Strong Safety

I haven't been disapointed in Bowen at all. I actually think he looked pretty good last week.

I agree. I think Taylor will be the FS with Bowen the SS. Lott will most likely back up Taylor with Franz backing up Bowen.

I think Bowen will be the SS. Lott is still young and will be a good backup. Don't forget the "great white hope" Todd Franz either!

Interesting thoughts on all sides. One thing to note: Strong safeties are typically bigger and more physical than free safeties. Strong safeties generally line up over the tight end and occasionally play up in the box like an extra linebacker. Free safeties often play center field or help cornerbacks in double coverage. As we all know, Sean Taylor is something of an anomaly, a player with linebacker's size and cornerback's speed, so he can play either position fairly easily; free safety suits him best because it allows him to use his ballhawking skills, coverage ability, and ferocious open-field hits to make more plays. At the SS, Bowen is better suited to start than Lott simply because of the size/tackling factor. I'm not saying Lott isn't a good tackler, but coaches have been encouraging him to be more physical.
One possibility (going back to Gibbs earlier days) is to rotate safeties depending on down/distance situation. Alvin Walton, though never a big player, started at strong safety from 1987-1990, and I'm pretty sure he led the team in tackles every year. He was known mainly for his ability to flatten people (a.k.a. The Crushin' Kansan), but the team sometimes replaced him in passing situations or used him to blitz (he sacked John Elway twice in Super Bowl XXII). Of course, we no longer have Richie Pettibon as defensive coordinator so maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about. Regardless, I think Bowen will start at SS, but I expect to see a lots of Lott in the dime.

I watched Bowens get beat, & beat badly. That's the reason the Packers let him sign elsewhere....

I'd give Lott the chance & use Bowens primarity on passing plays.

Hey, but what do I know...? :frusty:


Bowen is a much better run defender than pass defender. At strong he can be an extra LB and cover the less athletic tightends. We are in trouble when he gets matched against Shockey or a wideout. That's why Taylor plays Free we can bounce him around and let him play center field. Lott brings no value at the Strong position since he doesn't offer the physicallity that Williams is going to want in an aggressive defense. Taylor and Bowen start the year and I bet Franz evens gets a nod at STrong before Lott does.

Good post, jermus. I wouldn't be surprised to see some rotation. But I recently read (today's WP?) that Williams likes to have players that can go on every down. I would guess that Bowen is the guy right now, but if he blows his assignments week after week, forget it, soemone else will be in there. Gibbs and Williams are pretty hardcore about sticking with the team plan (just ask Iffy...), so if Bowen gets out of position like he did last year, we'll see a lot of Lott.

I was not impressed with bowen at all last year, if we blitz alot he will be a victim we got Lavar to lay people out and at centerfield Taylor will lay people out. Bowen hasnt shown me anything he can't line up against a tight end, lord forbid Keyshawn burn him up for 50 yards again like he did last year. Lott I still dont know much about him. We will see williams wont have mistakes out there while he blitzing plus Bowen doesnot have the speed to blitz but Lott has to learn to hit harder.

I'm not sure how much of a factor this is, but the safety-free safety mainly-is usually the "quarterback" of the defense right?

I think Bowen has the experience that both Lott and ST lack to fill that role. Although sometimes it could be a linebacker, Barrow? that could play QB for the D right?

I'm not sure how much of a factor this is, but the safety-free safety mainly-is usually the "quarterback" of the defense right?

I think Bowen has the experience that both Lott and ST lack to fill that role. Although sometimes it could be a linebacker, Barrow? that could play QB for the D right?

I thought I heard Fred Smoot say something like that. And coach williams said that taylor needs to be more vocal on the field? I don't if that says anything....

yea they did mention taylor needs to take control of the defense, but hes only a rookie. barrow should handle those duties, i always thought it was the MLB that did that since theyre in the middle of everything.