Our 3/4 do we have the personel for it?

[Coachmarkos]

Without a NT the entire defense is screwed. Against both the pass and the run.

yep. Gotta have a NT to run the 3-4.

I actually think a 4-3 would make sense, but the front office is set on a 3-4.

[Yubaking]

Without a NT the entire defense is screwed. Against both the pass and the run.

THIS.

[Yubaking]

the answer is no.

So without a nt the bolts are forced to play more nickle without the proper personnel to do so.

We were spoiled with jamal. And lucky to have franklin. But the middle of the defense is collapsing and there is nothing the players can do about it.

THIS (again).

[QSmokey]

I can guarantee Te'o will be an upgrade. Our ILB's have been career special teamers and Weddle. They have all been brutal.

I just hope Manti is at full strength (or close to it) and not prone to aggravating the injury to the point where he's fighting it all season. He needs game experience, even in a cruddy season.

[QSmokey]

A little side note: Did anyone watch the 49ers game last night? When I heard that Max Starks was being brought in to replace Long (who had to leave for a down or with an injury), I actually did something I rarely do: Focused on a single player.

LOL! Even *I* could see how awful he was. It was so bad the broadcasters isolated him and analyzed the play. My God! It almost looked as if he was TRYING to look bad. No surprise that he was cut. How did he last so long on the Steelers? Or, how did he lose it so quickly? I can't imagine a team like Pittsburgh putting up with that kind of play for very long.

[Yubaking]

The NT issue was why I wanted Franklin back and wanted us to draft Jenkins and not Allen in round 3. The 4-3 is a bad fit for most of our defensive personnel. In fact, I would say all of our key contributing defensive personnel except Freeney. Freeney would be our only pass rushing 4-3 DE. English and T. Williams aren't good enough to do it as starters. I have read where some think Liuget and Reyes would be good 4-3 DTs, but I disagree. I think their comparative lack of size on the interior is troubling. I think Thomas could be okay as a 4-3 DT, but then that forces Liuget or (more likely) Reyes off the field. I am concerned that we do not have any ILBs fast enough to be a true 4-3 ILB, not even Butler. This also would leave Te'o off the field, not a good result for your second round pick. And our OLBs are not 4-3 OLBs, too big/slow. The 4-3 just doesn't work with what we have.

[Yubaking]

A little side note: Did anyone watch the 49ers game last night? When I heard that Max Starks was being brought in to replace Long (who had to leave for a down or with an injury), I actually did something I rarely do: Focused on a single player.

LOL! Even *I* could see how awful he was. It was so bad the broadcasters isolated him and analyzed the play. My God! It almost looked as if he was TRYING to look bad. No surprise that he was cut. How did he last so long on the Steelers? Or, how did he lose it so quickly? I can't imagine a team like Pittsburgh putting up with that kind of play for very long.

Starks is terrible for sure. He was probably a little better for the Steelers in his prime, but they had Roethlisberger and he extended plays by running around and he is darn difficult to bring down compared to most QBs, so that probably covered up some of Starks' ineptitude.

[QSmokey]

Starks is terrible for sure. He was probably a little better for the Steelers in his prime, but they had Roethlisberger and he extended plays by running around and he is darn difficult to bring down compared to most QBs, so that probably covered up some of Starks' ineptitude.

Makes sense. But he sure seems to have lost it - totally lost it - very quickly. The guy isn't that old (31?). The League, as a whole, seems to be getting younger. All those over-30 "gray beards" seem to be looking over their collective shoulders for the Grim Reaper of Football more now than in the past.