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Cr122

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Indeed. It will be nice if Brent develops into a guy that can play more snaps on the nose, give Ratliff breaks and let him move around.

I'm still hoping Brent will be a very good player for us, he showed he could play last year.
 

MichaelWinicki

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Indeed. It will be nice if Brent develops into a guy that can play more snaps on the nose, give Ratliff breaks and let him move around.

That's the one right there.

But Brent isn't some 330lb "stump" either. He's more like Ratliff... Slightly undersized, but with some quickness that you won't find in the 330lbers.
 
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That's the one right there.

But Brent isn't some 330lb "stump" either. He's more like Ratliff... Slightly undersized, but with some quickness that you won't find in the 330lbers.

I'm not that concerned about Brent not being a 330 pound plugger. If he can take some snaps, and we can retain a bit of descriptiveness at NT, thats fine by me.
 

MichaelWinicki

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I'm not that concerned about Brent not being a 330 pound plugger. If he can take some snaps, and we can retain a bit of descriptiveness at NT, thats fine by me.

I'm not either.

I'm still looking for the "rule book" that a NT has to be a "330lb stump" to be effective. I don't think that's the case at all.
 

MichaelWinicki

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Take a few minutes and learn something, Mr. the short passing game makes the pass rushers irrelevant....

http://www.dallascowboysuniverse.co...eman-to-make-3-4-defense-work&highlight=Sturm

Make sure to check out the two articles linked in there.

A wide bodied stout NT is critical to a 3-4. The entire defense is built around him. Particulary in a two gap schem like Rob runs.

I read it previously.

I get the jist.

Perhaps it has to do with Ratliff's unique combination of strength and quickness that allows him to excel at the position... And make no mistake he has done well over the past several seasons.

No, he's not prototypical. But maybe he doesn't have to be.

If Rob Ryan believes Ratliff can play his version of the 3-4, then I'm on board with it.
 

sbk92

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I read it previously.

I get the jist.

Perhaps it has to do with Ratliff's unique combination of strength and quickness that allows him to excel at the position... And make no mistake he has done well over the past several seasons.

No, he's not prototypical. But maybe he doesn't have to be.

If Rob Ryan believes Ratliff can play his version of the 3-4, then I'm on board with it.

That's a cop out. Well if Ryan thinks so, I'm on board with it. Have your own brain.

Whether Rob Ryan meant what he said today or not, nobody's gonna tell me that our defense is better off with an undersized Jay Ratliff at nose. If we can find a true NT we need to do it. Our defense is weakest in the middle. From NT, to the ILBs to the safeties. We'll never be a Pittsburgh, Baltimore or Green Bay until we fix that and I don't know how you accomplish that starting a 300lb NT as the center of your defense.

I'm hoping what he said today was merely a smokescreen.
 

sbk92

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I have no problem moving Ratliff to NT in situations. In fact, I'd be in favor of it. But the base defense needs to be built around a 320lb bowling ball.

Otherwise we're constantly going to have to scheme around that glaring weakness in the middle.
 

Bob Sacamano

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Ratliff did fine in Parcells' version of the 3-4. Posted 4 sacks and a forced fumble, but he was a part time player then. I'm concerned about how he will hold up physically playing 75% of the downs there (hoping that Brent takes the other 15% or maybe even 20% of the snaps at NT).
 
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