Kazkal Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 THE 3-4 DEFENSE ...WHO DOES IT HELP NOW?When the Steelers had the run of the house with the 3-4 defense, they presented problems for opposing offenses. Teams just didn't see the 3-4 very much, and with the blocking schemes changing, the pressure on the passer coming from different types of players, and the defensive linemen more interested in controlling the line of scrimmage than penetrating into the backfield, there were unique problems the 3-4 defense presented. As one head coach said to me two years ago, "We just don't get enough work against the 3-4 front."Joey Porter had 10.5 sacks last year, but the opposition may find a way to stop him. Joey Porter had 10.5 sacks last year, but the opposition may find a way to stop him. Today, there are so many coaches pondering the concept of putting the 3-4 defense in as a ploy that I had to ask a few NFL officials what the ripple effect might be if the 3-4 becomes a part of more than half the teams in the league.Right now, most offensive coordinators plan for 3-4 principles only when they play New England, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Oakland (maybe) and possibly another team that is doing it on occasion. I asked a few offensive coaches in the league what the effect of the 3-4 defense is right now, and I heard this from two of the better coaches: "The more reps our offense gets against the 3-4, the faster we will play." Another O-line coach said to me, "With San Francisco, Cleveland, the Giants and God knows who else is experimenting with the 3-4 as a series, it is getting easier for our offensive linemen and backs to block the defense."Finally, for most offenses in the NFL, they feel the mystique of the 3-4 is coming to an end. That means pass protections, running lanes and blocking schemes are getting easy to understand and react to. think its true? with more teams using it be less effective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Didn't Buddy Ryan come up with a defense that I can't remember the name to anymore ?? Everyone thought that was pretty great at the time...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"I thought there was something last year about the Ravens or eagles using it some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"I thought there was something last year about the Ravens or eagles using it some. My point exactly... One of the greatest defenses of all time and it's thought about being used, but not. Someone will figure out how to beat anything thrown at them. All in time...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldiesel Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 It still comes down to execution. Many teams have tried the west coast offense but if you don't have the personnel it won't work. Indy played both NE and Pitt in the regular season and had no problem with the 3-4. However, in the playoffs LeBeau made adjustments and gave Manning fits. It still comes down to execution and in-game adjustments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Oh, I'm sure it's used a lot more than that, it's just not talked about as much because it's no one's "base D"Everyone uses different packages on both sides of the ball all the time. I'm sure you see the "46" all the time, they just don't tell you about it and as fans we don't notice it. Kinda like nickel and dime packages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted July 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 4-4-3 go ravens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrandom42 Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"I thought there was something last year about the Ravens or eagles using it some. My point exactly... One of the greatest defenses of all time and it's thought about being used, but not. Someone will figure out how to beat anything thrown at them. All in time...WHODEY !!!Ryan took it to Philadelphia, Houston and Arizona. In Chicago and Philly, he had Pro Bowl players heading to the Hall of Fame who were up for the challenge of the 46. In Houston and Arizona, the 46 died an ugly death as merely good players weren't up to its demands. In 1995, Ryan's last year, the Cardinals went 4-12, losing to the Cowboys in the season ender, 37-13, which turned out to be the death knell of the 46 defense. Ryan never got another coaching job, pro or college.In the Bears' only loss in 1985, the Dolphins showed how to beat a 46. After that, it was merely a matter of studying game films and tailoring offensive schemes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 After that, it was merely a matter of studying game films and tailoring offensive schemes.As it is with most things on the field I assume. That's why I'm saying the 3-4 may be the thing right now, but the offense can always adjust to a team who runs a specific type of defense. Game film is huge...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripes Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 I don't think the 3-4 is quite so close to going away yet... As a defense, it is very easy to manipulate on a whim for gametime adjustments, and that is a big reason it has been so successful recently. Offenses may be getting better at facing base 3-4s, but the LeBeaus and Bellichicks of the world will be able to keep up with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalbob Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"I thought there was something last year about the Ravens or eagles using it some. My point exactly... One of the greatest defenses of all time and it's thought about being used, but not. Someone will figure out how to beat anything thrown at them. All in time...WHODEY !!!Good point. I think this is why Marvin and company want to be able to flexibly move from 3-4 to 4-3 and back. If they can get the right mix of athletes to be able to move back and forth between both sets then opposing offenses will really have something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadraftnick Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 One of the problems with the 3-4 is it can take a season or two for a the players to"get it" and know what they are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"I thought there was something last year about the Ravens or eagles using it some. My point exactly... One of the greatest defenses of all time and it's thought about being used, but not. Someone will figure out how to beat anything thrown at them. All in time...WHODEY !!!Ok, having been a Chicago native in '85, and watching my Bears demolish the league with the '46 D, here's the scoop. Buddy Ryan had a stacked defense that year. His boys were CrAzY, and flew to the ball. The defense was a whole new concept, and noone knew how to handle it. Other teams (including Buddy when he was a head coach) tried the same D. It failed. Why? People figured it out because the players could execute like the '85 Bears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratmandu Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"Buddy Ryan named the defense for Ohio State's safety Doug Plank,who wore jersey #46 and played safety like nothing NFL teams had ever seen before. Note ! I messed up when I initially submitted Gary Fencik's name instead of Doug Planks. I knew all along it was Plank and not Fencik.I don't know why I posted Fencik but I have immediately corrected my error.I was a huge Fencik fan and must have had him on my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 It was called the "46 defense" I think and it was run by the 85 Bears(arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time"It was named the "46 defense" after Yale's Gary Fencik.Fencik wore jersey #46 and was the feature player of the 46 package.Fencik was a BEAST. Never without a little blood on his jersey. Now THAT was football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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