Will the Pats be forced to go to more 4-3 because of the injuries on the DL?

[Wretch]

Ty Warren injury latest concern on New England Patriots' lines - ESPN Boston

With the injuries/non-participation issues going on with the DL I wanted to pose a question to the board.

Will the Pats be forced to go to more 4-3 because of the injuries?

Gerrard Warren and Lewis are both comfortable in the 4-3, and a lot of people say Pryor and Wright are more cut out for the 4-3 and Wilfork played the 4-3 in Miami so I think the DTs are all set.

This would make TBC, Cunningham, and Ninkovich (Burgess if he shows up) DE instead of OLB.

Who becomes our OLB and MLB? I think Mayo is the starting MLB, and Guyton an OLB. Do McKenzie and Spike have the skill sets to be OLB in the 4-3?

Thoughts?

 

[Sicilian]

I think we use a fair amount of 4-3 anyway, but it's certainly possible. Though I think Warren's injury might affect the nickel and dime packages more than the base-D. We might see more 4-2-5 nickel than 3-3-5 for example, taking advantage of depth at interior line and TBC/Cunningham playing with their hands down.

 

[patriotscpfc]

If we went 4-3, Mayo and Guyton would have to be the 2 OLBs.

Spikes could not play outside in any formation.

I doubt McKenzie could either.

And if i'm honest, I wouldn't want Mayo to play outside either.

 

[RayClay]

If we went 4-3, Mayo and Guyton would have to be the 2 OLBs.

Spikes could not play outside in any formation.

I doubt McKenzie could either.

And if i'm honest, I wouldn't want Mayo to play outside either.

McKenzie played OLB at Florida. Probably more than ILB.

 

[Wretch]

A small tidbit from Reiss was Spike playing OLB on some snaps. I don't think that means too much but its worth noting that the coaches are experimenting with Spikes on the outside.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Ty Warren injury latest concern on New England Patriots' lines - ESPN Boston

With the injuries/non-participation issues going on with the DL I wanted to pose a question to the board.

Will the Pats be forced to go to more 4-3 because of the injuries?

Gerrard Warren and Lewis are both comfortable in the 4-3, and a lot of people say Pryor and Wright are more cut out for the 4-3 and Wilfork played the 4-3 in Miami so I think the DTs are all set.

This would make TBC, Cunningham, and Ninkovich (Burgess if he shows up) DE instead of OLB.

Who becomes our OLB and MLB? I think Mayo is the starting MLB, and Guyton an OLB. Do McKenzie and Spike have the skill sets to be OLB in the 4-3?

Thoughts?

Either way, the Pats will spend more time in a 4-2-5 nickel than a base 3-4, if prior years are any indication. I think that 3-4 will remain the base, though. In a 4-2-5, I'd expected Guyton and Mayo to be the LBs on the field, with either Sanders or McCourty entering into the game w/ the starters.

 

[patsfan-1982]

BB likes to play 6 and 7 DB's so i dont think they will stay in any base defense 3-4 or 4-3 for very long in any game they will play a lot of 3-2-6

 

[Rob0729]

I don't get how losing Warren would get the Pats to switch to a 4-3. You lose one of your best d-linemen and you and it means you have to switch from three d-linemen to four d-linemen.

If Cunningham, Spikes, and McKenzie come along in real games as the reports on them in camp are stating how they are standing out. The LBing corp could actuallly be a strength of this team rather than it being a perceived weakness.

The Pats are staying in a 3-4 base.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

A small tidbit from Reiss was Spike playing OLB on some snaps. I don't think that means too much but its worth noting that the coaches are experimenting with Spikes on the outside.

He is a big dude. One of the practice reports observed that he is much bigger than Mayo even though they are listed as the same size in the program.

 

[Ring 6]

Either way, the Pats will spend more time in a 4-2-5 nickel than a base 3-4, if prior years are any indication. I think that 3-4 will remain the base, though. In a 4-2-5, I'd expected Guyton and Mayo to be the LBs on the field, with either Sanders or McCourty entering into the game w/ the starters.

I would agree with AS MUCH, not necessarily more. And thats not Pats-specific its pretty consistent thoughout the league. 5+ DBs are out there as often as only 4 are.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't get how losing Warren would get the Pats to switch to a 4-3. You lose one of your best d-linemen and you and it means you have to switch from three d-linemen to four d-linemen.

If Cunningham, Spikes, and McKenzie come along in real games as the reports on them in camp are stating how they are standing out. The LBing corp could actuallly be a strength of this team rather than it being a perceived weakness.

The Pats are staying in a 3-4 base.

I think the theory here is that our 4-3 is more like a 2-5. If you play the OLBs at DE, then all 3 DL are playing only 2 spots. Of course that means you need another LB, which we aren't exactly overloaded with.

The reality is though that we arent going to play 43 with 2 300lbs and 2 260s any more than we would play an OLB at 34 DE.
Personell-wise on THIS team the difference from 34 to 43 is essentially the same guys stay on the field and
NT=DT
DE=DT
DE=DE
OLB=DE
ILB=OLB
ILB=MLB
OLB=OLB

It is not, contrary to popular belief a radical change, we still would primarily 2gap and the players are the same, they just align a little differently.

I cant say for sure, because BB still wont take my calls to answer my questions, but when we shift to a 43, the predomimamt reason appears to be matchups, specifically, the OL and if we can create mismatches by covering the Gs.

 

[Kasmir]

A small tidbit from Reiss was Spike playing OLB on some snaps. I don't think that means too much but its worth noting that the coaches are experimenting with Spikes on the outside.

Florida often had Spikes lining up as a stand-up DE in pass-rushing situations...