During the latest OTA interview from LB coach Kelvin Sheppard he mentioned that James Houston has been working as a Linebacker specifically. As we know, he was a LB at Florida before Coach Prime convinced him to change his position at Jackson St. to DE. Are we changing his role, And could we be looking at 3 LB looks potentially?
Posted Jun 15, 2023, 2:18 AM UTC
i really doubt it after 8 sacks last year
I think its possible because then we can use him primarily as a rusher, keep him away from the trench defenders who can erase him, and takes his edge setting responsibilities away. Sheppard basically said Houston was ignoring his DE assignments and just rushing last year.
I think this might be them putting him in a position to succeed without being a liability.
No. You don’t draft a Middle LB at 18th overall and move your best true pass rusher to Middle LB the same year. Most franchises have their OLBs split time between the DE and ILB rooms as they operate in a dual capacity. It’s not happening. It’s 5x more likely he’ll be a true end than and inside linebacker. Guaranteed.
I don’t think anyone is talking about ILB here
Tell me you don’t understand what a 3-4 OLB does without telling me
Don’t doing it. Houston was working out with DB’s. A sure sign he will be asked to cover more.
Micha parsons is technically a lb.
But is primarily a pass rusher.
Houston will be the same.
Thats what we might be going for. I agree. Sheppard also alluded that Houston was basically ignoring his responsibilities as a DE except for rushing as well. Might be part of it.
What sets Micah apart he's a great fourth rusher, and fifth rusher. Some guys can only do one. There's some guys like Nolan Smith he's exactly this role as a SAM. He's too small to be the fourth rusher come off the edge. He will also need to learn linebacker role to play 3 downs (rather more formations).
We drop our edge players into coverage, hence why Hutch got 3 picks last year. Houston needs to be able to drop back in coverage if he wants to be a 3 down player.
This is an astute observation. I mean if all a player did was rush qb, it would tip our hand the second he lined up at scrimmage.
And play against the run as the will.
Another tool he needs in his tool bag. Otherwise he's strictly a DPR. If he can get 8 sacks a year that way then he will carve out a nice career. But if he wants to be a double digit sack guy, all pro type. He needs to be on the field more which means he has to do all the things.
We drop our edge players into coverage, hence why Hutch got 3 picks last year. Houston needs to be able to drop back in coverage if he wants to be a 3 down player.
This. I absolutely love the idea that this is what we're trying to do, too. This is, ironically enough, a very Bill Belichick approach to running a defense. It would be hilarious if we wind up with a better "Patriots-style" defense than in any of the years Matty Patty was head coach. Already we've seen extreme improvement in the secondary. I'm excited if Glenn can work some of these other guys into the scheme.
I’m never going back to the patriot way or dagger time. “Bullshit” Dan Campbell & AG probably
The issue was not having a goal to build a defense similar to the Patriots or Bill Belichick, whom, historically, have had some of the best defenses in NFL history. The issue was that Matt Patricia absolutely sucked at it, had no idea what he was doing, and simultaneously had the ego of an entitled prince with zero respect for his players. The environment that came about as a result was one devoid of joy, fun, or any kind of good will, and the result was some of the worst football we've ever watched.
Dan Campbell is literally doing what Matt Patricia was brought in to do, but doing it through respect, leading by example, creating a great working environment, listening to players and rewarding success. He understands that his players are grown men, and he has the ability to lead them. That's the main difference.
I agree 100%, especially the part about MP providing us with some of the worst football we’ve ever seen and as a Lions fan…that’s quite an accomplishment because I know shitty football when I see it. Dans a polar opposite and genuinely refreshing
Only 1 of those plays he truly was dropped into coverage. That was the pick against the Giants. The interception against Green Bay was just him making a play. And the one against the Bears was an end of the half play where they only rushed 1 person.
Probably a Jack LB who is mainly rushing and sometimes dropping in coverage to cover the flat
Basically Vonn Miller
Or Micah Parsons
Houston’s options for being an every down player are either to learn how to set an edge (an uphill battle at his size) or move off ball outside of obvious passing situations
Look at his 3rd sack from Chicago. He lines up as a stand up DE, drops into coverage, then gets the sack as Fields tries to run to the outside. He'll likely be doing a lot of that against mobile QBs. I read they were doing a lot of that in OTA's with the DE's practicing contain. We got burnt by the option last year, and in today's NFL you've got to be able to cover it.
Do stats against Chicago count? Inflation?
I know this is a joke, but he shot out of a rocket chasing Fields down. The dude is a crazy athlete.
Campbell said they didn't have someone to basically spy Fields. Then Houston was put in that role the second game. He had a great game
His explosion and twitch is really crazy and then you look at his build. He’s got Jack Russel athletic traits in a boxers body lol
Maybe my favorite play of the year. Takes special ability to launch out of coverage and take down a 4.4 running, 230 pound qb in the open field.
With his pursuit abilities and freakish arm length I think he has potential to become a plus player in the run game too
I wouldn’t lose any sleep over where Houston lined up at, or what front we’re running (unless it excites you). We value versatility, most guys can play their position, and probably the position next to them, which can obscure any and all reads pre-snap.
The absolute best thing James Houston can do is get reps at linebacker, because that means he can line up anywhere pre-snap. That means he needs to be ID’d every passing down, and that means more sacks for McNeil and Hutch.
I doubt it’s a true change of role but more of a “we’re gonna try and get you on the field as much as possible” until he shows he can set an edge at a decent enough level.
That’s my thought personally, I just hope they put him in the best spot possible
Sounds like they want to play much more 3-4 defense. When mcdc came to detroit they started with the 3-4, but didn’t have the personnel so they swapped to the 4-3.
Getting Martin to be a true NT changes everything. They didn’t have a true NT. Buggs looks big but is only 300 LBs. Martin is 340.
It’s very possible that Houston will be a 3-4 edge lb
I think the defensive personnel better fits a 4-3. Hutch could be a 3-4 OLB but his body type is perfect for a 4-3 DE. Then the Okwara bros and Harris don’t really have the skills to be dropping into coverage and are better suited to be 4-3 DEs. Houston can play rush DE on passing downs and he has the physical skills with his speed and explosion to be a Jack LB in 4-3 sets covering the flats.
A starting DL consisting of Hutch, Alim, Martin, Paschal/Cominsky is solid. Should be better against the run with Martin. Then on Nascar packages you could have Hutch, Alim, Paschal, and Houston on the DL.
Both Houston and Hutch are great standup rushers, and Analzone and J Campbell will be used in pass rush.
I think we're going to play both, but we played more and more 3-4 as the season progressed last year. Against the Packers, we did a lot of 3-4 with a DL of Buggs-Benito-Alim. It is also Glenn's preferred scheme. Romeo played OLB in 2021, and then Harris became the starter due to injury, which led to his breakout season. Julian can not play DE. Him, Houston, and Harris all have a typical 3-4 OLB build. I would say Houston is the best rusher and zone coverage guy, Julian is the best in man, and Harris is the best against the run.
Our 3-4 depth chart based on role:
Big OLB: Hutch, Romeo
Base DE: Buggs, Covington
Pass Rush DE: Cominsky, Paschal
NT: Martin, Benito
Base DE: Alim, Levi
OLB: Houston, Harris, Julian
Pass coverage ILB: Anzalone, Campbell, Reeves-Maybin
ILB: Rodriguez, Barnes, Pittman
He was the SAM or JACK LB last year. He basically stepped into that role that they created for Julian when he went down with injury. He's always been a linebacker, but more specifically a rush linebacker.
Right. We have for now at least Hutch, Romeo ahead of him as the rush ends. Then Paschal and Cominsky as the closed ends. Paschal and Cominsky can also play 3T as well. Houston is competing Vs Barnes/Rodriguez for snaps. The thing as well it's all about formations not necessarily "downs." If you are running with a heavier back, or you have two tight ends you have to take Rodriguez off the field. Rodriquez can play man to man Vs running backs on passing downs.
This is from Sharp Football pre draft.
"Targeted 41 times, Rodriguez allowed a reception percentage of 82.9%. Along with that rookie allowed 10.0 yards per reception and a touchdown.
Derrick Barnes didn’t fare much better with this pass coverage as he allowed 12 receptions off of just 15 targets and 6.8 yards after the catch."
Now we have Campbell who the scouting report says he's not a good fifth or fourth rusher but a really good tackler and play zone from his position. You also have Gardiner Johnson and Brian Branch covering tight ends and big slots.
i think they’re just rounding out his skills. we don’t need our defensive ends to be able to cover but we do have some plays where they’ll drop into coverage (see aidan hutchinson) so it’ll only make him more valuable to the team
When you know 1 position, you're good. When you know how to play 2 different positions, you're even better. Just creates a more diverse presnap visual. Especially when you have someone lineup at a position then they shift to a different one, but they can actually play both.
They are just looking for ways to get him on the field more. This way you can play 2 down in the dirt D ends and him, which would cause the defense to have to account for more protection.
I just really wanna know was his season a fluke or if he’s the real deal…
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I don’t care as long as he gets to go after the QB on all the passing downs.
Micah Parsons type role
Right now he's basically the fifth rusher, as a SAM linebacker is. That position doesn't exist anymore. He's going to learn Will Linebacker. It's makes sense. My interest is if Branch gets on the field as the 6th DB so 4-1-6, Barnes & Houston do not come in.
Doubt it. He's going to be a situational pass rusher like he was last year. I hope we can see more of Josh Paschal this year
Likely EDGE OLB.
Edge who can flex into pass coverage but not full time coverage lb.
The Lions like their versatile players and maybe this is going to set up some zone and disguised blitzes/rushes where you don’t know if Houston or Aiden is rushing or dropping back for example.
Thats a filthy idea.
This was already used last season.
I think the difference this season could be Houston playing more downs in the off ball position and disguising the fact he’s rushing as opposed to always being in a rush position
And Aidan dropping back is dangerous.