The Revenge of Robert Saleh

Originally posted by NCommand:

A new schematic aspect of the 49ers defense to watch tonight: Their 3 linebacker spots are now essentially interchangeable. The Sam LB is no longer a disguised pass-rushing d-linemen but rather a flipped Will.

Detailed at this link: https://t.co/D5RnNSoHJE pic.twitter.com/bGfL1vepEP

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 10, 2019

4-1-6 defense.

Originally posted by NCommand:

A new schematic aspect of the 49ers defense to watch tonight: Their 3 linebacker spots are now essentially interchangeable. The Sam LB is no longer a disguised pass-rushing d-linemen but rather a flipped Will.

Detailed at this link: https://t.co/D5RnNSoHJE pic.twitter.com/bGfL1vepEP

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 10, 2019

Our LBs are "stacked" this year!

I apologize for that weak joke.

Originally posted by John_Candy:

Our LBs are "stacked" this year!

I apologize for that weak joke.

You better run that by Garoppolo first.

Originally posted by Heroism:

This is the #1 thing I'm interested in. And that's a beautiful description of the new SAM: "A flipped Will." Perfect.

Good stuff indeed. I like that description a lot too. Perfect.

Originally posted by John_Candy:

Originally posted by NCommand:

A new schematic aspect of the 49ers defense to watch tonight: Their 3 linebacker spots are now essentially interchangeable. The Sam LB is no longer a disguised pass-rushing d-linemen but rather a flipped Will.

Detailed at this link: https://t.co/D5RnNSoHJE pic.twitter.com/bGfL1vepEP

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 10, 2019

Our LBs are "stacked" this year!

I apologize for that weak joke.

Hope all this changing and stuff translates to positive things for the defense come gametime.

Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:
Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:

Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

How about how great it was just to see a BLITZ? Saleh called a number of them, and altho most didn't get there, a couple times the blitzer had a sure tackle if he would have just locked on the ball carrier or Qb. So, is Woods in Saleh's ear telling him, "he bud, time to blitz""...or what? I saw more blitzes last nite than i recall seeing all last yr...and whether they work or not, it was great to see them being used.

Not saying we had a lot of them but we at least had some. That's a major step forward.

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:
Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

How about how great it was just to see a BLITZ? Saleh called a number of them, and altho most didn't get there, a couple times the blitzed had a sure tackle if he would have just locked on the ball carrier or Qb. So, is Woods in Saleh's ear telling him, "he bud, time to blitz""...or what? I saw more blitzes last nite than i recall seeing all last yr...and whether they work or not, it was great to see them being used.

Not saying we had a lot of them but we at least had some. That's a major step forward.

Doc, I don't think Saleh is that smart. The Wide 9 scheme lends itself to a lot of weaknesses, that only a blitz or a stunt or a defensive slant can fix. I think Saleh was trying to cover both basis (run or pass) by employing the Wide 9 against the pass and run blitzing or run stunting/slanting to shore up the wide 9 against the run plays. I see Kocurek's experience in some of the highlight reels and his creativity. I didn't see that kind of creative blitz/slants last year. They were all vanilla read & react stuff.

That generally gives you a false sense of security because at this time, every OLine coach is mixing and matching their personnel trying to see who can make the team and stunts, slants, and blitzes can free up people for sack simply because not everybody is on the same page on protection calls. It takes a while for an OLine to gel, but once it does, these stunts, slants and blitzes lose their effectiveness. My prediction is that the Wide 9 will work well in pre-season and even maybe during the first couple of games in the regular season, but offenses will catch up and negate them towards the end of the season.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:
Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

Yeah, Saleh was trying some interesting blitzes yesterday (against the pass; not run). But the W9 was fine against the run yesterday against a good running team in base as well. We just have good run defenders up front so we can run whatever we want. Damontre Moore played really well in it...the new ER we brought in too. Street, Day, Taylor all making waves inside. You could get a hint of how fun it's going to be with a healthy Ford - Day - Buckner - Bosa.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:
Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

Yeah, Saleh was trying some interesting blitzes yesterday (against the pass; not run). But the W9 was fine against the run yesterday against a good running team in base as well. We just have good run defenders up front so we can run whatever we want. Damontre Moore played really well in it...the new ER we brought in too. Street, Day, Taylor all making waves inside. You could get a hint of how fun it's going to be with a healthy Ford - Day - Buckner - Bosa.

It's preseason. They all look good (or bad) at this time. It's nothing like regular season.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by Heroism:
Soooo, based on everything we've heard out of camp and now seen through the first preseason game, I think it's safe to say the wide 9 is now the base alignment.

My man.

Interesting how they used the run blitz to stop runs - at least from some of the highlight stuff I saw. That's one way to use the wide 9 to stop runs.

Yeah, Saleh was trying some interesting blitzes yesterday (against the pass; not run). But the W9 was fine against the run yesterday against a good running team in base as well. We just have good run defenders up front so we can run whatever we want. Damontre Moore played really well in it...the new ER we brought in too. Street, Day, Taylor all making waves inside. You could get a hint of how fun it's going to be with a healthy Ford - Day - Buckner - Bosa.

It's preseason. They all look good (or bad) at this time. It's nothing like regular season.

It's about team strengths and schemes. They are a power team and a good running team and are deep there. Just like no matter what RB we bring in, he has immediate success in our system. It's what we do.

Only one time did they get outside on us and that was b/c Elijah Lee didn't contain his outside gap. Otherwise, everything was funneled inside which is to our strength en route to pressuring the QB which we clearly did all night long. Now picture that alignment with even better players...some of the best in the NFL.

You talk of the W9 having weaknesses? Sure, and we saw that when Lee didn't fill/contain. Our Big End/LEO also had weaknesses too...like Wilson and the outside zone marching down the field off tackle with ease. Or needing bigger personnel and not being able to rush the QB. LOL

Originally posted by NCommand:
It's about team strengths and schemes. They are a power team and a good running team and are deep there. Just like no matter what RB we bring in, he has immediate success in our system. It's what we do.

Only one time did they get outside on us and that was b/c Elijah Lee didn't contain his outside gap. Otherwise, everything was funneled inside which is to our strength en route to pressuring the QB which we clearly did all night long. Now picture that alignment with even better players...some of the best in the NFL.

You talk of the W9 having weaknesses? Sure, and we saw that when Lee didn't fill/contain. Our Big End/LEO also had weaknesses too...like Wilson and the outside zone marching down the field off tackle with ease. Or needing bigger personnel and not being able to rush the QB. LOL

My view is the wide 9 is not a balanced front. It's too *wide* and unbalanced - and again that's strictly because its purpose is as a pass rush scheme, which it is good at. To compensate for that, you slant/stunt/blitz against the run. Fine and dandy during pre-season, but once the regular season comes along and the regular players play, get in sych against the blitz and stunts, those things lose their effectiveness during the regular season.

I think the mindset on the wide 9 is that ShanaLynch is banking on Jimmy and this offense scoring a lot and the opposing team having to catch up using the pass. Now if that's the case a majority of the time, this will work. But if not, it can magnify any flaws in the Kyle offensive scheme and it will be a defensive setback, not an advancement and evolution. we shall see.