Originally posted by Marvin49:
I've read and heard alot of criticism that the league is moving to a passing league and having a free safety who can cover like a corner is essential.
I've read that the Niners building up front to crush people is too "old-school" and won't work in todays NFL.
I think thats all bunk. ;-)
The NFL is cyclical. People act as tho the NFL moves in one direction and it never comes back around again. That just isn't the case. Just look at the 3-4 defense....it comes and goes...just like everything else.
Follow me here. The league goes after smaller, quicker guys to counter pass happy offenses (West Coast O, Run and Shoot, No Huddle?). Now, everyone on the field is small and fast and you have neutralized the faster pass-happy O.
Along comes a team with an O-Line that everages over 320 lbs and simply MAULS you. It is a run first team that can pass to keep you honest. The D just crushes those streaking WRs and the safeties make those smaller faster guys pay every time they make a catch.
Do you know what I just described? The Dallas Cowboys of the early 90's. Most of the league was moving to the pass-happy west coast offense or K-Gun or any number of other pass offenses. The Cowboys came along with a MASSIVE line and some speed and size on D and won 3 SB's.
I'm not saying that the Niners are the Cowboys. I'm saying that sometimes bucking the trend makes you unique in a league of parity and being the only team in the Division that will hit you in the mouth has some advantages.
Ahhh but I think this team is built to do both things equally well. If Alex didn't take over when he did. Say he didn't even get off the bench. Then Hill would still be here Alex would have been traded and we would be pretty much one dimensional for all intents and purposes. I think the Lions would have happily given us a 5th rounder for either QB.
But things went the other way. Smith having the tools in the box can use them. Davis, Walker, Tree, Frank, Teddy G., Morgan Hill. I know that people aren't sold on Hill but I think that he'd be a solid 3rd. Especially when our QB has protection. You put Joe or Steve behind any of the last 5 Lines this team has fielded. They couldn't get to 3rd before having to dump off get sacked or turn the ball over. Most instances they'd have been lying on their back trying to shake the cobwebs. Look at how many reads THEY had the time for. I think that on one play Joe had 6 reads because he couldn't dump and instead had to go to scramble drill.
I'm not comparing Smith with either of them. I'm comparing Lines. You get what you pay for. We paid for crap expecting greatness. Well we got what we paid for. NOW, however, we have a reason to believe.
~Ceadder