THE MIDDLE LINEBACKERS, BY JIM FADLER (Aug 18) Add yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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1. It may turn out to be a platoon situation with Charlie playing most of the time and Fletcher coming in as a nickle linebacker later on in the series.
2. I don't think Styles has the football instincts to play MLB in this defense, I think he is a wonderful special teams guy and a capable fill in who gets hurt a lot. But...
3. For all of Charlie's faults in knowing his assignments the last two years what I did see in him is a very good change of pace and an ability to keep his balance and still make a tackle even after he realized that he was going to wrong way or was in the wrong spot.
He plays with a recklessness and strength at the point of attack that London Fletcher for all his charisma and ability cannot bring. For example I have consistently noticed and I think all of you will as well that when London makes a tackle at MLB it most often is a wrap them up drag them down type of tackle. He is usually moving backwards when he takes on a back. Charlie is able to plant, attack and drive people back. It can make a big difference between making a team go to its passing game on 3rd down and 4 or making the defense play honest and not blitz on 3rd down and 2.
Both Charlie and London move better laterally than I think Styles does....I have always thought that Charlie would win if he could figure out his assignments. But I also don't think its over yet.