That aside isn't the job of the DL in a 3-4 to free the linebackers to make the plays? That is an oversimplification I am sure.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

Raji got himself into a lot of 1 on 1's when we blitzed due to Jenkins rush. Pickett is good too but we played ALOT of snaps with just 2 down lineman in Raji and Jenkins and still got a ton of pressure but we usually brought blitzes in those cases.

The thing I don't get is that we played a lot of games without Jenkins and still got a ton of pressure. If I remember correctly some of Rajis best games were actually without Jenkins down the stretch. CJ Wilson was getting pressure, with Bish. Clay kind of slowed down at the end of the year but then picked it back up in the playoffs.

Either way or pressure was pretty consistent last year weather it be from Clay or anyone. It's just not here this year and that's going to kill this D. Because most of these 3-4's are designed to bring bigtime pressure with blitzes in different looks with a lot of zone blitzes. Some man to man as well to make things tricky. It's a great scheme but without pressure, it's all out disaster for the secondary.

Originally Posted by: Rios39 

Raji is listed officially as an NT on the roster, but didn't he spend a good chunk of the year playing DT? If I am not mistaken, the Packers had a three-man rotation of Raji, Pickett, and Green at NT this year.

Ultimately, I think the most damning part of the analysis is that Raji was basically leaning against the Lions' offensive linemen and accomplishing essentially nothing. I noticed the same thing about Mike Neal: He was blindly shoving his arms out in front of him and hoping that was enough to get the job done. He hardly seemed to be engaging his power from below his waist at all.

Originally Posted by: Nonstopdrivel 

I think you're right and he was playing DE, not DT. I am very much still in the learning process and continue to find those terms confusing.[palm]

Originally Posted by: Nonstopdrivel