Should Baltimore Stick to a 3-4?

[redrum52]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1350736956' post='1195496']


He could do it more in a 4-3.

You can get a pass rush in a 4-3.

Why is there such a widespread misunderstanding that a "3-4 defense is the best defense"? The best kind of defense is the kind of defense with good personnel that can play good defense. Formation doesn't dictate whether or not the defense is good.

As for this season, stick to the 3-4. I don't know if you guys know this or not, but you simply can't implement an entirely new scheme in the middle of a season. You'd be naive to think it's possible.

Next year, I fully advocate a 4-3 defense.
[/quote]

I approve this message. Go end in he first next year. Our interior line would be crazy with Ngata and Cody. We could also pick up another olb later in the draft.

[nextgen_RavensFan]

I do no know a lot about the defensive schemes etc and am hoping to learn more in this thread. I am in for any scheme that does not leave Cary Williams alone without help behind him. I never know how they get behind him with all of the cushion he gives by playing way off of the line.

[Death_from_Above]

[size=4][color=#222222]I've never been a fan of the 3-4. Unless you have 3 down lineman that can eat up blockers, your linebackers will never be able to fly to the ball, which is the whole premise of the 3-4. We only have one down lineman, Ngata, who is good enough to play in a 3-4 scheme.[/color]
[color=#222222].[/color]
[color=#222222]I don't care if the NFL is a pass happy league; the 4-3 is still the best defensive scheme. Not only is it stronger against the run, but in non-blitz packages, it always gives you four players going after the QB.[/color]

[color=#222222]Look at our defense and consider how the 3-4 is exacerbating our problems. We are getting ran on between the tackles because our three down lineman are basically being taken care of by three offensive lineman. That leaves two offensive linemen to push out to the second level and eat up linebackers. If you throw in a tight end or full back into the offensive scheme, that gives you the second body to put on Ngata. This pretty much ensures the running back is going to get through the first level untouched. If the linebackers can't get off the blocks, the potential for a big running play is high. This is what we've seen happen the last three games.[/color]

[color=#222222]On passing plays, the 3-4 only gives you three "rushers" to start. Three versus five isn't good. To make up for that, one of your linebackers tends to be a rushing specialist, i.e. Suggs. Four versus five, is better, especially when you have a special player like Suggs that can beat double teams. Of course, that's exactly why you end up facing, a tight end or offensive back staying in to give you six versus four. If you look at the Ravens without that special player, nobody seems capable of stepping up and beating their one-on-one match up, let alone beat a double team.[/color][/size]

[SuRihtanil]

[quote name='ravefan52' timestamp='1350757777' post='1195614']
[url="http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2010/4/9/1412079/football-101-the-ravens-hybrid"]http://www.baltimore...e-ravens-hybrid[/url]
[/quote]

good read

[The Raven]

I had a thought about our defense. Many people associate a 3-4 defense with big, hulking defensive linemen that get doubled and linebackers with pass rush ability. Our defensive line has struggled with double teams, and for the most part they haven't even deserved a double team. We also run a hybrid 3-4, where the line is positioned like a standard 4-3, and an outside linebacker is aligned as a defensive end. There is another form of the 3-4 defense that is something we could think about. We run the two gap system where the job of the defensive line is control two gaps. There is another scheme, used most famously by Wade Phillips, called the Single Gap 3-4.

In this scheme, the linemen are only responsible for one gap. This is one reason why Ratliff was so successful as Phillips' NT. He was small, but not responsible for two gaps.Our defensive linemen are not talented enough to attract and beat double teams. But their skill sets could be used better if this scheme. McPhee would be a a great fit in the Phillips 3-4. He's an explosive end that is better at penetrating the offensive line. Arthur Jones can take a double team but does best against one in one match ups. Tyson could do well in this scheme, and Bryan Hall was born for a Phillips 3-4.

One problem lies with Cody and Kemo. The Phillips 3-4 is like a 4-3 in terms of gap assignments. While they are both somewhat capable of controlling a single gap, they aren't exactly athletic or quick enough for this scheme. This also leaves the linebackers prone to getting abused by linemen more. That's the other problem. Our ILBs are incapable of shedding blocks.

It would use our defensive line in a better way, but it could hurt our linebackers. If we move to a Single Gap scheme, our defensive line could play faster and in a more attacking fashion. That could potentially help the linebackers if the line played faster. It may help the defense, it may not. Either way, it's something to think about.

[SecretAgentMan]

Yes, the real question is that is Cary a starting caliber CB?? Our LB core is fine now, and Smith is due to make his mistakes, Cary doesnt seem fit for any kind of coverage......

[Bltravens]

The problem with running a 4-3 defense is you need monster DEs like Peppers, Umineyora, Tuck, JPP etc. Those kinds of guys are not easily found, which is the reason alot of defenses have gone to a 3-4. It's much easier to find the 260-270 pound undersized college DE and teach them to stand up. You don't find the 280-290 pound athletic DE that can do it all very often, and generally speaking the good ones go in the top 15-20 picks.

"TheRaven" outlined nicely the different styles of 3-4 you can play to compensate for gap problems.

[flynismo]

[quote name='Death_from_Above' timestamp='1350853547' post='1198524']
[size=4][color=#222222].[/color]
[color=#222222]I don't care if the NFL is a pass happy league; the 4-3 is still the best defensive scheme. Not only is it stronger against the run, but in non-blitz packages, it always gives you four players going after the QB.[/color][/size]
[/quote]

And you know exactly where those four guys are coming from. One of the biggest advantages of a 3-4 is the potential to disguise your blitz in a manner that a 4-3 could never dream of doing.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1351813872' post='1207456']
And you know exactly where those four guys are coming from. [u][b]One of the biggest advantages of a 3-4 is the potential to disguise your blitz [/b][/u]in a manner that a 4-3 could never dream of doing.
[/quote]

that is the beauty of the 3-4 and having fast and athletic LBs.

~Mili

[gabefergy]

[quote name='Militant X 1' timestamp='1351814924' post='1207467']
that is the beauty of the 3-4 and having fast and athletic LBs.

~Mili
[/quote]

If only we had fast and athletic LBs. =(

[justifythegame]

[b]"I want a defense like Seattles"[/b]
I remember when the Ravens defense was what everyone wanted to emulate for over the last decade.... Its really unnacceptable what the coaching staff have turned our defense into, we were a team that took pride in having the best D in the world, i just assumed we would be like that forever like the bears and steelers