Our GOAT middle linebacker

[Jmac]

Anyone with eyeballs can see that Luke hasn't  adapted well to this 3-4 alignment. Before this change, he could read an offense like a book, now he just seems lost at times.

They need to find a few big bodies and go back to the 4-3 on a permanent basis. Start with the draft and bring in a stout FA or two to rebuild the line.

The Rivera experiment didn't work and we need to go back to what did. Luke has still got it and we need to put him back in a position to play like he is capable of.

This 3-4 scheme needs to end ASAP and go back to being the stout defense that they where known for....and give Luke back the reigns.

 

[Cdw]

In Rivera's final presser he spoke a bit about Luke and how with him, you just try not to screw things up.  I winced at that a bit, considering how badly things got screwed up.

[CBDellinger]

It’s a bad fit.  The guy needs the freedom to play sideline to sideline.  

Its gonna be interesting to see how they call the defense these last few games.  

[TheMaulClaw]

I dont think the 3-4 change was made by Rivera. That probably came from Tepper.

[Mr. Scot]

That's kinda the thing.

Do we try to make Luke work in the 3-4 or do we force the 3-4 guys we picked up this offseason into a 4-3?

It's a tricky question.

[Sgt Schultz]

1 minute ago, Kinographer said:

Brian Burns is the only issue with going back. It sucks that our two best pieces are incompatible. 

 

This.  He beat me to it.  Now we have a lot of 4-3 pieces and a few 3-4 pieces.

I think a lot of people underestimated what it takes to switch from a 4-3 base to a 3-4.  I never thought that was going to happen in a single offseason.  Add to it that I thought the reason for the switch was a point of weakness (our DL not living up to expectations) rather than thinking our personnel sure would fit well into a new scheme.

Like MaulClaw, I am not convinced the decision was Rivera's, or if it was, it was something designed to appease Tepper.

[Jmac]

3 minutes ago, Kinographer said:

Brian Burns is the only issue with going back. It sucks that our two best pieces are incompatible. 

Throw a few pounds on him and get him adjusted as a pure speed rusher on passing downs....you can't sacrifice a talent like Luke.

[Mr. Scot]

Christian Miller?

Marquise Haynes?

[bobowilson]

Luke is going to be 29, we have to draft or develop a new quarterback and rebuild, by the time we're competitive he'll be in his mid 30s

And he's suffered many blows to the head and has other opportunities in life, I doubt he plays until his late 30s

If we're rebuilding from scratch, we can't center it around Kuechly in his 30s

As much we we all love him and what he's meant for this franchise, we should probably be looking to trade him to a team he can win a Superbowl with, and get some draft picks.  People are comfortable saying this about Cam Newton, but when it comes to Luke, suddenly it's heresy.

[Daddy_Uncle]

We have misused a generational talent at QB and a generational talent at LB. You have those 2, things shouldn't have been so difficult

[Mr. Scot]

I've heard someone joke that Ron Rivera would be a good coaching hire because if you look at his resume', he's been able to successfully stop both Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly.

[Harbingers]

17 minutes ago, CBDellinger said:

It’s a bad fit.  The guy needs the freedom to play sideline to sideline.  

Its gonna be interesting to see how they call the defense these last few games.  

I don’t agree with you often but this. He’s being stuck in a scheme he doesn’t like used as a decoy. He can’t spy, he can’t sideline to sideline. He’s stuck up against a OL every 3rd play. He had to verbally smack down our secondary the last game. 

On the most critical third down he told Reid three times(I dunno they kept that field mic open for some reason) what the play was going to be and Reid still fugged it.

He needs a good DL and a 4-3 defense. 

[LinvilleGorge]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Christian Miller?

Marquise Haynes?

I don't think either have shown enough to bother with them factoring into determining what defensive scheme we run in the future. They have 16 tackles and 3 sacks between the two of them this season.

[Harbingers]

11 minutes ago, Daddy_Uncle said:

We have misused a generational talent at QB and a generational talent at LB. You have those 2, things shouldn't have been so difficult

With the way KC and Baltimore are looking I’m not sure Cams records are going to hold up unfortunately.