[Chiefs4TheWin]

Originally Posted by jaa1025

The only one notable that doesn't fit a 4-3 is Ragland. DoD and Hitchens probably fit the 4-3 scheme better. I think Houston would be fine and Ford could be effective in passing downs. Speaks probably fits better as well because he's certainly not an OLB in a 3-4. KPass could be a stud DE as his scouting profile suggests and his preseason suggested.

I think the line is pretty set honestly. Hitchens played well in a 4-3 and can play in all three LB positions. DoD could be fantastic in a 4-3 and fits better, imo, than an 3-4 ILB. Especially, in an aggressive 4-3 defense that Spags runs.

Originally Posted by ChiefsFanatic

Nooooo, our players are definitely not 3-4 players. And if you are confused by that, please refer to the last 2 Patriots drives.

Ragland and Hitchens are so damn slow, as is Houston. We have two linebackers with speed, Ford and DOD, and one linebacker who looks like he is running in claymation, in Speaks. Ford is a very good pass rusher, but he is bad against the run.

3-4 linebackers need to be able to run to the ball, or their spot in pass coverage, or actually cover a RB or TE out of the backfield. Also 3-4 linebackers need to avoid engaging with offensive linemen in order to be able to run to the ball.

Not only are our linebackers slow, but they have a very bad habit of stepping up directly into the offensive linemen allowing themselves to be easily blocked. It's one of the main reasons we cannot stop the run.

Another reason this defense struggled against the run is Bob Sutton's inability to actually put 3 defensive linemen on the field at the same time. No matter how physical a linebacker is, offensive linemen firing out when run blocking usually win that battle at least 80% of the time.

I believe with our current personnel, a 4-3 would put them in much better situations, where they have a chance to be successful. I have said it a thousand times, as many others on CP have, but Bob Sutton's worst attribute as a DC was his inability to adapt his scheme to fit the players on this roster.

In my mind there is absolutely no acceptable reason to have Speaks or Houston trying to cover RBs and TEs one on one in down field pass coverage. In fact, I don't think Houston or Speaks should even be dropping back in zone more than 5 yards from the LOS. This season, neither Speaks nor Houston had a positive outcome in passing situations farther than 5 yards from the LOS.

Whoever we get, and whatever scheme he runs, if the only adjustment he make is not asking players to do things they are physically incapable of doing, it will be an improvement.

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

You both make great points. Scheme wise I'm still a 3-4 fan, but you convinced me that the players suck in it. Although they may just suck period.