The Curious Case of Mario Williams

[TeamBuilder]

The Texans transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense means Mario Williams will move from a 4-3 end to a 3-4 outside linebacker.

In past versions of Madden, this would mean that Mario Williams would take an OVR rating hit, because his specific skill ratings would change in importance (ex: The tackle rating for an OLB becomes a far more important rating as it contributes to overall rating because there is more emphasis on tackling for an OLB than for a DE).

Does this mean Mario Williams will have a lower OVR rating? Perhaps making him easier to acquire via trade?

I hope EA has solved the issue this year with the addition of specific positions... I recall reading about how the NFL draft contains rookies that have specified positions (such as 3-4 OLB), and it would be nice if that transitions into determining OVR, so players like Williams won't take a hit and be "too easy" to acquire.

I say this for those of us that play Franchise with multiple people, some of whom tend to abuse trade logic.

What do you think? Will Super Mario take an OVR rating hit?

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

I don't see why they would want to put him at OLB, even in a 3-4. The guy is 6'6" and almost 300 lbs. He seems to be the absolute perfect build for a 3-4 DE.

Edit: On the flipside, I would be scared ****less to be an offensive lineman and see that guy getting a running start at me. I feel like Mario is much more than just a pass rusher though. With his body and athleticism, I feel like he can be a decent gap filler for run defense as well, so I guess I'd personally still want him lined up as a defensive end because I would expect that he won't be on the field as much as in the past because there will be situations where they need their outside linebackers to be in coverage. And I know this doesn't answer your question at all, lol, I just got off on a bit of a tangent.

[TeamBuilder]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

I don't see why they would want to put him at OLB, even in a 3-4. The guy is 6'6" and almost 300 lbs. He seems to be the absolute perfect build for a 3-4 DE.

I think the Texans were considering it until they drafted J.J. Watt. They probably view Williams as being versatile enough.

[Mr.Scarface]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Mario has dropped weight...he will probably play between 270-280 range, wont know for sure until camp starts. Also, the Texans will be playing a Hybrid 3-4, It will more like a 5-2 much of the time, with Mario on one side, Conner Barwin and Brooks Reed on the other at OLB. Demeco Ryans and Brian Cushing would be the Middle LBs. I hope they add the 5-2 to Madden.

BTW...some players wont take a hit if you move them, some will actually go up.

[XtremeDunkz]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Green Bay tried that with Aaron Kampman...didn't go so well.

[Mr.Scarface]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Green Bay tried that with Aaron Kampman...didn't go so well.

Kampman is NO Mario Williams. Think DeMarcus Ware.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Kampman is NO Mario Williams. Think DeMarcus Ware.

Williams is no DeMarcus Ware though. They're both pass rushers, but Ware was a linebacker in college and is much faster and much lighter. Williams came into the league as a defensive end and had about 50 lbs on Ware. It's a completely different scenario. Having said that though, Wade Phillips is a phenominal defensive coordinator and I have a lot of confidence in him to do the right thing with Mario.

[Jays20593]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

I don't see why they would want to put him at OLB, even in a 3-4. The guy is 6'6" and almost 300 lbs. He seems to be the absolute perfect build for a 3-4 DE.

Because the Texans are dumb and are going to do all this crazy stuff to take down Peyton and still lose.

[s38s38s]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

IMO, this is a bad move with him @ OLB. The only way this IS good idea is if his coverage responsibilities are EXTREMELY limited, and he's just the standing rusher. It's rare to take a guy who's always had his hand in the ground, then ask him to play in space and see the same success.

Unless I'm wrong (which I could be) there are no examples of 4-3 DE's successfully converting to 3-4 OLB's, for their sake hope he's the 1st. Though from a Madden perspective (unless they tweak his ratings) his ovr should go down as he hasn't shown an OLB's skill set regarding man, zone, tackling, etc.

[jplong45]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Does not really sound like Wade wants to move him to OLB

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/11/wade-phillips-insists-mario-williams-will-fit-a-3-4-defense/

[jplong45]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Because the Texans are dumb and are going to do all this crazy stuff to take down Peyton and still lose.

You mean like the first game of last season?

[PGaither84]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

You mean like the first game of last season?

It's okay, he is still mad Peyton threw the game losing interception in the Superbowl. Look at it this way, at least the Colts made up for that this year by losing to the Jets at home in the first round.

Peyton Manning: Greatest [regular season] QB of all time.

[JRowden7]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Unless I'm wrong (which I could be) there are no examples of 4-3 DE's successfully converting to 3-4 OLB's.

Tamba Hali transitioned from 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB in 2009.

[suthrnthug]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Clay Matthews was a 4-3 DE in college and has done ok as a 3-4 OLB

[Senator Palmer]

Re: The Curious Case of Mario Williams

Clay Matthews was a 4-3 DE in college and has done ok as a 3-4 OLB

Clay was actually an outside linebacker with Cushing and Maualuga at SC. He'd occasionally play as the Elephant in rush packages and double eagle fronts, but he was a linebacker. And Ware was actually a DE at Troy.

It's not impossible to ask an end to become a OLB -- Elvis Dumervill is another guy who did it with great success -- but Mario is a 4-3 end from Heaven and it'll be a steep learning curve. It's a different world putting your hand in the dirt and sprinting off the ball with that low trajectory vs. standing up and losing all of your leverage.

Wade runs a different kind of 3-4, though. It's more single gap stuff that acts a lot like a 4-3. I could see him eventually using Super Mario the way he used Bruce Smith in Buffalo who didn't really have any of the responsibilities of a traditional 3-4 end. When it's all said and done, Mario might wind up right back where he started.

Keeping the discussion with Madden, the problem is the way the 3-4 is implemented. No two are alike in real life, but in Madden they are all pretty much the same. The Cowboys in real life rush with Ware something like 90% of the time. In Madden that's nowhere near the case because the CPU doesn't move him from side to side or down to DE in Nickel the way the Cowboys do. In Madden he's just as likely to drop into coverage on 3rd down as he is to rush. Therefore, Mario could very well suck was a 3-4 OLB as well as any other DE you'll want to convert because the coverage ratings in zone and man are going to be so poor, and the CPU won't compensate for that by packaging them in formations to make sure they are pointed at the quarterback.