1 Gap 3-4 Teams and 2 Gap 3-4 Teams

[Direckshun]

A little football 101, with your assistance.

One of the reasons Aubrayo Franklin is not worth the contract for Kansas City is because San Francisco plays a different scheme than we do along the defensive line.

There are really two major schemes for the defensive line for the 3-4.

A one-gap 3-4 exhibits a more penetrating role for the DL. Both DEs and even the Nose Tackle are penetrating and aggressive. Typically you are going to ask your DL to be an iota or two smaller than we'd be accustomed to them being in a two-gap, and definitively more athletic.

A two-gap 3-4 is less about creating havoc yourself, and more about freeing up your teammates. The defensive line is more focused on forcing the offensive line to commit as much resources to holding you up as possible. You are literally there to occupy blockers and force double-teams. Your players here need to be very strong run defenders, don't have to be as athletic, but need to rush the passer in a pinch.

These are just generalizations of course. But they are two different schemes and often times, teams with one type of scheme will not even touch or look at players in another type of scheme, because they ask such different things that don't often translate. See: Franklin.

I was hoping you guys could help me sort out the 3-4 teams, which scheme they run.

These are the 3-4 defenses:

Patriots (hybrid)
Jets
Dolphins (hybrid)
Steelers
Ravens
Texans
Colts
Chiefs
Chargers
Redskins
Packers
Saints
49ers
Cardinals

The following teams primarily play two-gap.

Patriots (when they play 3-4)
Jets
Dolphins (when they play 3-4)
Ravens
Colts

The following teams primarily play one-gap.

Packers
49ers
Cardinals
Chargers
Texans
Steelers
Chiefs
Saints

I don't know about the following teams:

Redskins

Anybody know what the Redskins play?