playing other DE? Moala?

At the minute our D is looking like:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

Freeney - Angerer - Conner - Mathis

Moala - McKinney - Redding

[MSColtsFan]

He will play what he is capable of playing. Just because the plan is OLB, or people say it in April, doesn't mean he can or will come September. It wouldn't shock me to see Freney play third down DE for that $19 million. Frankly, he took lots of early downs off last season too, so maybe we'll see even more in 2012/13.

[Fx Stryker]

Thank you! Really wasn't sure!

Who's playing other DE? Moala?

At the minute our D is looking like:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

Freeney - Angerer - Conner - Mathis

Moala - McKinney - Redding

Yea, that's probably our defense next year. If we get a second round CB I think he will be opposite Powers.

[atapcl]

Freeney will play both. Moala possibly will start on Freeney's side as an end and play down when Freeney moves up to DE. This will be a hybride defense with Freeney and Mathis playing LB/DE.

[atapcl]

Yea, that's probably our defense next year. If we get a second round CB I think he will be opposite Powers.

A CB and NT from the draft could change the starting lineup moving Mckinney to backup and Thomas/Rucker to backup. Otherwise I think this lineup is it.

[Superman]

Thank you! Really wasn't sure!

Who's playing other DE? Moala?

At the minute our D is looking like:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

Freeney - Angerer - Conner - Mathis

Moala - McKinney - Redding

That might be the 3-down alignment. The 4-down alignment should be this:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

? - Angerer - Conner

Freeney - Redding - Nevis - Mathis

[21isSuperman]

I think Freeney will be a Ware type of OLB who never drops back into coverage and instead rushes on almost every play. I think that's of benefit to us and him because his biggest asset is his speed. Give him more space and he will be able to reach his peak speed even faster than before. That's a scary thought for OTs and QBs

[GrizzColt]

You can't hide your coverage if the 2 coverages use different players. So, will Nevis be a starter or not?

[dgambill]

That might be the 3-down alignment. The 4-down alignment should be this:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

? - Angerer - Conner

Freeney - Redding - Nevis - Mathis

You have it right there. We will have 3 cbs...because quite frankly most offenses deploy 3 wide outs so it will probably be exactly what you have there. I think Moala will rotate time in and out with Freeney depending on down and distance.

[Superman]

You can't hide your coverage if the 2 coverages use different players. So, will Nevis be a starter or not?

I don't think the point is to be able to switch alignments with the same personnel, from play to play. There will be subs and different packages, just like how other hybrid teams do. But there are still games we can play with our ends/linebackers to put pressure on the offense.

I personally don't see how Nevis fits into the 3-down alignment. Maybe he can play five-tech end, but it doesn't seem like it. If he can, though, then he should get the nod over Moala. But I think Moala is better suited as the five-tech end, based on his performance and history.

[OldSchoolColt]

I thought we would have four down on runs and five down on passing plays. If not, I see Freeney as an OLB that will be on the line and blitzing 90 percent of the time. Anywhere on the line.

[oldunclemark]

You have it right there. We will have 3 cbs...because quite frankly most offenses deploy 3 wide outs so it will probably be exactly what you have there. I think Moala will rotate time in and out with Freeney depending on down and distance.

That our 'nickel' defense (4-2-5), too right?

I'm liking that.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Thank you! Really wasn't sure!

Who's playing other DE? Moala?

At the minute our D is looking like:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

Freeney - Angerer - Conner - Mathis

Moala - McKinney - Redding

what about hughes

[dgambill]

That our 'nickel' defense (4-2-5), too right?

I'm liking that.

That would probably be our nickle and I am sure we will use that look a lot...however I am not sure I am liking the thought of Rucker and Thomas out there at the same time. I would like an upgrade there. The only two players I trust in our secondary is Bethea and Powers and I don't even trust Powers particularly much on teams #1. He is a #2 corner at best and to me Ruckers fits the mold of a slot corner because of his size because he can help in run support. I would like to use Thomas situationally one taller receivers where the matchup favors him.

We could use a great cover corner in this years draft or next and I would feel a whole lot better. Sometimes it takes just one guy to come in and everyone slides over and fits naturally into a spot. We have ANY injuries in the secondary..and we are WEAK. To be honest we are weak at MLB too. If Pat went down I would think we would be in trouble. Be nice to look at LBs to but we just have more needs than picks. What we do have is plenty of defensive lineman to choose from. I don't think we will be able to address both LB and CB help in this draft to my satisfaction but we have to at some point. Perhaps we get cb this year in round 2 and look at LB next year.

IDK but I am more worried about the defense than the offense. I think if we run the ball and have a conservative attack we don't have to get all our weapons on that side of the ball this year. We get our defense to stiffen up and that will keep us in games. Look at Denver. Can't tell me all those 3 and outs and they still win that we can't build our defense and keep us in games that Luck and the offense can't find a way to get us some wins.

[Mameluc]

That might be the 3-down alignment. The 4-down alignment should be this:

Bethea - Zbikowski

Powers --------------------------------Thomas/Rucker

? - Angerer - Conner

Freeney - Redding - Nevis - Mathis

i hope that 4 man front isonly on obvious passing downs cause otherwise we are going to get run over

[Gavin]

Freeny's role in my opinion is free up cap space for us and then we will talk where he fits in the defense, right now hes gonna be a 19 or 14 million dollar experiment at linebacker as I see it

[Superman]

i hope that 4 man front isonly on obvious passing downs cause otherwise we are going to get run over

That's what the Texans did last year, mostly on passing downs.

[oldunclemark]

That would probably be our nickle and I am sure we will use that look a lot...however I am not sure I am liking the thought of Rucker and Thomas out there at the same time. I would like an upgrade there. The only two players I trust in our secondary is Bethea and Powers and I don't even trust Powers particularly much on teams #1. He is a #2 corner at best and to me Ruckers fits the mold of a slot corner because of his size because he can help in run support. I would like to use Thomas situationally one taller receivers where the matchup favors him.

We could use a great cover corner in this years draft or next and I would feel a whole lot better. Sometimes it takes just one guy to come in and everyone slides over and fits naturally into a spot. We have ANY injuries in the secondary..and we are WEAK. To be honest we are weak at MLB too. If Pat went down I would think we would be in trouble. Be nice to look at LBs to but we just have more needs than picks. What we do have is plenty of defensive lineman to choose from. I don't think we will be able to address both LB and CB help in this draft to my satisfaction but we have to at some point. Perhaps we get cb this year in round 2 and look at LB next year.

IDK but I am more worried about the defense than the offense. I think if we run the ball and have a conservative attack we don't have to get all our weapons on that side of the ball this year. We get our defense to stiffen up and that will keep us in games. Look at Denver. Can't tell me all those 3 and outs and they still win that we can't build our defense and keep us in games that Luck and the offense can't find a way to get us some wins.

That's where we see it vastly different..DG...

I think we're almost set defensively (we need to add a corner)

But we cannot run a conservative offense indoors and do anything but lose...

Its like the Cubs playing in Wrigley Field....They can have a 'pitching and defense' team but the other teams are going to play their home run hitters and bomb them like they were Afghan rebels..

...The Packers are going to come to indy and throw like there's no tomorrow..

..You have to attack the permiter..the rules give you that..

....We have a strong-armed QB and 3 vet receivers (we need more) and a speedy halfback

We've got to play the indoor game......we need more offensive troops

[dgambill]

That's where we see it vastly different..DG...

I think we're almost set defensively (we need to add a corner)

But we cannot run a conservative offense indoors and do anything but lose...

Its like the Cubs playing in Wrigley Field....They can have a 'pitching and defense' team but the other teams are going to play their home run hitters and bomb them like they were Afghan rebels..

...The Packers are going to come to indy and throw like there's no tomorrow..

..You have to attack the permiter..the rules give you that..

....We have a strong-armed QB and 3 vet receivers (we need more) and a speedy halfback

We've got to play the indoor game......we need more offensive troops

Yeah. We just disagree. I see the job in the first year is to keep your qb healthy and help him transition to the nfl. I don't care about his pedigree and all the skills people say. He is a rookie and if we try to be a pass happy team and not balanced than I think it could be detrimental to his future and the teams. Give him a running game. Shorten the game...use clock...keep games close by eating time and moving the ball. Utilize his greatest skill and that is working off play action and his short throws.

I don't think just because we play indoor we have to pass the ball. I'm not saying that we have to be run heavy for the next 10 years but during the transition we need take the pressure off Andrew and take care of him. If we build our defense we won't get blown off the field. You play against a team...not the field/stadium. You take match ups and you exploit them. Teams throw against us a lot not because we play in doors but because our secondary was weak and they were playing from behind. Some teams ran the stinkin ball down our throat indoors because we couldn't stop the run and they ran the ball better.

I fully think we can be an explosive running team as we can an explosive passing. It is all about how you build the team. Inside/outside means nothing. If you got a great running game you can still run the ball on whatever the turf. I don't get your arguement. Perhaps you prefer us being a passing team because that is more exciting or you like that more but if you are the inferior team you want to control the clock, control field position, and shorten the game. That is normally done in a ball control offense consistant of short passes and solid run game. To me that is what we have to be until we find an identity for our offense.

[oldunclemark]

Yeah. We just disagree. I see the job in the first year is to keep your qb healthy and help him transition to the nfl. I don't care about his pedigree and all the skills people say. He is a rookie and if we try to be a pass happy team and not balanced than I think it could be detrimental to his future and the teams. Give him a running game. Shorten the game...use clock...keep games close by eating time and moving the ball. Utilize his greatest skill and that is working off play action and his short throws.

I don't think just because we play indoor we have to pass the ball. I'm not saying that we have to be run heavy for the next 10 years but during the transition we need take the pressure off Andrew and take care of him. If we build our defense we won't get blown off the field. You play against a team...not the field/stadium. You take match ups and you exploit them. Teams throw against us a lot not because we play in doors but because our secondary was weak and they were playing from behind. Some teams ran the stinkin ball down our throat indoors because we couldn't stop the run and they ran the ball better.

I fully think we can be an explosive running team as we can an explosive passing. It is all about how you build the team. Inside/outside means nothing. If you got a great running game you can still run the ball on whatever the turf. I don't get your arguement. Perhaps you prefer us being a passing team because that is more exciting or you like that more but if you are the inferior team you want to control the clock, control field position, and shorten the game. That is normally done in a ball control offense consistant of short passes and solid run game. To me that is what we have to be until we find an identity for our offense.

There's some truth in what you say..

But everybody's going to have to accept that the 50-50 pass-run days are over. I just dont think that running teams have won in the NFL recently..because the rukles penalize pass defense (hitting the QB, holding the Wrs)

...Teams throw a lot against us in part because they were behind (before last year) and they had to counter

..and because its easy to throw against everybody

Teams that play indoors throw a lot...(read: new Orleans) .all of them. Look at the Dome teams.

Brees didnt break the single season pass record because he's the greatest player ever...

hge broke it because the rules BEG YOU to throw the ball..

I know its like talking religon to say that running and defense are not the end all. But you must certainly do tailor your team to the place where you play 1/2 your games.

That's why the Bears have always 'gotten off the bus running the football" as Lovie Smith says..

..they play outdoors on a bad field by the Lakefront..

and I woldnt worry about Andrew Luck's health..he's pretty mobile.

Our identity needs to be to throw to set up the run..because that's how the game is played now..

[Gavin]

we need balance on offense not to throw the ball 50 times a game

[dgambill]

There's some truth in what you say..

But everybody's going to have to accept that the 50-50 pass-run days are over. I just dont think that running teams have won in the NFL recently..because the rukles penalize pass defense (hitting the QB, holding the Wrs)

...Teams throw a lot against us in part because they were behind (before last year) and they had to counter

..and because its easy to throw against everybody

Teams that play indoors throw a lot...(read: new Orleans) .all of them. Look at the Dome teams.

Brees didnt break the single season pass record because he's the greatest player ever...

hge broke it because the rules BEG YOU to throw the ball..

I know its like talking religon to say that running and defense are not the end all. But you must certainly do tailor your team to the place where you play 1/2 your games.

That's why the Bears have always 'gotten off the bus running the football" as Lovie Smith says..

..they play outdoors on a bad field by the Lakefront..

and I woldnt worry about Andrew Luck's health..he's pretty mobile.

Our identity needs to be to throw to set up the run..because that's how the game is played now..

I just disagree. If you control the line of scrimmage you force teams to play the run it opens up so much more in the passing game. I agree that the rules beg you to pass but that doesn't mean you can't exploit the run. As teams get more and more set up for the passing game it just makes a team that can dominate on the ground that much more dangerous. To me elite qbs get you to the playoffs but great teams win championships. The Giants wouldn't even have made the playoffs without Bradshaw and the running game making a comeback late in the season or the d-line coming alive. The Patriots were one dimensional and when they suffered an injury in the passing game or went up against an elite defense they were held down.

There is no one way to win. Sure we want to pass the ball and score but that doesn't mean you can't be built on defense or running the ball and win. The key is having TIMELY qb play and a great defense. You need your qbs to be able to make plays in key drives and possessions and you need an elite defense. If you don't have the right mix it just doesn't happen. As for a rookie qb...the best friend they can have is a good protection, a great defense, and a solid running game. You drop back 40-50 times a game with a rookie qb and your just inviting trouble in my opinion.

We just disagree philosophy wise. Nothing wrong as so many teams are built differently and lots of different schemes and types can be successful if you have the right players playing the right way. You can win passing it all over the field like Brees did or by being balanced like San Fran/Giants. I respect how you feel and I am all for us getting to that point as Luck matures...I just want him to get the opportunity to mature (not get his head knocked off). Having a running game is just like a security blanket for the qb. We had Faulk and James and it made Peyton's play actions have real affect. If we don't have that threat teams tee off on us and with the line we have I don't trust them protecting Luck. I see the rules changes and I totally understand. If Peyton would have had those rule changes at the beginning of his career I think we win a couple more super bowls. Allowing Wayne and Harrison not to get mugged all over the field and we get past NE sooner so I know it will benefit Luck. I just want to make sure he has time to adjust to the league before stepping in and asking him to do it all. Give him some help. Run the ball and keep the defense honest.

[MSColtsFan]

we need balance on offense not to throw the ball 50 times a game

Balance is fine, but success (making the playoffs) really favored the extremes last year, and that is a bit of a trend.

Of the twelve playoff teams, Detroit, NO, NE, Atlanta, NYG, and GB all were in the top 14 in pass attempts last year (Detroit through NYG ranked 1-6, only Washington at 5 didn't make the playoffs).

Pittsburgh is the closest to balanced, ranking 19th in both rushing attempts and passing attempts (Arians....). But 19th means lower half... so that offense didn't have as many plays as others....

Baltimore was 18th in passing attempts, 8th in number of rushes, Cincinnati was 20/10, so both were run first, and more often for sure.

Houston, SF, and Denver were rushing attempt teams 1-3 last year, and 30-32 in passing. Totally run dominate.

(the above ranks from: http://espn.go.com/n...passingAttempts and then change to see rushing...)

So one out of 12 teams truly had balance. Five were pass happy - I mean, top of league pass happy. Three were run until you think it's 1955 again crazy. The top three rushing teams as a matter of fact, while simultaneously being the least likely to pass the ball. So that's 8 out of 12 who were drastically slanted one way or the other, had no balance, and had success. Including the two Super Bowl teams, who, as an aside, were ranked toward the bottom defensively... but you have to go all the way down to Baltimore who ranked 18^th in pass attempts (544) before you match the leader in rushing attempts with Denver and Houston with 546. It’s a passing league…

The best part about the balance argument is Pittsburgh. And they fired (didn't re-sign) Arians to 'get back to their roots', and run more. So even they, with as close to balance as can be found in the NFL for a team who made the playoffs don't want it.

A balanced offense, to me, is like saying defense wins championships. It's shoved down our throats so often we think that's the recipe for success. And it was true many years ago, but simply isn't true now. What is fairly obvious from the stats is you must do something exceptionally well, whether it be run or pass (I mean top five in the NFL good).