Can You Play Some 3-4 And Some 4-3?

[oldunclemark]

Is it possible to play a 3-4 on early downs and 4-3 on late downs....(or mix it up on all downs)

Or is that just too complicated for the players..

..and too vulnerable to the no-huddle..

I dont think I've seen anyone do it...have any of you?

[chad72]

Oh yeah. Greg Williams with the Saints did it. He played the SB primarily with a 3-3-5 scheme so that he had the LBs to play the run while also having the nickel to play the pass. We were running pretty well versus it till we fell behind and had to pass more. The Saints were a 4-3 base D that were taught to use a lot of 3 man formations with 3 or 4 LBs at times.

The key is using the 4-3 base and having the personnel to have a 3 man D-line front. The Ravens, sometimes, use a 2 man front and use a 2-4-5 defense. Or, like in the zone blitz, they drop a D-lineman in coverage from a 3-4 formation leaving 5 O-lineman blocking 2 D-linemen initially and it is usually too late for the O-linemen to pick up all the edge blitzers then since they are committed to the D-lineman in the middle. Haloti Ngata, B.J.Raji are all NTs who have dropped back as a rarely used disguise to get INTs in games.

Most of the time, however, it is the DE that drops back in a zone blitz because that is directly in the line of sight for the QB when he tries to hit a quick slant when a blitz is coming from outside the DE. Kruger of the Ravens has done that several times, so has Jarrett Johnson. The OLB/DE is used interchangeably in Ravens' defenses.

[Blackhawk4]

Is it possible to play a 3-4 on early downs and 4-3 on late downs....(or mix it up on all downs)

Or is that just too complicated for the players..

..and too vulnerable to the no-huddle..

I dont think I've seen anyone do it...have any of you?

You can do it. New England does it, Jets do it at times and the Ravens did it. Just remember that the 3-4 is a base defense.

[oldunclemark]

Oh yeah. Greg Williams with the Saints did it. He played the SB primarily with a 3-3-5 scheme so that he had the LBs to play the run while also having the nickel to play the pass. We were running pretty well versus it till we fell behind and had to pass more. The Saints were a 4-3 base D that were taught to use a lot of 3 man formations with 3 or 4 LBs at times.

The key is using the 4-3 base and having the personnel to have a 3 man D-line front. The Ravens, sometimes, use a 2 man front and use a 2-4-5 defense. Or, like in the zone blitz, they drop a D-lineman in coverage from a 3-4 formation leaving 5 O-lineman blocking 2 D-linemen initially and it is usually too late for the O-linemen to pick up all the edge blitzers then since they are committed to the D-lineman in the middle. Haloti Ngata, B.J.Raji are all NTs who have dropped back as a rarely used disguise to get INTs in games.

Most of the time, however, it is the DE that drops back in a zone blitz because that is directly in the line of sight for the QB when he tries to hit a quick slant when a blitz is coming from outside the DE. Kruger of the Ravens has done that several times, so has Jarrett Johnson. The OLB/DE is used interchangeably in Ravens' defenses.

Thanks chad..of course youn are right about the saints..

That 3-3-5 gave us problems..but isnt that a glorified 3-4?

3 runs stoppers with an LB who is a blitzer 90% of the time?

I think we have the experinece to gamble and disquise like baltimore does...we just never did it...

I think our 'D' will be vastly improved...

[GoPats]

Yes. The Pats do it all the time.

Generally speaking the 3-4 is more complicated for your front seven. Assignments are different, gap responsibilities are different... a 4-3 is much more of a "straight-up" style of defense.

What doesn't make sense, given the personnel on your roster, is that your D-linemen aren't really big enough to play in a 3-4. The Colts have been drafting players to fit Dungy's scheme, going with smaller but faster guys. I can't think a new coach would bring in a scheme that doesn't match what he's got to work with.

[oldunclemark]

Yes. The Pats do it all the time.

Generally speaking the 3-4 is more complicated for your front seven. Assignments are different, gap responsibilities are different... a 4-3 is much more of a "straight-up" style of defense.

What doesn't make sense, given the personnel on your roster, is that your D-linemen aren't really big enough to play in a 3-4. The Colts have been drafting players to fit Dungy's scheme, going with smaller but faster guys. I can't think a new coach would bring in a scheme that doesn't match what he's got to work with.

That's very true....and to get bigger base-nose D-linemen...we need high draft picks...which we dont have if we go Luck.

....or free agent cash.which would require us to part with Mathis and freeney

[pedrazla1]

Pagano is going to bring the 3-4 defense..it's a better than a fifty/fifty shot.

The problem with the colts running a 3-4 defense is that none of their players are the kind of space eaters you need for the front 3. Mathis and Freeney could definitely transition to OLB/DE and play at the line of scrimmage like they were in situational play. Angerer would be even better than he was this year with the additional help in the middle of the field and I think could even be a pro-bowler next year under Pagano's tutelage.

Pagano and Grigson just need to get on the ball and bring in some beefy defensive guys.

[JWF]

Def. possible. Especially if we keep Freeney and Mathis and they can be effective as stand up rushers.