Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

METAIRIE, La. — When the Saints' Will Smith burst through the line for his first sack of this preseason, he was lined up at the defensive end spot he's played the first nine years of his career, not at his new outside linebacker spot.

That doesn't mean the Saints are leaning toward making Smith a lineman again, coach Sean Payton said, but does mean the club will routinely play to Smith's established strengths as a pass rusher in its new 3-4 defense.

"If you take any one of these teams that are in a 3-4 front (three linemen, four linebackers), the minute you get into your (substitution) packages, these outside linebackers generally become ends in the pass rush," Payton said.

Smith's sack of Oakland starter Matt Flynn last Friday night came on what Payton said was a tackle-end stunt, in which the tackle slants wide to rush on the edge and the end cuts behind the tackle toward the inside.

For Smith, that play would be "very similar to what he's done for the last (nine) years," Payton said. "That was very familiar to him."

Drafted 18th overall by New Orleans in 2004, Smith lined up as a defensive end, with his hand on the ground, in a 4-3 front.

This season, he sometimes lines up standing upright, and sometimes gets down in a three-point stance as a traditional end might.

Although Smith potentially could get caught in some mismatches with quicker players while trying to cover short passes, the veteran defender has maintained that talk of his transition to a new position is overblown.

"The majority of the time I'm rushing the passer," Smith said. "Every now and then I drop back in coverage and try to guard those speedsters, but I don't do that much and I do what I've been doing the last nine years.

"I'm going to be rushing the passer, I'm going to be playing the run," Smith continued. "For the most part, I'm going to be doing the same thing I've always done and that's why I said it wasn't that big of a transition."


Read more: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense - NFL - Sporting News

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

As long as he rarely covers, I'm fine.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Smiths established strength -Contract negotiations.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Please pardon my skepticism, but he wasn't all that good in the 4-3 to begin with.

May as well try to get something positive from him.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I think we see 8+ sacks from him this year

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I hope you are prescient Mitch.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

No question Oak, Smith got one over on the Saints. He Star Capped our cap.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

:rofl:

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I'm probably reaching, but its been a long time since Will Smith had a decent D-Lineman next to him. Maybe, just maybe...

1. Will Smith will reap the benefits of having Jordan/Hicks next to him.
2. Monkey's fly out my ass.

Vegas odds are 50/50.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I can appreciate your exuberance but even with a new scheme and fresh faces around Smith, 8 sacks will be a stretch.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Maybe not, he had 13 in 2009 and has averaged 6 since. Eight isn't a stretch at all, but its not all that impressive either.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

If Smith gets 8, Junior and Tes get 10 to 12 each(maybe more) our players on the 3 man front get 3-4 each our IBL get 7-8 in total and our secondary gets a total of 8 depending on how often they blitz Harper and V, we could end up looking good. I think those # could be low. I believe the front 3 might do a lot more.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Attachment 7731

Wear them backwards to they have a clear ascent path.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I would love 8 out of him. I can only see 4 at best. I would love to be wrong though.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

My only question is; How did you get them to fly in there?



:-D

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

I saw a Discovery Channel special on this subject.

First, you place six bananas up your...

Never mind, I don't want to spoil it in case someone DVRed it and is gonna watch the show later.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

You missed a part.... That is if you have had previous primate residence. If you are a first time landlord the banana may require freezing first.

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Smith and monkeys...........that seems so appropriate. :wink:

Re: Smith finding familiar roles in new Saints defense
 

Give yourself some room, don't put yourself in a corner... ;)