Jack

Yup. Sopoaga was usually in on first down. Then he moved out, Smith and McDonald move inside and our four LBs stay on the field, but the 2 OLBs move up to the line and become DEs. With that alignment we get to bring in a 5th DB.

They did, very rarely, bring in a couple of the young guys to sub for Smith and McDonald... but they didn't use Sopoaga as one of the subs.

That 4-2 alignment became pretty standard for the defense at about mid season. Remember the shock, early on, when Willis was taken off the field and Bowman left in on some passing downs? Seems the coaches didn't like that plan any more than the media guys did. So they switched.