"That plays harder, or is more effective, than #55.. Koa Misi is having a heck of a year." Kevin Coyle.. Are we overlooking this dude? Also said wheeler and Ellerbe are coming into their own...confidence is brewing.
Best defensive effort of the season but a bit tempered because the Jets offense is atrocious. Confidence is never a bad thing
In the 5 games he has played, Misi has 40 tackles and got sack #2 yesterday. He also has 4 TFLs and 2 PDs. His prescence was felt yesterday for sure. He creamed a receiver on an outside throw and broke up the pass. He has missed a lot of due to injuries this season.
According to PFF, his strength is against the run. He ranks number #16 overall vs other 4-3 LB'ers. PFF isn't the be all and end all. He did have a great game yesterday and we're going to need more of that if we are going to have any chance at the playoffs.
Yes, we are overlooking him. He is a good player. The biggest issue is his replacement is Jason Trusnik who is a borderline at best NFL player IMO. So in those games that Misi didn't play, you take a good player and replace him with a poor one and it makes a huge difference.
he sure is hell better than Trusnik. Because when Misi has been out and Trusnik has been in, it's very noticeable, and I suppose that says a lot about Koa. I did feel him yesterday on a couple of pass plays to backs, which was abnormal.
I don't think he's been as good this year as he has been in the past. He's an edge defender and they're not lined up with him up there as frequently.
Coyle is actually foolhardy enough to think that our defense looked that good on film because of him and our players, not because of the Jets and their players. I really hope the Steelers don't show him the error in his thinking. Hubris is a *****.
I think there is a perception that Misi is below average in coverage, I would totally disagree with that Pauly, I've been noticing since last year better coverage skills and it's showing on tape.. I need to go back to that d-Pate thread that he started about how the hell were gonna fit these guys into one scheme moving forward.. I mean to get Dion on the field were gonna have to do something.. Why can't these reporters ask the question, "coach, best case scenario going into next years, how do you get OV, Dion, misi and wheeler on the field at the same time."
Jordan, Vernon, Wake, Misi, Ellerbe, Wheeler, that's a pretty solid group, no? Starks, Soliai, Odrick, not too shabby. Who's doing our player acquisition?
you forgot the big (little) man - Grimes. I've defended Ireland's ability to put together a defense many times. he just can't do diddly squat with an offense.
4 mil/year for a linebacker who barely gets on the field and really doesn't make any plays when he's out there makes no sense.
And 1, There is no describing how painful it is to watch Trusnik try and defend or even be put in any situation outside of special teams. All three of our linebackers are more than capable of playing at a pro bowl level. Injuries and lack of depth have really hurt us though throughout the season. Misi has been missed big time, and like you said his presence is felt when he plays. Obviously injuries happen in the league and i'm fine going into next season with the same three starting linebackers but we need some depth behind them, and i'd like to see some growth and development from Jelani Jenkins at some point. It all comes down to depth because injuries....Are the one thing you can count on happening to any team in this league. If Trusnik has to play meaningful plays aside from special teams we are dead both in the run and in the passing game.
The long and short of it is you probably don't want [need] Philip Wheeler on the field at the amount he's being paid. Depending on the scheme, you can probably avoid playing Misi if you're so inclined as well. IMO, the best move is to move to a true 3-4. It allows you to get 2 of the 3 between Wake, Jordan, and OV on the field every play, and you can add all 3 of them in damn near every sub package conceivable if you want (regardless if your base is a 3-4 or 4-3). As it stands now, schematically, part of OV's success is that they're robbing Peter (Cameron Wake) to pay Paul (OV) by shifting the D-line's alignment. It's worked out, but if you're in a 3-4, you're not having to do that. Plus, you can easily swap out either player and put Jordan on the field if you want a more dynamic player with coverage capabilities. The problem is, is that you're not assured of getting either Soliai or Starks back next season, so you're going to have to make an investment on interior players. Especially if you're going to a 3-4, you're going to have to double-down on those guys; it's doable, but probably not desirable. Couple in the fact that Jared Odrick's only got a year left on his deal, and you're looking at a sticky situation, to put it lightly, heading into this offseason because the OL is such a mess, and you're also going to have to look at other spots like running back, cornerback (both starters of the Jets game are free agents) and safety (Chris Clemons is a free agent). So, while it's nice that this defense is FINALLY playing somewhat close to what they should have been doing all year long, the reality of it is is that Miami's looking at trying to re-sign or replace 5 starters in Soliai, Starks, Carroll, Grimes, and Clemons. You're probably not going to want to pay Dimitri Patterson what he's slated to make next year for the amount of games he's missed. I also think you're probably going to lop off at least one salary between Misi and Wheeler when a new GM comes in; which boils down to poor roster construction in the end (i.e. Ireland's albatross).
One other solution, if you really want to force it, is as Disgustipate said, you play that NYG type of 4-3 with Dion Jordan as a SAM LB. You're still not going to have one of the two between Wheeler or Misi on the field though (and I'd lop that person off the roster if possible).
I forget Ro, what did Coyle run in Cincinnati ??.. I mean he is a dick lebeau disciple, he has to be versed in the other scheme no?
Well, Coyle was never the DC in Cincinnati, that was, and still is Mike Zimmer. His scheme is a 4-3, but they run a lot of Over looks out of it with some Under mixed in. It's pretty similar to what we see Miami running this year, but Cincinnati's personnel is better suited to do it. I do recall that Coyle said way back in his introductory presser that he got his defense from 4 guys; 3 of those we know to be LeBeau, Zimmer, and Marvin Lewis. I've never heard a 4th mentioned. Part of the LeBeau stuff was the "Eagle" defense we saw variations of last year when Miami was running a reversed Under defense. I haven't forgotten to post that on here yet either; just lagging behind. I'll try and get it scanned this week at the office.
Lebeau ran an uber aggressive 3-4, Coyle runs a 4-3 hybrid and honestly his blitzes seriously lack creativity.
