Originally Posted by
Mojouw
Ok. I can see it if you are basically switching to a 3-3-5 or nickel as your base defense. Then you have a FS-SS-Moneybacker on the field for the overwhelming majority of defensive snaps. In that scenario the allocation of resources makes a great deal of sense.
Even if you want to maintain that you are a base 3-4 team, as long as you plan on lining up in a 3 safety alignment 60% or more, then it is still a good use of resources.
However, I wonder how many teams are going to see the playoffs and SB and just switch back to bludgeoning these lighter LB/Hybrid fronts? What I mean is that it is a fascinating problem. It is far far easier for the offense to have two modes: Pass Wacky Multi WR One TE One Back (so the Chiefs/Rams/Steelers etc) and then Heavy But Still Agile Two TE FB (Pats in playoffs/Insert Team Here) set. The defense almost needs two totally different sets of players to combat that. If your LBs and DBs can run with the first set, they are going to get blown off the ball by the second.
Maybe, teams (and me!) are just thinking about this wrong and the traditional pass down/run down defensive substitution patterns contribute to this. But I am not sure how you ask the same defense to defend a 2019 passing attack and also a 1985 running attack...