I believe that having Wake or Misi taking a shot at the TE coming off the line will work. If done right, it has to hold him up for a second or two, likely longer with Wake, and throw off any timing, as well as not allowing him to get down the field. The LB can then release him to a safety, stay with him, or rush the QB. Am I crazy?
Crazy? No, but I think that is something that's in the past. Tight ends are so often flexed out nowadays, especially Aaron Hernandez of upcoming opponent New England Patriots, that you can't really jam them. What you do is attempt to contain them and make sure the first tackler brings them down because if someone like Hernandez gets in the open field, we have a problem on our hands.
I have to disagree. As we well know, many WR's are held up at the line. Why can't a LB "engage" a TE, doing the same, flexed out or not?
It's different to jam a wide receiver with a cornerback than to jam a flexed out tight end with a linebacker. The linebacker is usually in the tackle box whilst the cornerback is not. What teams do nowadays is go to a spacing concept and then run the ball. New England does that. They bring out four wide receivers and have a singleback. If/When Hernandez is flexed out, you move a linebacker on him and you have one less man in the tackle box which means you're short of defenders against the run. I'd prefer to cover a tight end with pattern reading (match up zone) than lining my LBer out there.
I understand your point, and agree to a degree. However, Pats are not a VG running team, by any stretch of the imagination. I would prefer trying to take out the TE, at least mixing it in, and let them take their best shot at running. We have a lot of flexibility and versatility on this D. We should use it.
They are tenth in the league in rushing, that's a good enough threat. They're actually rated higher than the Dolphins and have a higher YPC. They can and will do damage if you don't account for it. You can take them out simultaneously. You need to mix it up. Yes, we do have a lot of flexibility and versatility on defense, I agree, but you have to use it the right way.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/29/1847299/tight-ends-punish-fins-d.html Here's an article I read this morning in the Herald where Bell is commenting on getting hands on the TE. Apparently that was a halftime adjustment we made. I went to the game but did not notice it, and forgot to record. Many stats this early are misleading. I include the Pats running. JMO
Keller is not a tight end that is often flexed out because he's often needed for a check-release to help Damien Woody and Ferguson from what I've seen. The Patriots don't have Hernandez inline often from what I've seen.
