Originally posted by qnnhan7:
If it reminds you of any part of that 84 defense, it ain't too bad 
Dan Marino was the hottest qb in the NFL just like Lamar right now...
Yeah
Originally posted by jonnydel:
IMagine Willis and Bow if they played behind a line like this 
The only place I think our 11-13 defense was better was the ILB's with Willis and Bow. Everywhere else this team is deeper and more talented.
The '84 defense from a scheme point of view was basically a nickel defense with a 4 man front (Like today's wide 9). Walsh would shut down offenses' run game with the base defense (3-4) and Michael Carter would shut down any middle runs by himself, he was Vince Wilfork in the middle basically. We had excellent corners in Lott and Wright to shut down any 1st down passes. Hicks and Williamson rounded out our outstanding secondary.
Once Walsh had the ball, he'd score and put the opposing team in a trailing postition - and force the opposing teams to abandon the run because they were too far behind. Once that happened, the 49er nickel kicked in and basically shut down offenses the rest of the game.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think our entire secondary made the pro-bowl that year. And I think they did it in large part because of that ferocioius pass rush, just like this years.
Willis and Bowman would have been great, but I think the real key to that defense was Jeff Fuller who was a hybrid safety/linebacker and was very much like John Lynch - he could cover and tackle. He'd screw up run fits and change coverage schemes on the fly depending on whether he was in the box or dropping into coverage. Dre Greenlaw and Kwon Alexander remind me a lot of Jeff Fuller - these guys were more coverage guys than slobber knockers, just like Jeff was.
[ Edited by Giedi on Nov 27, 2019 at 3:33 PM ]
