New Orleans Saints bring back 3-4 defense, and Jonathan Vilma's all for it

I count myself as one of those who in the past pushed for a more 3-4 defensive alignment, and in some ways I still feel it could work. But I will say that in the past 10 years with teams like Pittsburgh and New England bringing the 3-4 defense back and winning numerous SB's with it, it's proven it can work again after some pundits thought it was outdated in the mid-to-late 90's. And for the first time I think in about 10-15 years, we have IMO a core group of LB's that can make that same system work here. But Vilma is the key to making it work, as well as being the man who we've gotten talent in FA or other players have stepped up their game more. Fujita is okay, Shanle is starting to become a more visible force, Vilma is,along with Darren Sharper and maybe Will Smith, if he can continue his good play onwards, the heart and soul of this defense.

This isn't going to be the Dome Patrol II, but it doesn't have to be. If you look at the biggest problem our defense has had the past 2 seasons, it's that it was looking for an identity. Gibbs wasn' taking it off the bat as opposed to resting on his laurels. GW doesn't follow that ****-line. He learned from one of the meanest, most ruthless DC's in NFL history that his job is not to be soft spoken and articulate schemes on a piece of paper. If every DC/HC could be like Tony Dungy and it robbed off on the team's players, then that would be great. But those types are an extreme exception rather then the general rule. Buddy Ryan would probably tell his teams to run over Mother Teresa if she was on the field wearing the opposing team's jersey, not trying to be cute but he was a mean ruthless SOB. He was the Larry Flynt of NFL DC's. Sleazy, hardcore, and filled his teams feeling they could break every sacred NFL taboo every Sunday on the field.

We need that kind of guy running this Defense, and we got one of Buddy Ryan's finest graduates here to help us become that, if we aren't becoming it already.

The fact that its harder to tell who's coming on a single play gives the 3-4 its advantages. So yes, the DC has to have a mean streak and be slightly twisted and aggressive. I love GWs attitude from day 1. The more we produce, the more confidence the D gets, the further we go in the long run.