Quote Originally Posted by pbmax View Post
Defensive pressure by the Numbers (part of this applies to Packers): http://www.sportsonearth.com/article...k-runs#!bjbnjH
Of course 4 is most common number of rushers - always has been, always will. The questions become how do you create mismatches, confusion in the blocking scheme and coverage - and, also account for the run, as teams are now lining up with 3 WR's in run/pass sitautions.

Capers accounted for the run by plopping 650 lbs of Pickett and Raji in the middle of the line. Problem with that was Pickett offered zero pass rush, and Raji wore down in the role and offered no pass rush either.

The result was that if it was a pass, we effectively only had 2 pass rushers getting after the QB; and, if it was a run and the RB had a seam thru the line, our ILB's being below average, the second level of our defense usually wasn't there to clean up; hence, we routinely got gashed in the running game.

So it was the worst of both worlds the way Capers ran his nickel.

I read an article a while back which detailed the amount of nickel that teams are running now. The Saints ran the most nickel of any team in the league at 85% - but they ran exactly 0% 2-4. Granted, they are a base 4-3 team, but the 3-3 they ran was much better suited to dealing with run/pass than Capers 2-4.

The only other teams that ran the 2-4 more than 30% of the time were Washington and San Francisco, but I would argue both of those teams have vastly superior LB's, and could make the alignment work much better than Capers could with the personnel he has.

Given that Pickett and Jolly are not back, and looking at the stable of DL on the roster now, I'd imagine Capers will necessarily have to go to more of a 4-2/3-3 look, similar to how SF looks with Peppers and Aldon Smith being similar in stature and ability.