Dan Cambell and Mike Zimmer run very different defenses. I know the defense has been hurt this year, but I think the main issue for their struggles is scheme fit. Do they have the right kinds of players for what Zimmer has wanted to do? – Jeff Fredrickson/Longwood, FL
Nick: Yeah, I definitely think they have the right kind of players for the overall roster. But Mike Zimmer has never been able to utilize that fully. If you've got a pair of good cover corners, there's a lot you can do. This team has started a rookie at cornerback from Week 1. I still think a healthy combination of DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs would've changed things from the jump, especially with a steady pass rush. So it's really hard for me to say Mike Zimmer doesn't have the right players for his scheme when he's literally lost four defensive ends - two of which are Pro Bowlers - and an All-Pro cornerback at the same time. I get it, injuries are part of the game and the Lions and Dan Campbell have dealt with that as well. But I don't think we've really gotten to see the full body of work with this defense. Maybe we will at some point this year but time is running out, considering some of the key players missing are still out for a little bit. Just give me one game this year with D-Law, Parsons, Kendricks, Overshown, Bland and Diggs. Give me those six guys together and I'd like to think we'd see a pretty good performance.
Patrik: I've always subscribed to the mantra of players > scheme, and I'll proudly die on that hill. When you flip it the other way, what you get is a Taco Charlton > TJ Watt equation and we all know how that ended. Teams, in my opinion, should never make decisions based solely on scheme, which is to say if push comes to shove, make the scheme fit the players and never, ever, try to make the players fit the scheme. Be open to revamping the entire scheme if necessary, even if it's early in a season when things clearly begin going wrong, because that's better than simply riding a train destined for a cliff. This isn't specific to Mike Zimmer's scheme in Dallas, but in general, though I do spy some things players are struggling with in his scheme simply because it's not their strength, but they're required to stick with it because, well, the scheme requires them to. It should always be about putting players in position to succeed based upon what they do best, and the rest will take care of itself.
