3-4 / 4-3 Question.

[Phinsome]

What precentage of the time are we using the 3/4 now? It seems like we used it a lot in the Pitt game, but not as much since then. I think Zach is much more suited to a 4-3, because he doesn't have to take on as many blockers and can just go tackle the ball carrier. Maybe we are using more 4-3 because our strength is on the Dline. Maybe I imagining things.

 

[DolfanISS]

If we're not we should be IMHO. We can put big daddy and Traylor in the middle on running down, that's a lot to move.

 

[Phinsome]

If we're not we should be IMHO. We can put big daddy and Traylor in the middle on running down, that's a lot to move.

I agree. Havent heard about Big Daddy lately. He needs a big game this week.

 

[PhinsRock]

It does seem like our personnel is better suited to the 4-3, but it is a big advantage having teams be required to prepare for both a 4-3 and 3-4. Pats are the masters at mixing the two up and they seem better able to switch between the two. Good thread.

 

[Phinsome]

My thing is that in the 3-4 you know that JT is the blitzer. Who else is good at it in the linebacking core? We know its not Zach or Spragan. Crowder, I guess, but he plays in the middle in the 3-4. It's just a little too predictable. The pats can blitz a whole bunch of nasty LBs. We only have a few that good at. Maybe we need to sign big LBs next year and not so many Dlineman. One other thing. I really hope we get Manny Wright back. Wright, Traylor(if he plays another year) and Wilkinson could be a beefy front for the 3-4.

 

[PhinFan0202]

My thing is that in the 3-4 you know that JT is the blitzer. Who else is good at it in the linebacking core? We know its not Zach or Spragan. Crowder, I guess, but he plays in the middle in the 3-4. It's just a little too predictable. The pats can blitz a whole bunch of nasty LBs. We only have a few that good at. Maybe we need to sign big LBs next year and not so many Dlineman. One other thing. I really hope we get Manny Wright back. Wright, Traylor(if he plays another year) and Wilkinson could be a beefy front for the 3-4.

Our personel is better for the 4-3 because we have undersized linebackers for the most part. While Channing Crowder could play in the middle of the 3-4 Zach and Spragan could not. J.T.is better at being a defensive end at this point in his career which is why we should keep him doing that. I think we will move more toward a base 3-4 in the coming years but it's pretty pointless to run it now.

 

[FinNasty]

My thing is that in the 3-4 you know that JT is the blitzer. Who else is good at it in the linebacking core? We know its not Zach or Spragan. Crowder, I guess, but he plays in the middle in the 3-4. It's just a little too predictable. The pats can blitz a whole bunch of nasty LBs. We only have a few that good at. Maybe we need to sign big LBs next year and not so many Dlineman. One other thing. I really hope we get Manny Wright back. Wright, Traylor(if he plays another year) and Wilkinson could be a beefy front for the 3-4.

But the thing is, is that we constantly move JT around, so it is harder to design blocking schemes for him since they dont know where he will be lined up...

 

[Phinsome]

Good point, but most teams play pretty close attention to JT at all times. I'm all for the 3-4, but our current personal isn't yet suited for it.

 

[Disgustipate]

What precentage of the time are we using the 3/4 now?

I'd say we do about 70% 4-3 and 30% 3-4.

That's misleading, because the majority of the time the Dolphins are in a 4-3, it is an over or under shifted defense, which results in the same kind of positioning and the same kind of responsibilities as a 3-4, except that JT has his hand on the ground.

I'd say about 75% of the time in the base defense Miami is using a formation with a Nose Tackle, two "interior" linemen playing over the Guards, 3 "big" interior linemen.

That other 25% of the time is a "true" 4-3, like Miami used to play. Coincidently enough, they are playing it more than they did last season.

It seems like we used it a lot in the Pitt game, but not as much since then.

It'd disagree with that. We've used it alot more so far than we did last year, and I personally think we've used it too much.

That being said, expect alot of it vs. New England.

I think Zach is much more suited to a 4-3, because he doesn't have to take on as many blockers and can just go tackle the ball carrier. Maybe we are using more 4-3 because our strength is on the Dline. Maybe I imagining things.

The change isnt as significant as you think.

In basically every formation the Dolphins play, Zach Thomas has two linemen infront of him playing 2-gap. The difference between the formations is fairly negligible.

In the 3-4 or 4-3 over/under, he is lined up over the strongside guard(usually) with Kevin Carter and Keith Traylor playing 2-gap over the Tackle and Center respectively.

In a straight 4-3, he is lined up over the Center with Vonnie Holliday(Who is a better 1-gap player), and Keith Traylor playing 2-gap over the Guards typically.

I'd go so far as to argue that the 3-4 or 4-3 over/under protects Zach more than the old 4-3. The 3-4 or related defenses generally has 5 men on the line of scrimmage, generally all of them occupying blockers to some extent at the point of attack.

In the 4-3, you've got 4 on the line of scrimmage, and the way Wannstedt/Bates used to play it, it wasnt uncommon to have only two defensive linemen between the offensive tackles.