Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones

If Jarvis Jones struggles again this season getting sacks, I could see where Shazier gets more sacks than him from his ILB position. LeBeau loves those cross dog blitzes and he will probably send Shazier on blitzes to take advantage of his speed. I wouldn't be surprised to see Shazier get 5-6 sacks this season.

 

I think Shazier will be in more coverage with his speed and pure athletic ability and since Timmons is an effective blitzer from the inside when he has a solid inside LB partner I think it entirely possible Timmons has more sacks than Jones and Shazier has as many INT's as any LB in the league.

Cajun-

 

I think both of our ILBs will be very effective at blitzing and dropping into coverage. It'll open things up a little and make us less predictable. Seems like it's been awhile since this was the situation. Not since Farrior still had some speed left and Timmons was working his way onto the field. That was 2008-2009. I think Shazier will be a lot like Timmons was as a young player - great in coverage and blitzing early on, and his challenge will be stopping the run. Shazier, coming off the size he played at in college, might take a year or two to get used to being bigger and playing against bigger guys.

I don't know how the balance will be, but if I had to guess I'd say it'd be the other way around from what you have. I think the experienced Timmons will spend more time in coverage, and the rookie will more often be sent on the simpler task of being a wrecking ball. But I bet we see more ILB sacks this year than we have in awhile. The emergence of Heyward and McLendon staying on the field in nickel will also help out. And who knows, maybe Tuitt will work his way in there. I wouldn't be surprised if our ILBs have more sacks than Jones combined, but I might be surprised if just one of them does. I'm guessing Jarvis will land around 5-6 and our ILBs around the same, each.

Worilds - 11
Jones - 5.5
Shazier - 4
Timmons - 3.5

Heyward - 6.5
McLendon - 4
Tuitt - 2
Thomas - 1.5

Miscellaneous backups and secondary players - 6

Those are my guesses. That'd be 40 on the season, which would be 6 more sacks than we got last year, and put us at 16th in the league (up from 25th). I think that's a reasonable expectation of improvement. I'd love to see more, though.

I also am expecting Timmons and Shazier to combine for at least 5-6 INTs.

 

Yeah coach D loves those cross blitzes... Hope Shazier's speed makes em relevant again.

 

yep. my thinking too snack. i'm thinking timmons about 6-7 though. he is a good blitzer from the inside.

 

I was tempted to go several integers higher with half the guys on that list... Just trying to temper my own expectations so I don't disappoint myself. If Shazier picks up the defense quickly, I could see Timmons spending more time in the backfield.

 

What makes our combo so great is it could be either one coming and either one dropping. LBers are the driver of this bus and I think we are set up nicely. I think we will franchise Worilds next year andgroom a guy a guy to take over.

 

I don't know if I like the cross dog blitz anymore, they take too long to develop vs today's quick trigger offenses.

 

Cowher use to say to Lloyd, get the Qb.
Turn them loose, lets get back to an exciting
brand of football.

 

Personally, I think Troy P. may be a bigger factor in how many sacks are LB's get than people think. If Troy is healthy and if he is allowed, this year, to be "Troy" than I think we will get some nice sack numbers from the LB position!

 

this duo is much faster than foote or farrior in the past. i like the role they have moved LT too for this season. he very well may have his best season ever. this should put him in his best situation yet for making tackles and plays.

 

Yeah when you have speed the twist works very well. Think of the days when Pottsy was in his prime. He and Timmons ran that stunt beautifully.