Chase Thomas lining up at DE - Printable Version

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Chase Thomas lining up at DE - pcgoode - 10-24-2011

I love watching Chase Thomas play football.  Watching him wreak havoc in an opponents backfield makes my weekend. 

Usually the Card lines up in a 3/4 on D, and Chase lines up as an OLB.  Sometimes they will line up in a 4/3 though, and Chase will line up as a DE.  Other than just giving an offence a different look, what's the point in doing this?  Wouldn't it be better to stay in the 3/4 and let Chase blitz if they need the extra pressure? 

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Re: Chase Thomas lining up at DE - terry - 10-24-2011

It's possible that Chase Thomas sometimes drops down to DE to change our standard 3-4 front into a 4-3. But most of the time, when Thomas becomes a DE, it's because we're in the nickel defense, with a 4-2-5 set. In our nickel, the nose tackle (Stephens) goes out, the two DEs (Gardner and Masifilo) become DTs, the two OLBs (Chase and Murphy/Lueders/Vaughters) become DEs, and an extra DB comes in.

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Re: Chase Thomas lining up at DE - socalstanfan1 - 10-24-2011

Terry, your description also helps to explain, in a sense, the use of Blake Leuders.  Leuders was considered by most "experts" to be a player that would develop into a DE in college, but JH decided to leave him at LB.  But it makes sense that the staff would use him at a hybrid DE/LB position.  I wonder if he might not just grow into a full-fledged DE in the next year or so.  Whatever happens, he has been having a nice little run here recently with pressuring the QB.

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Re: Chase Thomas lining up at DE - pcgoode - 10-24-2011

Thanks Terry - that makes a lot of sense.

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