Go To 4-3?

[Tighthead420]

This is just a thought I had last night driving home. With all the talk of linebackers in question (including salary issues). Would it make sense for the Raven's to go 4-3? Putting Ngata and Gregg in the middle would be devastating to RB's and O-lines. If so, which LB's would we keep? Lewis is obvious, Suggs I say absolutely. If we can afford to keep Scott, what do we do with JJ, or even J. McClain (who I would love to see get more game time).

Also, would Rex be comfortable in that scheme?

I must state that I do not prefer 4-2 nor 3-4, I just have to know.

[ravensfan160]

Thats a possibility but there are two key variables. First, there's no guarentee Rex will be with us next year. He's been trying to become a head coach for years now and with so many jobs expected to become available next year I wouldn't be surprised if he finally gets one. If he would leave then I think switching to a 4-3 is more likely but if he stays he is too fond of the 3-4 and all the potential blitz packages to change. With that said, I'm not sure our defense should even be classified as either a 3-4 or 4-3 with all the substitutions and movement we do. Second, is the health of Kelly Gregg. He is in his 30's now and had major knee surgery this year. Even if he is able to play next year theres a chance he won't be his usual self.

[flynismo]

Absolutely, it makes sense, if we lose either Scott or Suggs. Losing one of them would hurt, but adding a fourth man to the line could make up for it, and make Ngata even more of a monster. It would also give our LB'ers added protection.
I have absolutely nothing to back this next thought up with, other than random memories, but on the other hand, it seems our defense plays better out of the 3-4.

[Canes21]

even though i do like the 3-4 i wouldnt be opposed to switching to the 4-3. an interesting thing i would try would be to put ngata/pryce and gregg/bannan as our DT. not only would this give us good depth but i think we would have a run defense similar to the minnesota vikings and their "williams wall". then what i would do is put suggs and JJ at the defensive end spots. they both have the speed and size simular to dwight freeney and robert mathis. then for LBs ray in the middle and bart on the outside if we keep him and if we dont then barnes and gooden/j mcClain. i dunno how well this would work but if it did it would be a fun D to watch. but in my opinionn the only way we could do it is to keep at least ray and suggs. if we lose them the 4-3 wouldnt be such a good idea.

[Bullrush]

Depends on what happens to Rex after the Season. I wouldn't mind bringing in a new D-Coordinator, I'm not a big fan of the hybrid 3-4 / 4-3 defense. Suggs could be even more productive than John Abraham as a full time DE. Instead he plays LB, he drops back in coverage and all that, it's a waste. Same goes for Ngata. He could put up Haynesworth type numbers as a 4-3 DT. Instead he lines up all over the field and he gets double teamed all the time, especially when they move him to DE.

[PurpleClawsOfFURY]

I actually posted a topic about this last night but it never appeared.... strange but yeah i love this idea it's cost effective, better against the run, and our team is totally set up for it.
Add years to Ray's Career
Ngata making bigger plays
Draft Pass rush DE's
Scott at Will linebacker (Flow linebacker good in space)
McClain/Barnes/JJ/Gooden could all possibly be Sam Linbackers (Strong backers who take on tightends and blocks well)
Reed and Landry won't have to play run support so hard meaning more concentration on the pass for them.

[codizzle]

i love the idea of the 4-3 and purpleclaws just mentioned why... inclduing the reasons everybody has given about haloti and ray ray and suggs.. think about what it would do for reed and landry.. they would have free reign and wouldnt have to worry about middle run support..

[Sub-Zero]

I don't mind going back to a 4-3 like someone stated, it will keep Ray Ray clean from blockers and it will be even harder to run against us.

[Moderator 2]

[quote name='PurpleClawsOfFURY' post='107466' date='Dec 18 2008, 02:33 PM']I actually posted a topic about this last night but it never appeared.... strange but yeah i love this idea it's cost effective, better against the run, and our team is totally set up for it.
Add years to Ray's Career
Ngata making bigger plays
Draft Pass rush DE's
Scott at Will linebacker (Flow linebacker good in space)
McClain/Barnes/JJ/Gooden could all possibly be Sam Linbackers (Strong backers who take on tightends and blocks well)
Reed and Landry won't have to play run support so hard meaning more concentration on the pass for them.[/quote]
I got kicked out twice last night too==strange

[TSizzle00]

dont we use the 4-3,3-4 and 46?

[Bullrush]

46 not really, we're using a hybrid 3-4 / 4-3 defense. Usually it's a 3-4 though.

[macbrak]

Yes let's fix what's not broke. Aren't we in the top five in ever defensive category?

[Bullrush]

With all the talent we have we should be ranked 1st. I don't think top 5 is what our guys are shooting for.

[macbrak]

We are ~17 yards from being ranked 1st and you all want to change the basic formation we use.

[52Kia Kaha92]

im not sure we have te personal
We are better suited to a 3-4 IMO
but if we did move to a 4-3 Ngata would be unstoppable with Suggs rushing outside him and another big guy on the other side of him, if they doubled we could bring scott or gooden on a blitz, a boy can dream lol
Anyway lets break it down

4-3 defense
Gooden - Lewis - Scott/other
Suggs - Ngata - Gregg/Pryce - JJ

this allows the older Gregg and Pryce to sub in and out so they dont get tired
and will be a dominant front four similar to TEN which created havoc but we may not have the money to sign scott and we may have to sign a 4-3 linebacker as McClain is more of a blitzer as is Barnes so we would have to resign scott or draft an outside backer (Laurinatus maybe lol), it does give ray a few more years also as he wont have to take on blocks but it does take away the mystery of what we could do

3-4 defense

Suggs - JJ - Lewis - Barnes
Ngata - Banan/ Gregg - Pryce

we can afford to let scott go as JJ would be better inside IMO, continue to groom Goodedn to be ray replacement and still hold the "what are the gonna do card" but Ngata is not be utilized right and Pryce and Gregg are older and one is coming of a serious knee injury. So we would have to draft a d-lineman in the first two rounds or sign a FA

I think i prefer the 4-3 formationm it gives us a great pass rush and a great runs topping front four, the front four can rotate heaps as we have lots of depth.
The linebcakers give ray a few more years and we could draft Laurinatus to play outside or even resign scott to play there, we get to see what gooden can do and it frees up reed to ball hawk as he only has to worry about deep zones.

We should switch to the 4-3

[TXRaven]

I would be down with that I seem to remeber we had good things happen with Sam Adams and the Goose eating people up on the line. Ray was free to make alot of plays.

[codizzle]

[quote name='TXRaven' post='107694' date='Dec 18 2008, 08:12 PM']I would be down with that I seem to remeber we had good things happen with Sam Adams and the Goose eating people up on the line. Ray was free to make alot of plays.[/quote]
yea that was when our defense was one of the freaking greatest ever.... we already got the next great dt in ngata and gregg can still hold his own. with them two in the middle we could let suggs "roam free" on the line and trevor pryce on the other side...

that would be the making of another 2000 Ravens D.

[wayne]

[quote name='Bullrush' post='107448' date='Dec 18 2008, 01:15 PM']Depends on what happens to Rex after the Season. I wouldn't mind bringing in a new D-Coordinator, I'm not a big fan of the hybrid 3-4 / 4-3 defense. Suggs could be even more productive than John Abraham as a full time DE.[b] Instead he plays LB, he drops back in coverage and all that, it's a waste. [/b]Same goes for Ngata. He could put up Haynesworth type numbers as a 4-3 DT. Instead he lines up all over the field and he gets double teamed all the time, especially when they move him to DE.[/quote]


Its not a waste when he is taking picks back to the house like he have done this year in back to back games.Why would you want to limit his atheletic abilities to only rushing the passer when he can rush the passer and drop back in coverage for potential interceptions.

Which brings me back to the topic, I'm fine with our current hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense. To go completely to a 4-3 would be utterly stupid to me considering what we are doing this year and the years that have passed. The 3-4 can be alot more confusing than the 4-3 and thats whats the bueaty of the 3-4 defense.Trye, Suggs and Ngata would probably have more sacks but does that really result to our defense being better?

[wayne]

Also, what website do I go to to see a map of where certain games will be showing in the country b/c someone on this forum always post it.

[macbrak]

[quote name='wayne' post='107773' date='Dec 19 2008, 07:21 AM']Also, what website do I go to to see a map of where certain games will be showing in the country b/c someone on this forum always post it.[/quote]
This game is only NFL Network or in the home cities flagship stations.

Here is the rest:
[url="http://www.the506.com/nflmaps/"]http://www.the506.com/nflmaps/[/url]

[MJSMOOTH]

I've been saying that along. Cuz on madden the ravens they in a 3-4 D i don't like it it does not help our pass