Pendergast and the 3-4
 

Okay, I don't get it. Pendergast went to AZ under Dennis Green and ran a 4-3 very successfully at first, taking the 26th ranked D in 2003 to 12th in 2004 & 10th in 2005. They then plummeted to 29th in 2006, 17th in 2007 (Whisenhunts 1st year as HC) and were 19th in 2008.

Supposedly we're switching to a 3-4, but Pendergast has never really run one with success and even the base defense was a 4-3 in AZ last year, IIRC. I've heard some say that they ran a hybrid 3-4/4-3 and all I can find is this article from Spring 2007 when Whisenhunt said he wanted to take elements from the 3-4.http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/87625.

AZ supposedly promoted Bill Davis to DC because of his experience with a 3-4 and that is Whisenhunts prefered D.

Doesn't make sense to me.

I believe they will run the 4-3 until they get the players to run a full fledged 3-4. That will take more than one offseason to do, so expect to see alot of 4-3 this year IMO. It will be a methodical switch over.

meh, 4-3 rocks! The 3-4 is an air coryell / ol' maryland I kind of fad.

I think we can all recognize that, because they didn't announce it for a while, we were trying to get Romeo to be the DC. When he said he wasn't going to coach this year, Haley gave it to Pendergast because he knew him better than Gibbs.

I'd assume we're going to try to add the personnel in the draft to make a move in that direction, but Pendergast is going to be holding the job until Crennel is ready to come back.

even if that is true, its a fad that is working right now, much like the spread offense.

LMAO

Find someone with a clue and buy it.

your right about that one.

It does seem like they have drafted pretty good defensive players while Pendergast was DC considering only 2 1st rounders were spent on D.
I liked Dockett, Dansby, Rogers-Cromartie, Rolle, Watson, Branch, Calais Campbell coming out. Rolle was kind of a miss at CB and moved to FS, but there was talk of him maybe having to move to safety before he was even drafted.

3-4 is what Mecca would call a gimmick defense.

I could care less what they call it. If it works, keep using it till they can stop it.

Don't be a reerun.

This whole thread leaves a WPI taste in my mouth.

The Chiefs havent even had the players to run a 4-3 well for years. Now is as good a time as any to switch.

This. Chiefs haven't had the players or coaching to run any defense competently the last few years. I think the bottom line is whatever defense we run, we need solid players in place to make sure they meet their assignments and play disciplined football, and we need coaches in place who will hold them accountable and use the players to the best of their abilities. Whether we'll have any of that this year, no one knows for sure yet. But if we don't do well this year, I don't think Haley will be too shy to make some more changes to the staff next year...

Fixed your post.

I'm still wondering where all this 3-4 talk is originating from. I've heard a lot of speculation from fans and sports analyst, but nothing official from Arrowhead about switching.

I don't really care what we run as long as we can play it well.

I remember the day's when all we heard coming out of Arrowhead concerning the defense was Cover 2 crap. I don't miss those days.

Didn't the Cards start to run the 3-4 extensively in the playoffs and that was when their defense was doing best last year? I know Haley is an offensive guy, but given the tree he comes from and his personality I think hes one of those guys thats going to have a better defense than offense. (kinda like Brian Billick with the Ravens and flipped around Dungy with the Colts)

So Pioli spreads for the 3-4??? :) I like fads. like Cassel :( Seriously though, anything they do with the defense cannot be worse than what we have been subjected to.

reeruns are underrated. You know that by now.

Haley is from the Parcells tree and even though he's on OC, they've run 3-4 everywhere he's been. All of the assistant coaches have somewhere between moderate and extensive experience with the 3-4, Pendergast included. And finally Pioli has spent almost all of his career with guys that run the 3-4.