How Important Is An Interior Pass Rusher In Today's NFL?

[SeeingRed]

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article...6-a9d552687f9e

Cool article on the KC Chiefs website on a guy I believe will the next All Pro player on our defense. The Chiefs "finally" seem to now be pushing Mike Catapano on KCChiefs.com and I'm very glad to see that because it means that we will see what he can do in 2014. I have been singing this kid's praises since pre season because i feel he is a very talented key piece for this defense but was frustrated watching him sit on the sidelines. I truly believe that having a dominant pass rushing presence on the line (whether it be from 3 technique or 5 technique...or better yet BOTH) is HUGE in making a good defense into a great defense.

People downplay QB pressure and it drives me nuts. You CANNOT stop Peyton Manning (or Philip Rivers or Andrew Luck for that matter) without knocking them off their spots. Just look at the production and the sack totals our defense had the first half of last year and the results it created in the win-loss column...thats because there IS a direct correlation! Also our dominant edge rushers will be more effective when the O Line also has an inside 3 technique rusher they have to worry about as well.

An athletic 290 lbs Catapano who can rush from inside or the outside creates versatility on passing downs. Teamed up with Houston and Hali I really believe all 3 will have double digit sacks in 2014. All today's defenses are really becoming a hybrid blend of 3-4 and 4-3 fronts and a lineman who can rush is a key part. We didn't have that last year (or had on sidelines but didn't use it). I like the addition of Walker but he isnt a true pass rusher...Catapano is. Personally I'd rather see Cat as the starting DE opposite Devito if at 290 he proves to be an effective run stopper, but either way I believe he is a key piece for us in an effective 4 man front on passing downs.

As with all KC fans I was a bit frustrated watching the NFL's most dominant defense slide and become our achilles heel ultimately costing us a playoff win. With no pressure on the QB the second half of year I was frustrated knowing we had a guy who averaged 1.2 sacks a game his senior year sitting on the sidelines. But apparently he was being groomed and making the obvious transition going from a small school to the NFL. Based on all the press coming from inside the Chiefs organization I'm encouraged that we will get to see what a 23 year old 2nd year bigger and better #77 can do.

I said it last year and still believe that Catapano and Poe rushing alongside Houston and Hali will be a VERY disruptive front on passing downs. 3 double digits sack guys = defensive success. Pressure busts pipes. If Catapano can break out and have a double digit sack season it will go a LONG way in getting back to the playoffs and NOT giving up a 4 TD lead. We need a 2013 defensive draft picks like Commings or Cat (or both) to step up and become key contributors in 2014 to build and improve on what we did last year. Since we aren't building through free agency it has to come from within. This guy stepping up would be huge.

[mcaj22]

Having depth/rotation on the dline definitely helps (Giants, Ravens, Seahawks all had that in the their SBs)

We had that, then Fat Scott let those guys walk. Now if one of our two OLBers get ran into the ground we have Frank Zombo to save us. All teams have to do against the Chiefs is take out Houston or Hali and the pass rush is useless.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by SeeingRed

Hey anytime a 7th rounder can turn into a solid NFL player its a huge positive. When both the Head Coach and the GM come out about him and they post lots of stuff on their website about him it may be telling (or why else would they do it?).

Brian Shay...

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Cat is the new Powe

[BossChief]

I see him as another Jimmy Wilkerson type player...maybe Wallace Gilberry.

That's being generous.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by PGM

Cat is the new Powe

Not at all. Powe was a pure bull rusher. Cat actually flashed some goid technique. He is also a hell of a lot smarter than Powe is.

[Psyko Tek]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Houston, Hali, AND Catapano with double digit sacks?

we do play oakland twice

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by scott free

I admire your optimism Red, the older this place gets the angrier and more bitter we become, its good to have some sunny side of life takes to help even things out.

Cat did flash pretty nicely a handful of times, so theres always hope...

Who are you referring to? Hold on, I gotta yell at the neighbor kids again. Get off my lawn!

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by DTLB58

Who are you referring to? Hold on, I gotta yell at the neighbor kids again. Get off my lawn!

varying interpretations, the years are disparate so no one actually has a lock on suffering, but I do know THIS... those who have suffered will tolerate petty grievances such as snotnosed brats in our yards no longer!

If the Chiefs cannot win, than neither can any of you little neighborhood shitheads!

We will fight in the yards, we will fight on the shed roofs, we will fight in the alleys, we will fight in the basement romper rooms as you try to corrupt our kids, we shall fight your overly permissive parents, we shall fight in the landing fields...

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by BossChief

I see him as another Jimmy Wilkerson type player...maybe Wallace Gilberry.

That's being generous.

I meant as far as CP hype goes. All we heard was "omg can u imagine Powe Poe Hali Houston omg"

I Quoted the wrong guy

[Steron]

Originally Posted by buddha

I saw a lot of potential in Catapano last season. He's a rare physical specimen and will only improve with more playing time. The best interior pass rush is provided by a strong pocket collapsing push up the middle. Dontari is the key to that.

They better find somebody to spell Poe or he'll gas down the stretch.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Steron

They better find somebody to spell Poe or he'll gas down the stretch.

Tell that to Sutton's dumb ass.

[Steron]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

Tell that to Sutton's dumb ass.

Powe can do it. Oh wait. Never mind.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Steron

Powe can do it. Oh wait. Never mind.

He had Powe last year and still played Poe on 87.9% of the defensive snaps. That's ridiculous for a 340+ pound man.

Not even Baltimore's Haloti Ngata plays that much; Ravens only had him in on 65.1% of their defensive snaps last season.

Raji played 57.7% of GB's defensive snaps.

Phil Taylor played 47.7% of the Brown's defensive snaps.

The only one who came close, I think, was Marcell Dareus of the Bills at 72% of their defensive snaps.

Hell, he played more defensive snaps than Suh did.

Suh= 878 defensive snaps, 85.1% of their defensive snaps

Poe= 975 defensive snaps, 87.9% of the Chief's defensive snaps and he has nearly 40 pounds on Suh.

That's freaken insane and seriously needs to change.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I swear, Chiefs fans would pass up Berkshire Hathaway stock to invest in ****ing scratcher's tickets and Keno.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by PGM

Cat is the new Powe

Powe was a high talent guy with off the field concerns that dropped him. On talent alone he was like a mid-low 3rd round talent.