Falcons: 3-4 Alignment

[FullMetalFalcon23]

(01-18-2012 04:59 PM)Radical Wrote:  It's in the scouting reports, and it was one of the reasons he has excelled as a WLB over SLB. At WLB, you can chase down the play and work in space, while at SLB you have to be able to work in traffic.

I think with work on his technique that block shedding can improve. I'm not trying to force the issue of him becoming SLB so much as him just becoming a better LB as a whole. Sean put up lineman numbers in the bench he is a strong guy, and his arms aren't Sam Baker. I think we are going to see a jump in Sean and the other olbs play this season. Nolan's presence tends to trend toward vast improvement in players. Even the ones who are already good. This could be what puts Sean over the top.

[RnB]

(01-18-2012 02:47 PM)FormerKCfan Wrote:  I'm not nearly familiar enough with the Falcon's front 7 personnel to comment on specifics as it relates to individual player skills but do have some thoughts to share on 4-3/3-4 hybrids and 3-4 conversions from the 4-3. It's not easy to convert.

Let's start there. You may say this player is prototypical size that can be plugged in here, can play out of a two point stance when he's used to having his hand in the dirt in the case of a tweener DE/OLB type but the scheme takes excellent coaching from guys who've lived & died with the 3-4. Then, it becomes a matter of educating the players and have them buy into the new disciplines.

A couple of case in points from my previous team, the Chiefs. When the Chiefs drafted Glenn Dorsey at #5 overall a few years back, he was coming from a 4-3 defense at LSU and made his bones as a 3 technique DT. Now he was asked to be a 3-4 DE and clog the gaps on his side to allow the LBs to make the majority of the tackles. Dorsey was denuded in a real sense and struggled with the transition to this day.

On the other hand, Tamba Hali was successfully converted from a 4-3 DE to a 3-4 OLB because his body type made it easier to transition and the fact that he is a dedicated hard worker who bought in and eventually flourished in the 3-4. Many others did not. I'm also convinced that the key to a 3-4 is having a Haloti Ngata squat 330lbs+ at NT who is able to consistently cave the pocket, eat up two Olinemen and have the athletic thumper ILBs do their deal in the all important middle gaps.

I'm hopeful of getting some old Falcon games off the NFL Network to study the skills of the Atlanta front 7 players more thoroughly and once done, be back to report my findings here. Until then, this is a FYI to be continued.

Wow, thanks for the excellent info. I knew that Dorsey (he is a guy many Falcons fans wanted to draft) had serious problems converting to a 3-4 defense. I did not know about Hali's success with it.

You have a great point about how important that NT is in a 3-4. We have been a team that has focused on smaller defensive linemen for a number of years so our roster really doesn't have a guy like that currently; we would need to pick one up via FA or the draft. The last DT we had like that was Grady (gravy) Jackson and that was 3-4 years ago. I think we do have the personnel at LB/DE to run a 3-4, but as you said, it all depends on how well they can transition to it.

You are quickly becoming on of the guys around here I look forward to seeing posting in threads. Here is another +1; not a freebie this time, you earned it!