Canada's #1 Pats Fan

I'd be OK with that. It would be fitting for BB's genius wouldn't it?

mtbykr

Let's not forget that although BB loves the 3-4, he isn't opposed to going 4-3. In 2001 he switched to a base 4-3 because of personel about 4 games into the season and stayed that way throughout.

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"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits". - Albert Einstein

Pats726

We might never know exactly how this evolved..but certainly a MORE 4-3 is what they are into now..ONLY time will tell if it's a TOTAL shift..or such...I do think the 3-4 as well as many hybrid defenses will be part of their defensive package..tea,s may NOT know what type of D they have planned..I think a bit of both..but definitely leaning for the 4-3 more..I agree with Maverick..slowly done..whether by design or it started to happen or maybe teh pieces just fit in...maybe he thought with Mayo a 4-3 could be possible..

Canada's #1 Pats Fan

Maybe because of the questions with the secondary, BB feels that more of a pass rush can/and will be generated by a 4-3 with his current personnel than the personnel he has for a 3-4.

PatsBoy12

Thanks. I thought the same thing, but I still had to question it.

maverick4

That is what I meant, thank you for the clarification PFPhilly

JoeShmoe

Of course he is

Said this on the defense thread the other day (and got laughed at) but we have the personnel now to play 4-3 (probably still a 2 gap 4-3) with faster DE's like Burgess

Seymour is a 3-4 DE and so he's been traded. I still think we will see some 3-4 but its just like Bill that while everyone else goes to 3-4 he goes to 4-3

maverick4

This is a great point. Our Cinderella run in 2001 was in a 4-3 defense!

Metaphors

The technique is more important than the number of players with their hands on the ground. If the Pats go to a 1-gap penetrating defense, that will be a huge transition. I'll assume (like you) that they stay 2-gap.

That means there will either be someone lining up over the center (Wilfork, Brace) or two tackles lining up over the guards (any number of candidates for this). Outside of Mayo and Sanders, whose responsibilities stay the same regardless, the rest of the defense keys off the tackle(s). The Pats will be in nickel/dime half the time anyway, so there won't even be a "front seven" for a majority of game snaps anyway.

So what technique will the tackles be playing next Monday? I have no idea. Neither do the Bills. Even when the Pats show a formation, I expect them to change it from game-to-game, half-to-half or even series-to-series.

mgteich

The defense had been rebuilt over the past three seasons. Let's see how many survived: Warren, Wilfork, Green, Wright, and Thomas.

Yes, I do think we'll be a base 4-3 2-gap. We will still go into the 3-4 on occasion.

The bottom line is that Belichick was NOT happy with the defenses of the last 2-3 years, no matter what the stats said.

This is a very, very young defense.