Thread: Three-safety formation?

http://ww3.startribune.com/vikingsblog/?p=1576

Former NFL front office man Pat Kirwan has an insightful piece at NFL.com suggesting the Vikings could use rookie S Tyrell Johnson in their “Big Nickel� package.

I like it!

Allen trade, the 'big nickel' and other final draft observations

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d808186c7&template=with-video&confirm=true

'Big Nickel' is getting bigger

Speaking of Tyrell Johnson, there is a growing desire in the NFL for defenses to play more "Big Nickel" defense. You often hear about teams substituting a corner for a linebacker when their opponent sends in an extra wide receiver

This makes perfect sense to me.
If you have a safety who can run, this not only allows for coverage of tight ends and wide receivers but gives more versatility over the typical nickelback in terms of still being able to defend the run when in the nickel.


Last year, I thought they should have held on to Greg Blue and moved him to linebacker for use on special teams and then put him in on passing downs, which is a similar idea.


Something needs to be done to better account for the third receiver.
Much rather match the receiving tight end or slot receiver up with a safety than with Leber or Greenway.
Hopefully there will be fewer times this year during which it looks like the other teams QB is just shooting fish in the barrel.
Improving the pass rush and tighter coverage underneath seem important to do this.

Misleading title. You are simply lining up a safety at nickelback, not actually in a 3-safety formation.

I would definetly like to see it in action though, as TEs have killed us the last two years.

They could have just as easily used Marcus McCauley as the "Big Nickle" back

"V" wrote:

Misleading title. You are simply lining up a safety at nickelback, not actually in a 3-safety formation.

I would definetly like to see it in action though, as TEs have killed us the last two years.

I didn't name the thread just used the existing one from the story. In reality though you are still using 3 Safeties as the NB is more traditionally a 3rd CB

interesting lineup

So in some situations, the Vikings’ nickel defense could look like this:



* RE Jared Allen


* DT Kevin Williams


* DT Ellis Wyms/Fred Evans/Letroy Guion/TBA


* LE Ray Edwards


* LB Ben Leber/Chad Greenway


* LB E.J. Henderson


* CB Antoine Winfield


* CB Cedric Griffin


* S Darren Sharper


* S Madieu Williams


* NB Tyrell Johnson

why take out Pat Williams?
He's better at collapsing the pocket than any of our backup DT's.

It is kind of interesting ... and may work against the stronger tight ends in the league, but I would have to think that McCauley will still remain our primary nickel back.