Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

So I noticed there was some discussion in the fantasy draft thread of choosing players to properly fill each position which I understand and I've noticed that "all-time" teams usually don't pay much attention to. I can see both sides. If you pick who you think are the two best Tackles, and both happen to be LT, do you really need to drop one and pick a RT? I also understand the argument that if you have a team with two OLB, say Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas and two DTs, it doesn't exactly make sense since they essentially played the same position and once you pick one of them, it logically impacts your DL by tying it to a 3-4 scheme (so you should only have one DT).

Specifically, it got me wondering about Deacon Jones, Reggie White, and Gino Marchetti who were all 4-3 DE on the strong side. Would they have had more sacks if they played on the weak side? The weak side is where the 4-3 rush OLB (like Taylor or Thomas) typically lines up, a right handed QB's blind side.

Given White didn't play that long ago and Marchetti played long ago, this question is for Deacon Jones - if he played today, would a modern DC be likely to employ him differently i.e. as an "edge rusher"?

TanksAndSpartans wrote:So I noticed there was some discussion in the fantasy draft thread of choosing players to properly fill each position which I understand and I've noticed that "all-time" teams usually don't pay much attention to. I can see both sides. If you pick who you think are the two best Tackles, and both happen to be LT, do you really need to drop one and pick a RT? I also understand the argument that if you have a team with two OLB, say Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas and two DTs, it doesn't exactly make sense since they essentially played the same position and once you pick one of them, it logically impacts your DL by tying it to a 3-4 scheme (so you should only have one DT).

Specifically, it got me wondering about Deacon Jones, Reggie White, and Gino Marchetti who were all 4-3 DE on the strong side. Would they have had more sacks if they played on the weak side? The weak side is where the 4-3 rush OLB (like Taylor or Thomas) typically lines up, a right handed QB's blind side.

Given White didn't play that long ago and Marchetti played long ago, this question is for Deacon Jones - if he played today, would a modern DC be likely to employ him differently i.e. as an "edge rusher"?

Back in the day, the right end was shorter due to the TE usually being on the right (defenses left). So, it's a matter of math, if the DE can line up over a tackle rather than a TE it's a couple of steps shorter.

As far as the fantasy thing, I can see both sides, too. In the 60s and 70s the dominant tackles were on the right, but since then it switched. Why? The book Blind Side offers good theories.

These days, with slot receivers or even TEs more in the slot, both ends are the same distance from the QB (if QB is standing in pocket) but that is rarely the case. The "blind side" thing matters in terms of the QB seeing the rush and getting hit from and area he cannot see.

I don't know how right hand dominant Marchetti or Jones were. I supposed they could have played either side. Sometimes if a guy is too right handed dominant if can affect him. It's all interesting stuff

Thanks John. I was hoping you would reply as the researcher on this topic. Sounds like you don't have a strong feeling Deacon would get even more sacks in a more modern defense which is something I always wondered about it.

JohnTurney wrote:The "blind side" thing matters in terms of the QB seeing the rush and getting hit from and area he cannot see.

I'm sure you meant different, but phrasing - I hope no QB on any of my favorite teams (any level) and no QB's I've ever coached are "seeing the rush" post-snap. Pre-snap you try to identify (see) where the rush will be coming from but during your drop you most certainly are not looking at the rush. That's a feel. You feel the rush/pressure while you're looking downfield.

The blindside has more to do with the crossover drop and the fact that primarily the better pass rusher(s) are coming from a right-handed QB's left/back side. Though it's just as easy to get front-sided (think Kassulke - Landry) as it is blindsided. It's not about getting hit from an area you can't see because you can't see the front side either, or at least no QB worth a damn is looking at the LDE (or anyone coming from the front side edge) instead of finding an open receiver as he drops back. It's solely positioning due to the drop (if you do the classic backpedal drop - think Cutler who did it most, most recently - you're 'open' to both sides), and again, because the better pass rushers more often than not are positioned offense's left. For left-handed QB's, Vick was just as likely to get hit from the frontside (and not "see" it, in reality not feel it) as he was his blindside.