Ill be the first to bitch that we aren't using Uche and the first to acknowledge that our entire defense has benefited from everyone pressuring within spags rush plan. This is basically my only flaw as a human being. Just thought you guys should know.

The Spags Pass Rush Plan worked like shit until Omenihu came back.

Like the Complicated Coverage Scheme -- you have to have the pieces to make it work.

And I think, at times, he gets to beholden to what those pieces should look like rather than attempt guys that may not fit his pre-determined mold.

I mean we took a guy in FAU who won due to his bend and appear to have made him just another Danna. That's a poor use of a 1st round pick, IMO. We continue to play Danna, who truly provides nothing, instead of Uche who will.

Why we drafted BJ Thompson I'll never know. If Thompson works out, Uche is what you get. And with the fully formed version of him, the guy can't even touch the field for some strange reason.

We're getting awfully dogmatic at times, IMO.

Agree with this wholly. A little frustrated that FAU only seems to bull rush but somewhat glad he's at least been backing guys up while doing it.

Never said the system was bad. It just seems like the "system is complicated" is used to keep guys that they like on the field and new guys that might not fit the mold off the field.

My point was that it works. They had one of the best defenses in franchise history last year. Yeah, it would appear they're too loyal to underachievers but are they really when they're fielding historically good defenses?

19 of 20 ROFL

You should blame Veach, not Spags. These guys weren't great pickups.

And Mike Danna had 6.5 sacks last season. This year he had a pectoral which I'm sure is affecting him.

Yep, couldn't agree more. Baffling because it's not like he hasn't HAD speed rushers before and utilised them pretty damn effectively. Not sure why he's do dead set against them now

Idk what we are gonna do if they let Omenihu walk. That guy should be as big of a priority as any FA next Spring bc without him this defense struggles to get a pass rush.

All of this, 100% on the money

Yeah probably, but equally if all of them had the physical attributes of Karlaftis we'd have plenty of complaints. Good all-rounder, reasonable complementary piece.

Kinda looking at it for future problems.

I dunno. Seems weird but they just don't want speed guys.

Best I can figure is that they want to be 'multiple' at every spot on the DL.

They want to put 4 guys out there who could theoretically rush from any spot on the DL at any time.

Maybe it's part of the "build the pass rush around Chris Jones" plan that Cullen was said to have put in place a couple years back? If your idea is that Jones is the sun around which the rest of the pass rush orbits, well having him go out there and move Uche inside essentially has you playing 10 vs. 11.

Maybe if we didn't have Jones things would be different. But if they're dead set on making sure Jones has the best environment possible to create havoc, 4 inside/outside sort of DL is how you'd do it, I guess.

It would also explain why Danna, inexcplicably, continues to get 3rd down reps. And why we've put so much more effort into making FAU a mauler than we have working on his burst and edge rushing ability.

I dunno -- best I've got. Definitely not the way I'd go about it but I'm just some asshole at a desk so WTF do I know?

I get that there's an ideal type and an ideal world.

What I don't get is when circumstance/injury creates a less than ideal world, you don't tinker a bit and get more flexible.

When we go 10 weeks without Omenihu and several weeks without Danna to boot, why aren't we putting Cam Thomas out there? Why aren't we using Uche to see if speed off the edge as a wrinkle has a benefit?

I've said it from the moment we got Uche - we've NEVER used him as he would've been ideally used. He wasn't out there on obvious passing downs at any point since his acquisition. And when your job is 'see QB, hit QB', just exactly how much scheme does a 5 year veteran need to learn?

I get having 'your guys' and 'your type' but dammit, when they aren't there, just try something different rather than send Malik friggen Herring out there to suck.

Cam Thomas is perhaps even odder than Uche because he really IS their type of guy. Big body DE who plays across the line. Bizarre.

Karlaftis is a top-ten player on this team. He's solid against the run, active in the pass rush, and a high-motor guy. He's got a chance to be a double-digit sack guy for the second year of his first three, and he's built of steel and iron.

Trivia for you: As of last week, Karlaftis is now in the top 25 all time in sacks for the Chiefs.