Confused by the Cardinals defense?

There has not been a more complex defense to scout in the NFL in the past two seasons than the Arizona Cardinals. They play anything and everything, and do so much out of it.

It's a common misconception that they are a 3-4 defense by trade. Most teams are easily designated 4-3 or 3-4, and with the Cardinals, it's never simple. If you don't believe me, search any article on Karlos Dansby, Arizona's stud linebacker. He plays primarily on the weak-side, yet some members of the media choose to designate him as inside linebacker, which is not true. Sort of.

PFW did a great job of breaking down the Cardinals defense, explaining the intricacies of it.

To clarify the Cardinals are a 4-3 "under" defense. What that means is that they are overloaded towards the strong-side of the offensive formation, near the tight end. The strongside linebacker in this defense acts as a jack of all trades, and he typically stands directly over the tight end. With four down linemen, and then a linebacker on the tight end, it becomes a psuedo-five man defense.

If this doesn't make sense on paper, visually this should help:

In this defense the tackles are playing a two gap assignment on virtually every play. You'll see why they are so key as we move on. In a two gap assignment, a defensive lineman typically lines up head with an offensive lineman, taking on the gaps to each side as his primary responsibility.


So when the Cardinals are in their base defense, this is how it breaks down :

4-3 under

RDE (Predator) - Travis LaBoy/Bertrand Berry

This is the pass rusher with the clearest path to the quarterback. As described by Edholm in the atricle, they are basically a linebacker in a two point stance.

RDT - Darnell Dockett

Dockett in this allignment is taking on a two gap assignment, typically between the left tackle and left guard.

NT - Bryan Robinson

Robinson's primary goal on most plays is to occupy the center and a guard. He is a pure two gap lineman.

LDE - Antonio Smith

As the strongside end, Smith usually is asked to take on the right tackle at the point of attack. He is playing him as a modified five technique.

SLB - Chike Okeafor

Playing what was Clark Haggans role before getting injured, Okeafor usually chucks the tight end at the line of scrimmage. He can either rush the passer then, or cover the flat.


MLB - Gerald Hayes

Lining up usually in front of the right guard, but back off the line, Hayes is mostly a run stuffer from this front.

WLB - Karlos Dansby

This is the "playmaker" of the front seven. Dansby's speed and athleticism are used as a way to flow to the ball. He typically is guarded up front by Dockett.

When the "Predators" start rushing the passer from a two point stance, it makes the defense look to be 3-4. It makes them appear to be linebackers, when in reality they are ends in a two point stance. It makes the defense look to be this:

RDE - Darnell Dockett
NT - Bryan Robinson
LDE - Antonio Smith
ROLB - Travis LaBoy/Bertrand Berry
RILB - Karlos Dansby
LILB - Gerald Hayes
LOLB - Chike Okeafor

Where the Cardinals thrive is creating the confusion of who is rushing, and where from, much like a 3-4 defense. While they do not always have four "down" linemen, they have replicated the success of the 3-4 in the 4-3, in a fairly common formation.

Draft News gathering

Former Sooners safety Nic Harris recently spoke with Ed Thompson about his conversion to linebacker at the Senior Bowl. Harris is a big name, but the amount of attention paid to him this week was surprising. He could be the the next Cato June?

UConn defensive end Cody Brown is doing a Draft Journal with the Hartford Courant. This week he talks about the Senior Bowl. Brown is one of the better unknown prospects, and he could be a very good 3-4 OLB.

College Football News did a great review of the recruiting Class of 2005. The more interesting section is the Busts. I remember how much I loved Jason Gwaltney, Duece Brown, Jamario O'Neal, etc.

Donovan Aird talks about how Cal Poly's Ramses Barden is proving the draft process to be silly. Aird has a point, but after the Senior Bowl everyone knows who Barden is.

Texas vs The Nation Update

For those of you who thought that the all star season was over due to the Senior Bowl, I hate to break it but ya thought wrong. There is one game left, Texas vs The Nation. The concept is place to collegeiate all stars originally from Texas or who played college football in Texas verus the rest of the nation. The usually doesn't feature the same caliber of draft talent as the Senior Bowl or Shrine Game, but nice late round picks are going to be available.

For those keeping track of the practices, the fellas over at Draftguys.com have been doing excellent coverage. Keep checking back their for updates.

Texas

The most interesting player to watch is Wyoming RB Devin Moore. Moore is undersized, but exceptionally quick. He can cut on a dime, and should be available in fifth round. He will likely cut out a nice role in the NFL as a backup running back and return specialist.

Watch list: QB David Johnson (Tulsa), RB Chris Ogbonnnaya (Texas), OL Dallas Reynolds (BYU), DE Rulon Davis (California), DE/LB Ian Campbell (Kansas State), K Jose Martinez (UTEP)

Nation

FAU linebacker Frantz Joseph is not getting much respect after a highly productive season. He is a limited athlete, but plays the kind of smart, aggressive, and instinctive football that could make him a huge steal. Look for Joseph to be as drafted as high as the fourth round.

Watch List: Dahna Delestin S/LB (Connecticut), DT Khalif Mitchell (East Carolina), CB Joe Burnett (Central Florida), TE Ryan Purvis (Boston College), RB Branden Ore (West Liberty State).

Are the Patriots at a turning point?

For a team that nearly went perfect a year ago, and almost made the playoffs this year without their franchise cornerstone, the New England Patriots are in a solid position. As long as Belichick is at the helm, things should be okay, right?

Well, we've been here before, sort of. After the 2004 seasons, the Patriots were losing keys to their three Super Bowl victories. Offensive coordinator Charlies Weis was heading to Notre Dame, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was going to Cleveland to become the head coach. They were thought of as key architects to the Patriots success. Well, four years later the Patriots are still a contender and have gone through another restructuring.

The bigger loss is personnel man Scott Pioli, who has departed to the the Chiefs to run his own show away from Belichick. He is being replaced by a combination of Nick Caserio and Floyd Reese, who took on an unspecified job as a consultant with the team yesterday. Reading between the lines, Reese is going to be handling the Draft for Pats.

Brian MacPherson seems to think that the 2009 NFL Draft will be critical. He goes down to break down Floyd Reese's contributions to the Titans, which are impressive. For as good as Reese was, he also was spotty with the Titans by the end. In particular, the 2004 and 2005 drafts were terrible. Reese was successful, but he lost his job for a reason.

We have been hearing about impending doom for the Patriots since the start of their run of dominance in the early 2000's. The one piece that doesn't change is Belichick. As long as he is running the show, the Patriots will be a contender. It takes a special set of circumstances to go 11-5, not win your division, and not make the playoffs.

That Patriots have needs. Cornerback, safety, linebacker, running back, and then that pesky quarterback situation. No team is perfect, and even with those holes the Patriots still contended this season. Look for them at the top of the AFC East again in 2009.

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Today is the Senior Bowl

The practice is over for the week, which is the real deal for the Senior Bowl. The game itself is a nice footnote, but practice gives coaching staffs a chance to see how the players react and their work ethic.

The game itself poses too many restrictions. The defense has to play Cover 1 or Cover 3, and must play out of a 4-3 defense. So if you were looking to see if Larry English could be a 3-4 rush linebacker, tough luck. On offense there is no audibles, or pre-snap motion.

SI.com posted a great article talking about the winners and losers from practice. They go well in depth, and it's an amazing read. Also, for a total wrap-up, check back with the immortal Scott Wright's in depth and daily updates from Mobile.

We'll have a wrap up coming after the game. Feel free to post your thoughts on today's games, or players you want to see excel today.

Wednesday Afternoon News

- Ole Miss DT Peria Jerry has been making a name for himself at the Senior Bowl practices. Neither of the South's centers, Antoine Caldwell or Eric Wood, could control Jerry in the "pit" drill.

- Another defensive tackle making himself a lot of money this week is Boston College's BJ Raji. Raji missed a year due to academic problems, but he's had a solid season and a great week thus far. At 6'1 and 330lbs, Raji fits the mold as a nose tackle.

- Little known Lawrence Sidburry (DE-Richmond) has continued his hot streak this week after a good showing in the East-West Shrine Game. He is a player to watch as the week progresses.

- Michael Oher hasn't disappointed this week. We were initially shocked he decided to play this week, but it was a smart decision. He's in the running for the #1 overall pick.

- Don't forget the name Nathan Brown. The quarterback from Central Arkansas might not be that tall, but he can swing the ball all over the field. His arm has been the most impressive so far this week.

Lipstick city takes over the Senior Bowl

The news coming out of the Senior Bowl has been the Southern California linebackers. The trio (Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing) have been making a great of publicity with their play, especially Matthews and Cushing. I'd recommend watching the video on the link above, as Todd McShay, friend of New Era Scouting, breaks down the trio's play.

Cushing has done a great deal for his draft stock, but he's been looked at as first round pick since this time last year. He's been making highlight reel plays this week, and McShay describes him above as being able to play in "any system." I see Cushing going in the top fifteen picks, and likely to a team that runs a 3-4 defense. One intriguing idea is Cushing becoming a modern day Peter Boulware, who plays over the tight end in a 4-3 defense, and then moves down as a rush end on third down.

Maualuga has been the big name star of the group, but he seems to be the least noteworthy of the three at Senior Bowl. He's said he'd taken on the challenge of fixing the Lions, but his star has fallen a bit. Look for him to still go in the first ten picks, but number one overall isn't likely unless new Lions head coach Jim Schwartz falls in love with Rey.

The biggest surprise is Clay Matthews. Matthews would have been a full time starter and focal point of most defenses, but the Trojans were four deep at linebacker this season. The former walk-on could jump into the first day with a strong Senior Bowl performance and good workouts. I'd expect him to test out extremely well. Of the three, Matthews may have the best ability to play in space.

Since we are talking about Trojan linebackers, don't forget about Kaluka Maivia. He was not invited to the Senior Bowl, but he played well at the East-West Shrine Game. He has upside as a Cover 2 linebacker.

Finally, don't sleep on the Trojans defensive tackle Fili Moala. He's been a lost name this season, but he's quite an effective space eating tackle. I could see Moala jumping back into the first round when it's all said and done, possibly as a 4-3 nose tackle or a 3-4 defensive end.

Okay, I lied, I wasn't done. Wide receiver Patrick Turner, who has been a disappointment for those who followed him in recruiting, has been up and down thus far at the Senior Bowl. I had always thought that with good coaching and a few weight gainer shakes, Turner could have made an amazing tight end.

That's all for today. Feel free to comment, and let me know what your thoughts on the Trojan prospects are!

Senior Bowl - Day 1

The first day of Senior Bowl has begun. There is a myriad of great info out there, so I'll start at the top.

Per Scott Wright, a major shakeup has come to the Senior Bowl rosters.

Out
Demetrius Byrd, WR, L.S.U.
Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest
Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Tyson Jackson, DE, L.S.U.
James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio St.
Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Louis Murphy, WR, Florida
Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan St.
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

In
Moise Fokou, OLB, Maryland
Tim Jamison, DE, Michigan
Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue
Ryan Shuman, C, Virginia Tech
Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond
Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona
Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss

For whatever reason, a lot of big name talent decided to drop at the last minute. Maybe they feared injury, or their status was cemented. Outside of Byrd, Murphy, and Ringer, all those of those seniors listed are first round picks right now.

The players brought into replace them are only average. The only Day 1 prospects at this time are Jamison, and possibly Thomas. It's never good to see players drop, but at least the guys who want to be there are there.

Weigh-In

Another one of my favorite features that Mr. Wright brings us is notes on the Weigh-In. Usually this is a pretty telling day, the players can no longer hide behind the Media Guide listing. Nothing out of the ordinary showed up, but a few interesting notes:

Rey Maualuga (Southern California) showed up a notch shorter than listed, at 6'1". Apparently his lower body was slight, which is tough for a guy who weighs 254 pounds.

Victor Harris (Virginia Tech) came in about two inches shorter than listed, at 5"10". Being a 6' 0"corner can really boost a guy's draft stock...coming in at 5'10" make him just another name in the bunch.

Vance Walker (Georgia Tech) has fallen off a lot this season, but a defensive lineman with 11 1/8 inch hands is impressive. Hands that large will help in shedding blocks and batting down passes.

Speaking of beef, Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma) and Herman Johnson (Louisiana State) both came in at over 6'7". Johnson also weighed in 382 pounds. That is amazingly large for an offensive lineman. Loadholt also gained some positive reviews, and that he moved well for a large man, per PFW.

Practice Notes

Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin accepted an invitation to the game as a tight end. There was no other room on the defensive side of the ball. Barwin has only played one season of defense, but he is still being scouted as defensive end.

Oklahoma safety Nic Harris is playing linebacker this week in Mobile. It's a good thing, because he has looked stiff in coverage for the past two seasons.

Arizona wide receiver Mike Thomas has been making a good deal of noise. SI thinks he could be another Steve Smith type receiver. I thought he played great at the East-West Shrine Game, and he is a guy who could make his mark in the NFL. He didn't play in a good passing offense while with the Wildcats, mostly due to nine year starter Willie Tuitama's reign of terror.

Boston College's defensive tackle duo, Ron Brace and B.J. Raji had a good first day of practice. Raji especially has been the talk of the first day.

That's all for today...check back tomorrow for an update!

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