The Rage Of The 3-4 Defense

So with all the teams going to the 3-4, wouldn't it be wise to go to the Tampa 2 or another less in vogue defense? Then you would get the value for your money and draft picks that Pittsburgh and Baltimore received 10 years ago.

first i think you have to determine if the 3-4 was developed because it was "defense on the cheap", or if it was because it could confound offenses more than the 4-3 or Tampa 2....

Matt, perhaps you could give a little discourse on the terminology of "3 technique" or "5 technique." I follow the game closely, but I guess I'm not up to snuff on my D Line lingo.

On this day, I'd like to give a quick remembrance of Richard Lehmann of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, who spent his 20th birthday on a troop carrier in the English Channel during the Normandy Invasion. I spent my college summers working on Dick's small farm, and each day always had enough time for a long lunch and stories. Dick's years spent marching across Europe were obviously the most profound experiences of his life. He passed a few years ago of old age, fortunately. I thank you, Dick, I miss you, and rest in peace.

A 5 technique defensive lineman has his nose on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle I believe where as a 3 technique defensive lineman lines up in the middle of the B gap or outside shade of the guard.

Packer Pete,

The technique is simply where the lineman lines up (it could be in between o lineman or in front of them...etc).
You should be able to find charts anywhere online but here's a start. For example a nose tackle is a 0 technique.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Football-Instruction-2069/defensive-line-play.htm

Haley and Pendergast have the Chiefs playing a 4-3 "under". The same D that the Cards ran.

But I'm sure they'll have some 3-4 sub pkgs.

Packer Pete,
Thanks for sharing the story of your friend, Richard Lehmann. Evey one should have the opportunity to know such men, and women.

I too knew two good man that did their duty when called, First was my Dad, served 8 yrs in the US Navy, 4 yrs prior to WWII and 4 yrs during, including being on board the USS Boggs during the attack on Pearl Harbor. My Dad passed in Feb. 1991. And then there is John Bert Houston, or JB as he prefers. This man did 20 years in the Marine Corps, was in combat in both Korea and Vietnam, Carrying a 30 pound radio along with all his other gear. He jokes that the tall orange flags used by bicycalist to make them better visible, was created by a radio man, after the long whip antennas on radios of the day, because it made him highly visible and what better target than a guy that can call in thunder from above.

Any way these two men inspired me in my youth, so much so, that 2 days after the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut, I joined the Marines and served 8 yrs.

MOS, Oh Three Twenty One!

HooRahhh!

A whole article on the 3-4 defense, including a section on how the players are hard to come by, and you don't even mention the NT!?! The 3-4 NT may be the hardest position to fill on an entire football team. There are only a few men capable of playing this position and they are the key to success of the 3-4. More importantly they are the reason most teams will fail in converting to the 3-4. The Packers got theirs but other teams converting to the 3-4, such as the Broncos and Chiefs, will suffer from 5 yard runs up the middle all season long without a proper 2-gapper.

Even guys who we consider good 3-4 NTs cant hold up for a whole season because it is an insane position. Kris Jenkins is a perfect example, plays well most of the season but falls off late due to the intense grind that 3-4 linemen suffer through.

To any fans who's team has converted to the 3-4 and hasn't has success yet, good luck! The Packers are the only team to get the talent needed this year and another 7 or 8 teams are going to suffer because they lack 3-4 linemen. Its a style that can only work for a few team, not the dozen that will try to implement it this season.

Thanks, Jimbo, for the good link. I knew that the technique meant alignment position, but didn't know exactly where. A 5 technique puts the DE right over the OT. I had been searching for my answer at RocketScience.com, but I guess D Line alignment ain't rocket science!

If Carter and Holliday are so sought after, then how come both are still unsigned? They'll probably both eventually sign somewhere, which says that they're still useful, relevant, or some other adjective, but to say that they're in "high demand" seems silly for guys that have been twisting in the free-agency wind all the way into the last week in May, after teams have already started OTAs.

Dan, I was just thinking the same thing. Carter and Holliday may be in high demand once camp injuries start occurring but to paint them as in high demand now is over doing it a bit.

PK1987, you point out the biggest reason why the 3-4 Packers defense of the 80's-early 90's never dominated. They had decent enough LB'ers but never a dominant NT to tie up multiple OLinemen and the run D suffered because of it. Hopefully they've got it right this time.