Fortenbaugh (NFP) on the importance of pass-rushers

Fortenbaugh talks about how you should build a team, and while he says having a stud QB is a given, the next priority has to be a pass-rusher:

"You can’t win championships if you can’t get to the quarterback, as evidenced by the fact that seven of the last nine Super Bowl Champions have ranked sixth or higher in the NFL in sacks."

"Bonus Stat: The two teams that qualified for February’s Super Bowl (Pittsburgh & Green Bay) finished the regular season ranked first and second, respectively, in the NFL in sacks."

I have to agree with him, and think Aldon Smith was a great choice for the 49ers.

Here's a link to his article: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Who-would-YOU-pick.html

Pass-rushers are without a doubt the most important players on the defensive side of the football.

did you know the sky is blue?

Originally posted by RichmondPete:
Pass-rushers are without a doubt the most important players on the defensive side of the football.

Got pass rush?

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:
did you know the sky is blue?

Some people require a reminder here and there!

that was a pretty lame article by an obvious hack

the pats are pretty good without anything close to a dominant pass rusher.

defense is more about scheme and players who make a minimum amount of mistakes as possible.

Of course a guy who can blow up the qb makes everything easier, but in football the first thing you have to be able to do is stop the run. Always has been and always will be.

harbaughs cousin doesnt know s**t

He will be a great complement to Willis, Soap and Justin Smith.

Great article on Smith on Pro Football Focus .

I agree. I think he is a better pass rusher and will continue to be a better pass rusher than Blaine Gabbert or Jake Locker will be at quarterback.

Originally posted by allday:
that was a pretty lame article by an obvious hack

the pats are pretty good without anything close to a dominant pass rusher.

defense is more about scheme and players who make a minimum amount of mistakes as possible.

Of course a guy who can blow up the qb makes everything easier, but in football the first thing you have to be able to do is stop the run. Always has been and always will be.

The original article's claim is that the most effective sacking defenses played in the Superbowl. If you can achieve that with your scheme, fine. If you can increase the odds of sacks with physically gifted sack artists, than you are more likely to get to the Superbowl. In contrast, there are many truly gifted, shut-down corners, who may be voted into the Hall of Fame that have never played in the Superbowl. The Pats didn't play in the Superbowl last year, even thought they were pretty good on D.

Because of the rule changes favoring passing, I no longer believe that offenses are constructed to run first to set up the pass. In today's NFL, you can now say that it is equally true that the pass sets up the run.

Having watched 2 years of Singletary's "establish the run first" offense, I can't believe that you would say always has, always will. In contrast, most of the successful offenses use the pass to set up the run as much as they use the run to set up the pass.

Bill Walsh's Niners always had at least two things. A great quarterback, and a good pash rush. You can usually stop the run by stacking the box with players, but a dime defense doesn't guarantee anything against the pass.

To Nolan's credit, he did try and get a quarterback and pass rush; but his regime wasn't able to identify and/or develop either of them. Lacking ability at the most important positions on defense and offense is why bad teams are bad teams.
Harbaugh's regime obviously knows this, and that is what makes their first two picks in the draft so exciting.

Originally posted by BrianGO:
Bill Walsh's Niners always had at least two things. A great quarterback, and a good pash rush. You can usually stop the run by stacking the box with players, but a dime defense doesn't guarantee anything against the pass.

To Nolan's credit, he did try and get a quarterback and pass rush; but his regime wasn't able to identify and/or develop either of them. Lacking ability at the most important positions on defense and offense is why bad teams are bad teams.
Harbaugh's regime obviously knows this, and that is what makes their first two picks in the draft so exciting.

Well said

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:
did you know the sky is blue?

It seems obvious that pass rusher is most imp, but in several years McCloughan never filled the position. (yet most fans here thought McC was great!)

Originally posted by maxsmart:

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:
did you know the sky is blue?

It seems obvious that pass rusher is most imp, but in several years McCloughan never filled the position. (yet most fans here thought McC was great!)

He was an idiot and a drunk. He never fixed the O Line or Pass Rush in all the time he was there.