Will we see as much of a four man front in the next game?

[PATRIOT64]

From what I saw against the Eagles, BB was using a 4 man front 4-3 base defense almost the whole game.

Is this just a plan to see what effects it may bring when it is used sparingly during a regualr season game? or will we be seeing a lot more of it this season with more of a 3-4 4-3 mix than ever before?

I do not remember seeing this in preseason all that much over the past few years so will we see it more when the regular season counts? or is it back to our primary 3-4 starting next week?

Your thoughts?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

From what I saw against the Eagles, BB was using a 4 man front 4-3 base defense almost the whole game.

Is this just a plan to see what effects it may bring when it is used sparingly during a regualr season game? or will we be seeing a lot more of it this season with more of a 3-4 4-3 mix than ever before?

I do not remember seeing this in preseason all that much over the past few years so will we see it more when the regular season counts? or is it back to our primary 3-4 starting next week?

Your thoughts?

my guess is that it will be a reverse of the defense from previous years when we had the 3-4 base and occasional 4-3. this year i think it will be 4-3 with the occassional 3-4. the players have been practicing in the 4-3 almost excluslively in the preseason so for.

 

[PATRIOT64]

my guess is that it will be a reverse of the defense from previous years when we had the 3-4 base and occasional 4-3. this year i think it will be 4-3 with the occassional 3-4. the players have been practicing in the 4-3 almost excluslively in the preseason so for.

Why do you think this will be the case? - Is it because of the light depth and inexperience and even age (Bruschi) on some of our ILBs? - There has to be a reason behind the change IF it becomes suddenly a primary 4-3 but I would be shocked if this defense were suddenly a 4-3 and not an occasional one.

 

[Gwedd]

Why do you think this will be the case? - Is it because of the light depth and inexperience and even age (Bruschi) on some of our ILBs? - There has to be a reason behind the change IF it becomes suddenly a primary 4-3 but I would be shocked if this defense were suddenly a 4-3 and not an occasional one.

During the first quarter, both Criqui and Cross said that the previous night, while talking with Coach, he indicated that the 4-3 would be used a great deal.

 

[spacecrime]

From what I saw against the Eagles, BB was using a 4 man front 4-3 base defense almost the whole game.

Is this just a plan to see what effects it may bring when it is used sparingly during a regualr season game? or will we be seeing a lot more of it this season with more of a 3-4 4-3 mix than ever before?

I do not remember seeing this in preseason all that much over the past few years so will we see it more when the regular season counts? or is it back to our primary 3-4 starting next week?

Your thoughts?

This is an excellent question. Whoever you are, you better not log in here again using Patriot64's ID and password.

Seriously, dude, is this you?

I'm betting this thread gets your highest rating ever! I'll even start it off with five stars.

 

[PATRIOT64]

This is an excellent question. Whoever you are, you better not log in here again using Patriot64's ID and password.

Seriously, dude, is this you?

I'm betting this thread gets your highest rating ever! I'll even start it off with five stars.

Shhhh ..... This is really Bill Belichick wanting to get opinions of my fellow fans of how I should run my defense this year...Don't tell anyone I told you my true identity,don't blow my cover,O.K.?

 

[kas]

Why do you think this will be the case? - Is it because of the light depth and inexperience and even age (Bruschi) on some of our ILBs? - There has to be a reason behind the change IF it becomes suddenly a primary 4-3 but I would be shocked if this defense were suddenly a 4-3 and not an occasional one.

The 4-3 helps with the pass rush. Given that BB expect most teams to be in an aggressive "pass-happy" mode when they play us, he is working out the kinks now to have an extensive and well executed 4 man DL package.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Def. check this thread out:
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/259952-myron-pryor-page2.html

some GREAT posts by some knowledgeable fans!

 

[hernandeztribe]

What if this is to get away from the 3-4, because we know we are not going to sign Wilfork........ just saying.....

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Great thread and I'll admit that I'm not up to speed with some of you guys on the technicalities of the 4-3 vs 3-4, but I do have the strong impression that the four man front is a good use of Wilfork, who is an exceptional talent by any measure.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Why do you think this will be the case? - Is it because of the light depth and inexperience and even age (Bruschi) on some of our ILBs? - There has to be a reason behind the change IF it becomes suddenly a primary 4-3 but I would be shocked if this defense were suddenly a 4-3 and not an occasional one.

i honestly think we are suited for the 3-4 so i am shocked at hearing that we will be playing more 4-3. maybe we'll use both schemes evenly througout the season - you know to keep other teams guessing. it's another advantage we can have.

 

[patsfaninpa]

i honestly think we are suited for the 3-4 so i am shocked at hearing that we will be playing more 4-3. maybe we'll use both schemes evenly througout the season - you know to keep other teams guessing. it's another advantage we can have.

I think our best defensive allignment this year will be a 4-2-5.

DL Burgess, Warren, Wilfork and Seymour

LB Mayo and Thomas

DB's in a nickel - Bodden, Springs, Wilhite, Sanders and Meriweather.
With Butler pushing the cb's and Chung the S's.

 

[patman52]

I did not see them play a 3-4 at all this afternoon.

Burgess, Pryor, Seymour and Banta Cain in the nickel

Warren, (Pryor/Brace) Wilfork and Seymour in the 4-3 base.

Bruschi was never on the field in either set.

 

[CrazedChariot]

I think we are going to see slow transition to a 4 linemen defense over this year and into the next.

The 3-4 strengths have always been defending against the run, and the ability to cook up some clever blitz schemes to make up for the lack of general qb pressure.

With the nfl becoming more of a pass first, run second league, the 3-4 is going to have to evolve into a very blitz heavy scheme in order to compete with the 4-3.

On top of that, numerous teams are now switching to 3-4 defenses. There aren't going to be as many bargain deals for 3-4 players, like there have been in the last 10 years. A "tweener" used to be a player that didnt really have a spot, and that a 3-4 team could pick up for cheap. Now they are becoming top FA and draft acquisitions.

Personally I would like to see BB develop more of a 4-3 jumbo package that would focus more on stopping the run. He could then combine this with a more traditional 4-3 , and a 4-2-5 nickel to get a good mixture of qb pressure and coverage ability.

Then he could mix in the 3-4 to keep qb's and offensive CO's guessing.

 

[patsfan13]

3-4-4, 4-3-4, 3-3-5 (with 1 blitzer), 4-2-5 & 6 DB's will all be seen. IMO 304 willstill be the base D. Everything will be based on the game situation. Situational football as BB likes to emphasize.

With the personel upgrades on the D this year we have the flexibility to match up in any situation run or pass.

I expect we will be ahead a lot this year which will dictate a lot of 5 DB schemes.

Our DL's know the 3-4 we need to get comofrtable with the 4 DL sets (or 3-3-5 w 1 lb rushing).

Cna't wait for this season. We had a horrible red zone D and 3rd down D last year these are the areas for improvement.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The advantage of the 3-4 was it narrowed the rush lane options, put four faster defenders down around the LOS to cut off RBs, and when rushing the passer, a well stocked 3-4 unit could send three DL and any one of four LBs making it difficult for OL to set their pass protection before the snap.

The question of why a 4-man front is partially answered by the current pass happy tendency of the NFL...except half or more of the teams on the schedule could be considered run first teams:
-- NYJ (2), Ten, Bal, Atl, Car, Jax, Hou. Run first (8).
-- Mia(2) is run dependent, McD kept the run game intact when he inherited, and until his QB and receivers get their minds in-sync they will probably run to set up the pass. Leaning run (3)
-- Ind and NO are strong passing teams. Buf is leaning pass with Owens signing. Pass first (4)
-- TB is an enigma.

So I make that 11 leaning run, 4 leaning pass, and 1 who knows?

Of course there is the expectation that this will be another high scoring offense, one that puts the opposition in catch-up mode early - which shifts the defensive emphasis over to pass more often than not. I also have to wonder if Dean Pees spent any time studying Boston College's defense with two large bodies in the middle? It could well be one of the goals for a 40 shift is to protect Mayo and leave him more opportunities to make plays without a blocker in his grill.

The remainder of preseason will be interesting to observe.

For those attempting to project a roster:
-- 40 front teams tend towards more DL and fewer LBs.
-- The Training Camp roster suggests NE is leaning towards larger DEs (Seymour, Warren, Green, Wright, L. Smith, S. Williams, Richard, shopping Carter...)
-- Smaller DEs are essentially 3-4 OLBs to keep 30/40/20/50/60/10 front flexibility. (A. Thomas, Woods, TBC, Burgess, Crable, Ninkovich)
-- ILB will be in more demand for their speed. (Mayo, Guyton, Lenon, Alexander)
-- If the expectation is NE will be in Nickel and Dime packages more consistently, it may be that additional DBs might be necessary...
-- If scoring fast is a priority on offense, depth at WR becomes more important.