Steelers 4-3 defense - Page 2

Navy86 · 03-26-2011, 07:21 AM

While I get that it's the coaches and the players and not the scheme, that have made the Steeler defense a top defense year after year, there has to be something to the 3-4 that is causing more and more teams to switch to a 3-4 from a 4-3. I'd be more inclined to run a 3-3-5 than switch to a 4-3...and think that may be the future. Get smaller and quicker, not bigger and slower. I'm no expert, but when we go to dime and nickel pkgs, isn't that what we are essentially doing? Or is that more of a 2-4-5 type of alignment? Please school me if I am wrong.

***ricardisimo*** · 03-26-2011, 01:57 PM

This is good April Fools material, for those of you with writing skills and too much time on your hands.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navy86

While I get that it's the coaches and the players and not the scheme, that have made the Steeler defense a top defense year after year, there has to be something to the 3-4 that is causing more and more teams to switch to a 3-4 from a 4-3. I'd be more inclined to run a 3-3-5 than switch to a 4-3...and think that may be the future. Get smaller and quicker, not bigger and slower. I'm no expert, but when we go to dime and nickel pkgs, isn't that what we are essentially doing? Or is that more of a 2-4-5 type of alignment? Please school me if I am wrong.

The more teams that employ a 3-4, the less effective it is. I think in large part it's a question of preparation by the opposing teams. There were years when the Steelers were the only base 3-4 team in the entire league, and those were the Golden Years of Lloyd, Kirkland, Greene, et al. We were immovable. Then again, when you have linebackers like those guys in their prime, it almost doesn't matter what scheme you employ.

Navy86 · 03-26-2011, 04:48 PM

That's exactly my point. It does not matter what scheme you employ if you have the correct personnel. If you use larger down lineman, you might be successful using smaller, quicker personnel behind them, like in a nickel-type package. Anyway, I don't think it much matters what you "call" your defensive scheme, each team uses the personnel required to execute what ever type of offense you are trying to stop on any given play, and just because you run a base 3-4 or 4-3, it will adjust accordingly to the flow of the game. As long as the Steelers draft players who play and are hungry and talented, I don't care what you call the defense.

***ricardisimo*** · 03-26-2011, 07:03 PM

But there is an important point here, which is that the more teams using the 3-4, the less effective it is. The same cannot be said of the 4-3, which is definitely effective (or not) as a function of personnel and coaching.

There's a second important point: 3-4 defensive ends are cheaper, relatively speaking than 4-3 ends, since by and large all they are asked to do is mind their gaps and stop the run. If they can also sack the QB, great, but that's not why they were hired. And since you have one less defensive linemen, the defense as a whole is cheaper as a result. The Steelers are likely to stick with a formula that not only produces results, but saves money.

Navy86 · 03-26-2011, 09:12 PM

I agree, that's one good reason I don't see them switching to a 4-3. Hopefully, we'll still be able to scout the 3-4 ends and backers better than newer 3-4 teams keeping our defense more relevant? Of course, the more teams that run the 3-4, the smaller the barrel to choose from; I know more college teams are running the 3-4 than in the past, but how many are successful? Ahh, who knows, only time will tell I guess.

wootawnee · 03-27-2011, 11:40 AM

The Steel Curtain was a 4-3......

Nuff said.............

BengalDestroyer · 03-27-2011, 02:32 PM

3-4, 4-3 is for the teams who can't draft linebackers

mesaSteeler · 03-27-2011, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wootawnee

The Steel Curtain was a 4-3......

Nuff said.............

and Chuck Noll was the coach who switched from the 4-3 to the 3-4.

PhantomJB93 · 03-27-2011, 05:34 PM

You know, if you think about it a lot of our young defensive stars (I think) already played the 4-3 before they came here. Woodley and Worilds were both DE's and Hood was a DT. So, hypothetically, I'm not sure it would be as difficult a change as it as first seems. Sylvester and Timmons could be LB's, Worilds, Woodley, and Hood could be on the Dline, the secondary wouldn't really change at all (It still needs to be addressed right now but no personnel changes are required for a scheme switch), so we'd need one more DT and one more LB.

The problem is, guys like Woodley and Worilds weren't dominant as DE's in college, and their potential is maximized by the 3-4. So it could actually just end up making our defense a lot worse.

Again, I like the 3-4 better. I was just examining the possibility.

kirklandrules · 03-28-2011, 08:51 AM

I say we deploy the 1-1-9 defense. That will confuse them all. Of course, if you really want to sit around thinking how to keep everyone confused, you might as well move Arians to D Coordinator 'cause he's the master of confusion.

03-26-2011, 07:21 AM	#11
Navy86 Draft Prospect Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80 Gender: Male Member Number: 18326 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense While I get that it's the coaches and the players and not the scheme, that have made the Steeler defense a top defense year after year, there has to be something to the 3-4 that is causing more and more teams to switch to a 3-4 from a 4-3. I'd be more inclined to run a 3-3-5 than switch to a 4-3...and think that may be the future. Get smaller and quicker, not bigger and slower. I'm no expert, but when we go to dime and nickel pkgs, isn't that what we are essentially doing? Or is that more of a 2-4-5 type of alignment? Please school me if I am wrong.

03-26-2011, 04:48 PM	#13
Navy86 Draft Prospect Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80 Gender: Male Member Number: 18326 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense That's exactly my point. It does not matter what scheme you employ if you have the correct personnel. If you use larger down lineman, you might be successful using smaller, quicker personnel behind them, like in a nickel-type package. Anyway, I don't think it much matters what you "call" your defensive scheme, each team uses the personnel required to execute what ever type of offense you are trying to stop on any given play, and just because you run a base 3-4 or 4-3, it will adjust accordingly to the flow of the game. As long as the Steelers draft players who play and are hungry and talented, I don't care what you call the defense.

03-26-2011, 07:03 PM	#14
*ricardisimo* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lalaland Posts: 4,831 Gender: Male Member Number: 15369 Thanks: 34 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense But there is an important point here, which is that the more teams using the 3-4, the less effective it is. The same cannot be said of the 4-3, which is definitely effective (or not) as a function of personnel and coaching. There's a second important point: 3-4 defensive ends are cheaper, relatively speaking than 4-3 ends, since by and large all they are asked to do is mind their gaps and stop the run. If they can also sack the QB, great, but that's not why they were hired. And since you have one less defensive linemen, the defense as a whole is cheaper as a result. The Steelers are likely to stick with a formula that not only produces results, but saves money. __________________ Why does God hate amputees?

03-26-2011, 09:12 PM	#15
Navy86 Draft Prospect Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 80 Gender: Male Member Number: 18326 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense I agree, that's one good reason I don't see them switching to a 4-3. Hopefully, we'll still be able to scout the 3-4 ends and backers better than newer 3-4 teams keeping our defense more relevant? Of course, the more teams that run the 3-4, the smaller the barrel to choose from; I know more college teams are running the 3-4 than in the past, but how many are successful? Ahh, who knows, only time will tell I guess.

03-27-2011, 11:40 AM	#16
wootawnee Team Captain Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Santa Cruz , Ca Posts: 919 Gender: Male Member Number: 4530 Thanks: 25 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense The Steel Curtain was a 4-3...... Nuff said............. __________________ Heart Matters The Most..................

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03-27-2011, 02:32 PM	#17
BengalDestroyer Bench Warmer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New York Posts: 315 Gender: Male Member Number: 16598 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense 3-4, 4-3 is for the teams who can't draft linebackers __________________ “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.”

03-27-2011, 05:34 PM	#19
PhantomJB93 Assistant Coach Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 1,401 Gender: Male Member Number: 13907 Thanks: 24 Thanked 99 Times in 67 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense You know, if you think about it a lot of our young defensive stars (I think) already played the 4-3 before they came here. Woodley and Worilds were both DE's and Hood was a DT. So, hypothetically, I'm not sure it would be as difficult a change as it as first seems. Sylvester and Timmons could be LB's, Worilds, Woodley, and Hood could be on the Dline, the secondary wouldn't really change at all (It still needs to be addressed right now but no personnel changes are required for a scheme switch), so we'd need one more DT and one more LB. The problem is, guys like Woodley and Worilds weren't dominant as DE's in college, and their potential is maximized by the 3-4. So it could actually just end up making our defense a lot worse. Again, I like the 3-4 better. I was just examining the possibility.

03-28-2011, 08:51 AM	#20
kirklandrules Team Captain Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 751 Gender: Male Member Number: 8659 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Steelers 4-3 defense I say we deploy the 1-1-9 defense. That will confuse them all. Of course, if you really want to sit around thinking how to keep everyone confused, you might as well move Arians to D Coordinator 'cause he's the master of confusion.

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