hey guys

[Finsfan79]

I have a question that I couldnt seem to remember the answer to. I guess shame on me :fire:.


The dolphins ran the 3-4 defense back in the early 70s. It was named 34 partly because 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers. But it was also the 34 defense because one of our linebackers wore number 34.

What was his name?

 

[raphinmx]

Don't you mean the 53 defense? named for Bob Matheson

 

[Finsfan79]

53 thank you, I kept wondering that. Damn old age :)

 

[Dolphin North]

53 thank you, I kept wondering that. Damn old age :)

:fogey:

 

[tylerdolphin]

Don't you mean the 53 defense? named for Bob Matheson

would that be 5 DL and 3 LBs? That would only leave 1 safety and 2 corners. sounds like that should have been burnt deep a lot.

 

[PassRush]

would that be 5 DL and 3 LBs? That would only leave 1 safety and 2 corners. sounds like that should have been burnt deep a lot.

Sure, if the quarterback had enough for a three step drop

 

[PhinGeneral]

would that be 5 DL and 3 LBs? That would only leave 1 safety and 2 corners. sounds like that should have been burnt deep a lot.

No, it had nothing to do with that. It was the 53 defense because of Matheson's uniform #, and the way he was used as a hybrid to make it work.

 

[tylerdolphin]

Sure, if the quarterback had enough for a three step drop

True

 

[cnc66]

EP= Edwin Pope, JB = Jarret Bell

link;
http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9187922

EP: Absolutely. But I believe the least appreciated for the Dolphins was Bob Kuechenberg. You can make a great argument that they had the best offensive middle in the history of pro football with Jim Langer at center and Larry Little and Kuechenberg as the two guards. Langer and Little are in the Hall. Kuechenberg isn't but should be, so I'd say that he was probably underappreciated. The other guy people don't remember is a big part of history -- Bob Matheson.
JB: Fifty-three!
EP: Right. His number was 53, and the "53" defense was named after him. Bill Arnsparger, the Dolphins' defensive coordinator, lost two linemen in preseason, so he started using Matheson as a down lineman on a four-man line, or as a linebacker backing up a three-man line. And people started calling it the "53" defense simply because Matheson wore number 53. He was very valuable [68 tackles, four forced fumbles] and may have been the most underappreciated of all the Dolphins.


sorry, Bob is a personal favorite



here is some more on the 53, they have us number eight all time;


link; http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/bestNFLdefense.html

8. 1973 Miami Dolphins The Dolphins 53/"No Name" Defense ("53" was linebacker Bob Matheson's number) held 11 opponents to 14 points or less, setting a record by allowing just 150 points in a 14-game season. Defensive end Bill Stanfill set a Dolphins' sack record that still stands, with 18.5. In the playoffs and Super Bowl, they allowed only 33 points against Cincinnati, Oakland and Minnesota. Stanfill, Manny Fernandez, Hall of Fame middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, and safeties Dick Anderson (AP Defensive Player of the Year) and Jake Scott were all named to the 1973 All-Pro team.
Before facing the Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII, Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton oozed confidence, saying he'd solved the 53. "I think you've got to prepare for the 53 defense, you've got to make it so the Dolphins don't know what to expect. I'm sure we'll prepare a little bit different." It didn't work. The Vikings lost 24-7, scoring their only TD in the fourth quarter.

 

[callaway1234]

8. 1973 Miami Dolphins The Dolphins 53/"No Name" Defense ("53" was linebacker Bob Matheson's number) held 11 opponents to 14 points or less, setting a record by allowing just 150 points in a 14-game season. Defensive end Bill Stanfill set a Dolphins' sack record that still stands, with 18.5. In the playoffs and Super Bowl, they allowed only 33 points against Cincinnati, Oakland and Minnesota. Stanfill, Manny Fernandez, Hall of Fame middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, and safeties Dick Anderson (AP Defensive Player of the Year) and Jake Scott were all named to the 1973 All-Pro team.
Before facing the Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII, Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton oozed confidence, saying he'd solved the 53. "I think you've got to prepare for the 53 defense, you've got to make it so the Dolphins don't know what to expect. I'm sure we'll prepare a little bit different." It didn't work. The Vikings lost 24-7, scoring their only TD in the fourth quarter.

^^^
Didn't Jason Taylor tie that amount a few years ago?

 

[LarryFinFan]

would that be 5 DL and 3 LBs? That would only leave 1 safety and 2 corners. sounds like that should have been burnt deep a lot.

It would in today's game, but the 53 D was designed to stop the run and also be able to apply extra pass rush on 3rd downs. It allowed us to make fewer personnel changes between plays and supplied some confusion of the QB...For the time period in the NFL, it was an innovative and creative defense designed by Bill Arnsparger...

 

[Hasta]

In th 70s, almost everyone used to run a 5-2 with five linemen and two linebackers. However, the ends in these defenses stood up and dropped into coverage sometimes...so really, it was a 3-4.

But yeah, the 53 was named for a jersey number...I suppose the Giants ran a 56 in the 80s.