Why the 3-4 over the 4-3?

[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.

[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.

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

We are not moving to a true 3-4. I've only posted this a thousand times now. What part about that do some of you not get?

But you only have 103 posts.

This is the 1st I've seen it. Now that I have........

my question is the same.

[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.

[Mecca]

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

[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.

[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 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.