switch to 3-4 defense

[pack4to84]

With all the talent the packers have at Lb and lack there of at DL why not switch to the 3-4 defense. I saw that they ran the 4-6 defense last night. With good results. Our LB are very talented it would be hard to make the cut on some of those guys.

[Tony Oday]

Do we have the DE to run a 3-4?

[Lurker64]

We don't have the personnel to run the 3-4 defense. For some reason, too many people (and too many teams) think what you need to run the 3-4 is "four good linebackers", which absolutely is not the case. The key component to the 3-4 defense is the 3, not the 4. You need a monster nose tackle and two 3-4 DEs in order to run the 3-4 defense. Jenkins is probably big enough to play DE in the 3-4, but Kampman is not. I'm not sure that Pickett is ideal for the 3-4 NT, honestly, it's a different position and I'm not sure he's ever played it.

Basically the problem with switching to the 3-4 would be that we don't have a second DE for the 3-4 and we wouldn't have anywhere to put Kampman. He's very undersized for a 3-4 DE, and he's not fast enough to play LB.

This is also not a switch you make at this point in the year. I can see them peppering in a 3-4 look on non-running downs, but with our personnel we'd be hemorrhaging rushing yards in a 3-4.

Your mistake is assuming that the 3-4 is a defense you use when your DL is weak, which is precisely incorrect. The 3-4 defense actually puts more pressure on your DL to execute than the 4-3 does and the 3-4 has more failure modes when your DL screws up than the 3-4 does.

[Scott Campbell]

My understanding is that running the 3-4 requires completely different player types than those used in the 4-3. I wish it were that easy.

[Zool]

We don't have the personnel to run the 3-4 defense. For some reason, too many people (and too many teams) think what you need to run the 3-4 is "four good linebackers", which absolutely is not the case. The key component to the 3-4 defense is the 3, not the 4. You need a monster nose tackle and two 3-4 DEs in order to run the 3-4 defense. Jenkins is probably big enough to play DE in the 3-4, but Kampman is not. I'm not sure that Pickett is ideal for the 3-4 NT, honestly, it's a different position and I'm not sure he's ever played it.

Basically the problem with switching to the 3-4 would be that we don't have a second DE for the 3-4 and we wouldn't have anywhere to put Kampman. He's very undersized for a 3-4 DE, and he's not fast enough to play LB.

This is also not a switch you make at this point in the year. I can see them peppering in a 3-4 look on non-running downs, but with our personnel we'd be hemorrhaging rushing yards in a 3-4.

Your mistake is assuming that the 3-4 is a defense you use when your DL is weak, which is precisely incorrect. The 3-4 defense actually puts more pressure on your DL to execute than the 4-3 does and the 3-4 has more failure modes when your DL screws up than the 3-4 does.

All exactly right. Think of it this way. Corey Williams is now an end in a 3-4. Pickett would probably be OK as a NT, but we have no ends. Our old Elephant DE position hasnt been around for about 5 years now. Kampy would be a rush OLB at most.

We do have the LB's to cover with Pops being stout enough rushing the QB and playing the run against a TE or the occasional tackle, but our line just is in the wrong configuration. We're still playing the Jim Bates Dolphin style D with the light and athletic ends lining up wide and rusing the edges.

[boiga]

I prefer the 2-4 nickle defense actually. They should use that all the time.

[Deputy Nutz]

Kampman was a linebacker for 3 years at Iowa, he was then moved to defensive tackle his last two years. He supposed to play tackle for the Packers, but he never got bigger than 275 pounds.

It is not about switching to a 3-4 or staying in a 4-3. The key is being able to get the right combination of players on the field and run as many schemes successfully as possible. The more looks you give an offense the more difficult it is for teams to game plan.

The Patriots have made a living on doing this, and sure it is easier in a 3-4, but the Pats have about 4 or 5 top quality defensive linemen all between 280lbs-325lbs.

I don't care what scheme is ran, the more talent you have on the defensive line the better the defense is going to be.

[Tony Oday]

Lets ru na 4-4

[Zool]

Lets ru na 4-4

Good idea. We'll bludgeon the WR's to death at the line.

[GBRulz]

I also have read where it isn't a good option for us because Bob Sanders has very little experience running a 3-4 defense.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Nope, for the same reason we aren't getting a vet QB as backup. M3 doesn't like changing horses in mid-stream.