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?

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by RustShack

This whole post seems pretty wrong. I could be wrong, but since the Bills were just making the switch to the 3-4 under Gaily, I doubt they are already switching back. The Broncos use a 4-3, but yes they might use Miller more like Thomas.

The 3-4 isn't a Defense, it's a defensive front alignment, and part of a personnel package. At times Von Miller is the 5th, 4th or even (rarely) 3rd guy on the LOS. He's a Linebacker and he gets lined up wherever the play dictates, then sometimes moves in/out or laterally. Of course that was last year. Our old DC is now the HC for the Raiders.

[lostcause]

Originally Posted by RustShack

So you're saying in their attempt to switch to the 3-4, they literally didn't sign or draft a single player to make the switch? Interesting.

merriman

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by listopencil

The 3-4 isn't a Defense, it's a defensive front alignment, and part of a personnel package.

^^^This

[T-post Tom]

A gap by any other name....

[OctoberFart]

Originally Posted by RustShack

This whole post seems pretty wrong. I could be wrong, but since the Bills were just making the switch to the 3-4 under Gaily, I doubt they are already switching back. The Broncos use a 4-3, but yes they might use Miller more like Thomas.

Why the f would they get Mario Williams and mark Anderson and not run a 4-3.

[lostcause]

Originally Posted by AutumnWind

Why the f would they get Mario Williams and mark Anderson and not run a 4-3.

Mario looked damn good as a 3-4 olb before hurting himself.

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by BossChief

DJ and Belchers jobs are completely different.

Notice how Belcher is cheating to one side or the other presnap? That's because he watches enough film and is coached well enough to identify keys presnap that allow him to cheat to either side to gain a step in his responsibility...which is to identify the lead blocker and blow him up allowing DJ to make the tackle.

The fact that's his job and DJ was our leading tackler and Belcher was our second is a testament to how well the two work together.

Good post. Also, Belcher is a "strongside" backer whereas DJ is a "weakside" backer. When the TE motions to the other side, watch DJ & Belcher flip with the offense. The TE is an extra blocker Belcher must handle in the run game as compared to DJ's assignments.

[Direckshun]

I've moved the Chiefs from 1-gap to 2-gap, and removed the Cowboys since they're going to a 4-3.

The Saints are going to a 3-4, right? You gotta assume that's a 1-gap scheme?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I've moved the Chiefs from 1-gap to 2-gap, and removed the Cowboys since they're going to a 4-3.

The Saints are going to a 3-4, right? You gotta assume that's a 1-gap scheme?

You mean 2-gap to 1-gap.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I've moved the Chiefs from 1-gap to 2-gap, and removed the Cowboys since they're going to a 4-3.

The Saints are going to a 3-4, right? You gotta assume that's a 1-gap scheme?

Wait what? Did you get that backwards?

[QuikSsurfer]

Originally Posted by Go to Hell

You mean 2-gap to 1-gap.

Yes

[planetdoc]

why do you think the chiefs are switching to a 1-gap

kcchiefs.com/news/article-2/QA-with-Defensive-Coordinator-Bob-Sutton/b96e3304-0857-4b4e-b4ac-33b5e7a4d8e4

sutton said:

I think that the transition is going to be kind of similar to one that I went through when I was with the Jets. We were in the exact same defense that they played here the last couple years under Romeo [Crennel], it’s a great system of defense – the true 3-4 – and then when Rex [Ryan] came into the Jets, which has many similarities to this but it has a little bit more multiple and was different schematically how we line up. But a lot of principles to me stayed the same. The approach of how our up-front players attack blockers and that type of thing, I think the system, and again we’re in the early stages of this – I’m not going to get tied to anything – but the way I envision it and in speaking to Coach [Andy] Reid when I came in here, we’re trying to incorporate many of the things we did in New York. Again, it’s got to be tailored a little bit to the personnel here. But I think the transition will be good because it’s 3-4 based but it has a little bit more multiple than what I had done in New York before or the same that Romeo had run here.

profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/04/11/fantasy-defensive-personnel-packages-%E2%80%93-part-1/

Although the chiefs base defense was the 2-gap 3-4, they use alot of other looks. For the 2011 season the chiefs used the 3-4 55% of the time and were in a dime (2-3-6) 32% of the time. The jets were only in the 3-4 37% of the time, and than were in a 3-3-5 and a 1-3-7 over 15% of the time. Essentially they were in their nickel and dime defenses 50% of the time.

The big reason that Poe was brought in was because the chiefs were getting gashed against the run in the dime defense. You need two big bodies for that.

Rex Ryan, Rob Ryan all use the multiple fronts of buddy ryan's 4-6. The defensive line 2-gaps.

So why do you think that Sutton will 1-gap?

[Hammock Parties]

Because only reeruns play 2-gap 3-4 these days.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Go to Hell

You mean 2-gap to 1-gap.

So we are gonna change to a 1 gap?

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

So we are gonna change to a 1 gap?

Ya buddy.