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Aftermath · 01-18-2012, 09:14 AM

(01-18-2012 08:33 AM)FullMetalFalcon23 Wrote: Go back and do your research Math. He is a premier 34. But he is primarily a Multi guy. All his Defenses have had 43 elements but not all have had 34.

Baltimore was and is still a multi with a predominant 43 alignment. San Fran he ran the hybrid but it was more 34 before it reverted to a 43 then back to 34 again.

Miami he started them off as a 43 hybrid before taking them into the 34 this year.

Nolan is versatile. If he didn't think it could be done or didn't want to compromise he wouldn't take it. Fact is we are running a multi which means we will see combinations with the philosophies behind multiple Defenses underpinning a variety of looks to standard fronts. Even if we are going 34 is it not best to make a 2 to 3 year transition into it permanently rather than trying to force a square peg into a round hole and getting it wrong.

I never said he couldn't run a 4-3, never said he didn't have experience doing it, just simply stated that history has show than when given the option he has chosen to run a 3-4. Sure it has elements of a 4-3 & 4-6 but there are not many 3-4 systems that don't. The advantage of a 3-4 is that the personal used in the scheme are versatile and can often be applied to other schemes as well. While I agree that a transition to a 3-4 typically takes time Nolan made the transition with the Broncos in a single season, Phillips did it with the Texans too.

I guess my original post on the matter came off a bit snarky because of how little faith I have in Mike Smith to let these guys do what they need to do in order to be successful.

Aftermath · 01-18-2012, 09:22 AM

(01-18-2012 08:32 AM)JDaveG Wrote: It's not just "big money." It's total contract money. We have Peters who doesn't fit, Jerry who REALLY doesn't fit (though to be fair, Jerry could probably be cut regardless of what we run), Babineaux doesn't fit, Spoon and Nick aren't ideal for that system, etc. Spoon is athletic enough to run whatever we want, I'll grant you, but Nicholas isn't. Walker isn't going to translate well. Bierman and Sid are too small to be DEs in the 3-4 and not good enough in coverage to be OLBs.

I'm not saying we'll NEVER run a 3-4. I'm just saying it won't be our base this season. Whether that changes or not remains to be seen.

Spoon would be great as a 3-4 ILB, he has the range and speed to be effective, Lofton is the one I would be worried about. Both Biermann and Sidbury had experience standing up in college. While the personnel may not be ideal, to be honest it cant be much worse than what some of these guys were doing in a 4-3. If personnel is an issue its safe to say the 3-4 wont be used much in 2012, either way we cant keep guys on the roster (Edwards, Abe, Nicholas) that are not versatile to play both or just dont want to. I'm worried about getting stuck in 3-4, 4-3 limbo, not having the right personnel to run either one.

Paprika Neck · 01-18-2012, 10:41 AM

nobody is winning a superbowl without an outstanding safety.

JDaveG · 01-18-2012, 10:55 AM

(01-18-2012 09:22 AM)Aftermath Wrote: Spoon would be great as a 3-4 ILB, he has the range and speed to be effective, Lofton is the one I would be worried about. Both Biermann and Sidbury had experience standing up in college. While the personnel may not be ideal, to be honest it cant be much worse than what some of these guys were doing in a 4-3. If personnel is an issue its safe to say the 3-4 wont be used much in 2012, either way we cant keep guys on the roster (Edwards, Abe, Nicholas) that are not versatile to play both or just dont want to. I'm worried about getting stuck in 3-4, 4-3 limbo, not having the right personnel to run either one.

ILB, sure. But we don't have anyone who can play OLB in that scheme. Bierman and Sid played standing up in college, I agree. But I haven't seen enough from either one in coverage to make me think dropping one or the other on every defensive play is a good move. Bierman has been okay when we've done a zone blitz, but I can see us getting repeatedly abused with that kind of system. I'd honestly rather see Spoon on the outside than either of them.

I agree about getting stuck in limbo. That's why I think we stay with a 4-3 base for a few seasons until we can upgrade personnel through the draft. We'll probably get a decent NT/2-gap monster in either case, though. And that, to me, will help more than any scheme will. Get a guy who can eat up blocks on the inside to free up the other linemen and linebackers to get to the QB or plug holes to stop the run.