Tapp in the Nickel PackageYesN

by Built2Spill on Aug 7, 2009 7:28 AM PDT

In Danny O'Neil's Seahawks Blog , he finishes his observations of Training Camp practices with an interesting note.

"Changes on Tapp: Seattle showed one of the first signs of new wrinkles on defense, using a nickel package with three down lineman -- including Cory Redding who moved inside to tackle -- and defensive end Darryl Tapp lining up without his hand down, faking a blitz, and dropping back to cover the tight end."

What do you guys think of this? I would like to know who was on the other side but I think it is interesting using Tapp as a decoy and in coverage. He does have more INTs than Leroy Hill. I hope this means this is the end of the undisguised 3rd and long 6 or 7 man blitz that John Marshall rewarded to opposing offenses.

Poll

Will LeRoy Hill ever get an INT?

Yes

57 votes

No but Lofa will catch it and hand it to him

56 votes

No

4 votes

117 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 13 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Ha, everyone is voting for the Lofa option.

by Airborne Hawk Guy on Aug 7, 2009 8:11 AM PDT reply actions

Because of that goddamn Tampa game.

I still hate how both of them went for it and neither came out with the ball.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Aug 7, 2009 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions

I remember saying something like "Yup, those are my Seahawks...sigh..."

by Airborne Hawk Guy on Aug 7, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Hmm, i'm not a huge fan of the 3-3-5 Nickel

Even more so when we only rush two of the three down linemen

by rex92 on Aug 7, 2009 3:48 PM PDT reply actions

If Tapp was standing up

he wouldn’t be one of the 3 down linemen. He’d be the 4th lineman, so 4-2-5.

I haven’t been a big fan of the 3-3-5, either, including this offseason, but the more I think about it, with LB a strength including in coverage — less so with Hill but he’s got a good package — on a number of occasions it might actually be stronger than a 4-2-5 nickel.

by jacobstevens on Aug 7, 2009 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I would love to see more zone blitzes, if we can pull it off.

Tapp has shown he can drop back, if Nick Reed made the team he could be another, and of course if Leroy Hill and/or Aaron Curry plays some nickle end they could give us those similar abilities to be flexible.

Of course that just depends on whether they utilize the team’s flexibility on defense. Theoretically with Kearney, and Tapp on a passing situation, they would have the ability to pass rush Hill, Curry, Tapp, or Kearney, with two of them dropping back, or even shift formations having Hill or Curry assuming a DE and having Tapp stand up to mess up the pre-snap blocking assignments. There is plenty of interesting stuff that can be done when you have versatility, but we have to hope the coaching staff can actually turn that into valuable production.

This is the stuff I dream about when I believe this defense could turn into an elite defense.

by cashless on Aug 7, 2009 10:51 PM PDT reply actions