Why the 3-4 over the 4-3?

[CrazyHorse]

Given that we have been drafting personnel for the 4-3 for the rebuild over the last few years, what's the benefit of going to a 3-4 defense now?

I have heard for years how a good coach doesn't try to take players and make them fit his scheme, but takes his scheme and makes it fit the players. That a good coach can take advantage of the talent he has.

I realize some on here may say we have no talent, but the fact is we dont know what we have yet. We drafted Dorsey last year and I feel he was misused. Plus it was his 1st season. I feel guys like Tank Tyler and Turk McBride were showing improvement in thier second season. We have an opportunity to draft the best player over all in Curry, yet people dont want to because they feel he wont fit the scheme. So instead we should reach for a lesser talent to fit a defense we are not equipped to run. Or does the caoching staff feel we are better equipped right now to run a 3-4?

In hiring the coaching staff, didn't we hire a 4-3 coordinator and a 3-4 coordinator? Forcing the 3-4 issue seems foolish to me. I understand it's popular right now. But in the 3 to 4 years it will take to build it, most teams will be running it.

It's not like a 4-3 defense cant win games.

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Surely you don't believe that we're going to be running this hybrid 4-3/3-4 forever. In 2-3 years, I guarantee this team is a true 3-4.

This. End of thread.

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

None of that matters anymore with the new regime in town. They are going to craft it the way they want too. It doesnt matter if we been building a certain way. That way got us 6 wins in 2 years and 1 play off win in the last 20 years.
I dont care what system they run. They will try to do whats best for this team. IF they want to go 3-4 then fine, if they want to stay 4-3 then fine.

Its time to let them do their thing.

I can remember more than 1

Steelers
Raiders
Oilers

[Saccopoo]

A 3-4 defense helps hide attacking schemes and blitzes from the offense, making it harder for an offense to call appropriate changes to defensive alignments that they see on a play by play basis. In a 3-4, the defensive line's (the three down linemen, RDE, NT, LDE) primary responsibility is to occupy blockers in order to let the smaller, faster linebackers make plays on the ball. Linebackers, especially the ROLB and ILB, are asked to rush/blitz more, cover more than they would in a 4-3 scenario.

A 3-4 scheme is harder to find players for than a 4-3 system. The ROLB must have superb pass rush skills. The defensive line must be bigger, stronger and be able to hold their point of attack against multiple offensive linemen. Guys like that are a rarity, and why you are seeing a perceived increase in value for guys like Raji and Jackson in this years draft as they are being seen as pure 3-4 scheme type players (although I don't believe that Raji will be effective in this type of system as he's a bit of a one year/Senior Bowl wonder ala Ryan Sims who operated at the one gap uptackle in a 4-3 system in college).

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Saccogoo

A 3-4 defense helps hide attacking schemes and blitzes from the offense, making it harder for an offense to call appropriate changes to defensive alignments that they see on a play by play basis. In a 3-4, the defensive line's (the three down linemen, RDE, NT, LDE) primary responsibility is to occupy blockers in order to let the smaller, faster linebackers make plays on the ball. Linebackers, especially the ROLB and ILB, are asked to rush/blitz more, cover more than they would in a 4-3 scenario.

A 3-4 scheme is harder to find players for than a 4-3 system. The ROLB must have superb pass rush skills. The defensive line must be bigger, stronger and be able to hold their point of attack against multiple offensive linemen. Guys like that are a rarity, and why you are seeing a perceived increase in value for guys like Raji and Jackson in this years draft as they are being seen as pure 3-4 scheme type players (although I don't believe that Raji will be effective in this type of system as he's a bit of a one year/Senior Bowl wonder ala Ryan Sims who operated at the one gap uptackle in a 4-3 system in college).

I disagree on the second point. I think a nose tackle is one of the hardest positions to find--I agree with that. But a 3-4 OLB is much easier to find than a 4-3 DE, in my opinion, because there's no shortage of undersized pass rushers on the college level. And a 3-4 DE is no more difficult than finding a 4-3 DT. From the LB standpoint, your inside guys are role players, not multi-dimensional, versatile players, which makes it considerably harder to play. I think Wade Phillips once said that he loves a 3-4 because the DE position has become so hard to find these days.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Surely you don't believe that we're going to be running this hybrid 4-3/3-4 forever. In 2-3 years, I guarantee this team is a true 3-4.

We don't even know who we are drafting today, much less what defensive scheme we will be running in 2-3 years.

[Mecca]

If they're taking Tyson Jackson this hybrid shit goes out the window that guy is pure 3-4.

[DJ's left nut]

Because that's what the Patriots Playbook says to do.

All hail the Patriot Way!!!!

[/Pioli-smokers]

[Kyle DeLexus]

I hope we stay with the 4-3 under, it plays like a 3-4 but would free up Dorsey to have 1on1 matchups inside.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Mecca

If they're taking Tyson Jackson this hybrid shit goes out the window that guy is pure 3-4.

They COULD slide him inside, ala Justin Tuck. Not saying it's a good idea, but it's an idea.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

I hope we stay with the 4-3 under, it plays like a 3-4 but would free up Dorsey to have 1on1 matchups inside.

You could play a pure 3-4 and still give him 1on1 matchups.

Gap assignments are independent of front. You could play 1-gap or 2-gap and still run a 30 front.