Wich Is Better?: 4-3 Or 3-4

[xxAQUA JOSHUAxx]

I know were trying to switch to 3-4 but i just wanted to ask you guys the pros and cons about each one and wich one is better.

 

[FinAtic8480]

4-3 in my opinion, but with the right personnel the 3-4 can be very successful

 

[db32]

I know were trying to switch to 3-4 but i just wanted to ask you guys the pros and cons about each one and wich one is better.

That's dependent on how's it played-one could be the same as the other.

If it's an aggressive defense, a one-gap 3-4 would have the same look as an over/under-in this case the under with the buck/stud or any number of names is introduced over the TE in a 9 tech wth the close/base side end in a lower tech., usually a 5 or 4i. Either would have lots of angle calls (iso nose games and the like-read stunts).

Conversely, the less aggressive part of that would equate to more balanced fronts. That's disster in the NFL-read the Broncos distruction. Only the Jaguars have been able to pull that off with consistently possitive results.

This is where the 4-3 and 3-4 differ. Instead of playing mask-to-mask with 2 techniques or even techniques from the 2 interior defensive lineman with a loose 9 on the open side, the 3-4 would play two 4 techniques with lots of angles and stunts-I can tell you personally this leads to too much guessing by the coaching staff. To many angles and teams have a field day running the ball.

In the the end, if it's an aggressive defense, either. If it's a conservative defense, fire someone. That antiquated philosophy of playing even techniques almost exclusively is outdated and of no use to the modern NFL

 

[lbmclean_sj]

I think NT's and big LB's are getting harder to find

finding a tweener who can convert to OLB isn't easy either

that being said, players make plays not schemes

great defenses come in all forms

 

[3rdandinches]

There is no "better" line up/formation in defense or offense for that matter.It's all personel and how you use them.I love the 4-3 myself, there's tonnes of different zone blitzes and ways to fake the blitz which you can't do huge DE's.Basically close to what we did in Saben's last year, Pittsburgh I believe took zone Blitzes to it's highest levels.It allows the Jason Taylor's of the world to be dominant.

 

[satz]

Depends on personal. successfull 3-4 defences are usually run by older more experienced coaches. mangini is the only one who i know who is trying .for reason the older coaches like these. The problem with a 4-3 is if you have a deep threat or 2 the middle of the field becomes empty for a TE or a slot receiver as they will be matched up against a LB.A reason wes welker lead the league is catches .Even in SB he has 11 catches.

finding personal for a 3-4 is very hard and their are so many flavours of it the 3-4 by chargers,cowboys ,steelers and patriots are entirely different.

 

[late again]

It's entirely subjective. The nice thing about the 3-4 is that it's easier to disguise your pass rush. If you don't have the right personnel though, it's extremely vulnerable to the run. Finding a 3-4 NT is kind of like finding a 7 footer who can shoot a jumper.....they're out there, but....It's much easier to plug in a couple of 325 lb who are short on talent, but long on strength.

 

[Rich]

4-3 is better at stopping the run. Stopping the run is more important than stopping the pass. 4-3 is better, and that's why more teams in the league use it.

3-4 is a little more versatile, but harder/more expensive to run.

What is more effective... a linebacker covering the pass or a defensive lineman rushing the passer? I'll go with the pass-rusher.

 

[dolpns13]

I know were trying to switch to 3-4 but i just wanted to ask you guys the pros and cons about each one and wich one is better.

If you have the right personnel, they are both very effective. I personally prefer a 4-3

 

[Geforce]

I know were trying to switch to 3-4 but i just wanted to ask you guys the pros and cons about each one and wich one is better.

Here's some basic reading on the 3-4 so you can make up your mind on which defense you think is better. IMO it's very subjective and depends greatly on the style (aggressive or reactive) you want to play.

The Basics of the 3-4 Defense
http://www.geocities.com/epark/raiders/football-101-3-4-defense.html

Quarterbacks in a daze from the '3-4 defense' maze
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-01-03-defense-cover_N.htm

Ware played in a 3-4 during his first two NFL seasons under Bill Parcells, but it was a vastly different scheme. Parcells' 3-4 was built on power; Phillips' scheme emphasizes speed and is more aggressive. "Instead of a big boy's game," Stewart says, "we made it a finesse, go-get-em type of game."

Defensive linemen do the dirty work in 3-4
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=1946758

Indeed, for 3-4 linemen, the action in the playmaking department rarely is fast and furious. All 3-4 teams use some style of the "two-gap" technique, which calls for the nose tackle to fill the "A" gaps on either side of the center and for the ends to take care of the "B" and "C" gaps between the guards and tackles and outside the tackle, respectively. The idea is to fill both gaps and delay, if not prevent, blockers from reaching the second level, thereby creating open lanes to the football for the inside linebackers.

Pittsburgh's linemen do lots of stunting (looping) and penetrating, forcing the ballcarrier to commit to a hole. The Patriots linemen, on the other hand, are asked to simply hold their positions and tie up blockers. In general, linemen in the 3-4 often aren't in the best position to make tackles, hence their typically low totals. And since they aren't shooting through gaps like 4-3 linemen, they don't make very many stops behind the line of scrimmage, either. That's particularly true for the nose tackles, who deal with more of a variety of double teams than their 4-3 counterparts, who are already aligned in gaps.

 

[Deof Movestofca]

Neither is "better". It's just that each requires different types of DL and LB to run successfully and there are few players who would do equally well in both.

 

[G-Force]

Merge. This topic was already discussed and the 3-4 sucks. BTW Tony said he would run what is best for the team and that is the 4-3.

 

[Rich]

In a 3-4... you basically have 3 DT's (bigger linemen), and 1 big linebacker who can also play the run (simulating a 4-3).

Since we don't have 3 good DT's, and our linebackers don't get interceptions, the 3-4 isn't a good fit here. We have small linebackers, and a small DE (Jason Taylor).

In Saban's first year, Kevin Carter was big enough to be a DT (300 lbs), along with Holliday(300 lbs)(in a contract year), and Traylor(in a contract year)... it was effective. Jason Taylor could be the 4th linebacker... the big linebacker to stop the run.

Now we have no Carter and no Traylor, so we're at least 2 players away. And in the 3-4, who do you want covering the pass? Zach is our only good linebacker in pass coverage, and he's stuck in the middle as our #1 linebacker. So either you move Zach to a #3 linebacker, which isn't a bad idea, or you waste another pick on linebacker for a guy who won't play much (since he's behind Zach, Crowder, Porter on the depth chart).

Porter is an inside linebacker (like Zach and Crowder), who is playing outside linebacker.

Basically, we should swap Porter and Zach; this will prolong Zach's career(you don't have to tackle as much) and improve Porter's effectiveness.

 

[BobDole]

personally, i think a team can wreak much more havoc with a 3-4 because you can blitz on every single down and, if done correctly, the opposing team will never know where it is coming from. the 3-4 is extremely personnel dependent, and players like JT and ZT could end up in no man's land. with the 4-3, there are really no huge surprises, you pretty much know who to block and when. the offense knows which 4 guys to block almost every single time. but when you have duos like timbo and gardner/chester or stroud and henderson, you don't have to care about the offense knowing who to block, and guys like JT and ZT can have insanely productive careers. front 4's like the tatlor/timbo/chester/ogunleye can have just as many sacks as any 3-4 team.

however, when you have the right personnel for a 3-4, watch out. blitz every single time. don't let the offense even breathe. and you can be way more creative with the 3-4. big safeties can blitz all day b/c you've got LB's that can fade out, as long as you get to the QB quick you don't have to worry about LB's covering receivers for too long. and you don't need awesome lineman with the 3-4, whereas with the 4-3, you need great lineman and linebackers. lineman in the 3-4 are basically just there to take up as much space as possible and to take on as many o-linemen as possible. big, fast, strong linebackers are the key. a couple decent 300 lb ends with a 350 lb slow as molasses, strong as an ox DT with some stud LB's and you've got yourself a defense.

but the 3-4 is much harder to run and injuries can kill you. with the 4-3, a couple guys get banged up and you just plug some back ups in there and you should be fine. but get a DT hurt or an OLB in a 3-4 and you are in trouble unless you have one hell of a back up.

so, in conclusion, pending a blood test, whatever.

 

[PhinsPhan122]

If JT is around, and we get someone who can be average to above average, doesn't have to be a star, NT, then I would love to see our 3-4. JT and Joey Porter coming off the edge with Channing Crowder in the middle with either Zach Thomas or a draft pick. We would be real solid. The D-Line is the question though. I like Vonnie Holliday as a 3-4 DE, but we would need another good DE and the aforementioned good NT.