Do our players fit the 4-3 better than the 3-4?

ALP said:

what makes mayo a better 4-3 LB then a 3-4 LB?

what makes warren a better 4-3 DT than a 3-4 DE?

what makes wilfork a better 4-3 DT than a 3-4 NT?

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HarkDawg said:

we are a 3-4 team....

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pats1 said:

They all played those positions in college and all to a top half of the first round level.

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BritPat said:

Warren was actually a 3-4 DE in College

But I agree though, we have way more fits for the 4-3. I'm going to go through the pre-draft contacts list shortly and post all the 4-3 players we've looked at that do not fit the 3-4.

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bucky said:

Don't know where this is coming from. TBC has played in a 34 his entire NFL career. He's weak against the run as is, he'd be a serious liability there as a 43 DE. TBC wouldn't fit well into the 43. And neither would Ninkovich, but that's a rather minor point.

Wilfork would fit the 4-3, but then he'd just be an overpaid DT. He's getting the big bucks to play NT.

By the way, I don't think it's just a coincidence that both Wilfork and TBC agreed to their contracts after Peppers declared he was going to the Bears. I think the Pats made a real push for him and considered the conversion. They would have reconsidered the money given to both Vince and TBC had Peppers signed. But now they've pretty much put their money on the 3-4.

For what it's worth, if we were to switch to a 43, we'd still be in need of a Sam linebacker and at least 1 43 DE.

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WhiZa said:

TBC gets cuts cut as a 3-4 OLB, then moves to 4-3 DE and has a career year. He's making 7 million this year which says to me they signed him to be a starter. If the Pats know they are moving to mostly 3-4 then why resign him to so much money?

The Sam and the Will positions could be filled with Thomas and Guyton. In a 3-4 we're even weaker, missing a true OLB and DE position.

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pats1 said:

They all played those positions in college and all to a top half of the first round level.

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Joker said:

In the end, ever since the Giants b*tch slapped the Pats in the super bowl, I've wanted the Pats to change their scheme like theirs or like Pittsburgh's. Like I said, it's too difficult to find players that fit BB's scheme.

you are either an insane person or a troll...the Patriots LED 14-10 with 2 minutes to go..a dropped INT, the worst non calls in NFL history vis a vis the holds on Manning's "escape". a miraculous once in a lifetime catch by a JAG and 5'9" runty midget on Plax leads you to declare the Patriots got "b!tchslapped!!!!!!" and "the defense is no good!!!!!" and "it's all the 3/4 defense's fault@!!!!!!!"....newsflash, Felger...the Patriots defense gave up TEN POINTS in over 58 minutes using BB's schemes...now YOU declare it to be "no good!!!!" and "been lousy since the Rams game!!!!!".

I find it impossible for a Patriots fan to make such ridiculous assertions....you MUST be a troll, as has been suspected all along here for the past two years.

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jays52 said:

In my opinion, the short answer is no. There's a lot more to building a defense than simply the front seven, and this needs to be taken into account. Also, I think that we need to do a better job identifying stop gaps and core players. Here's my two coppers on the matter:

During the height of the NE defense, it had the best defensive line in the NFL. One could even make a case for the greatest 34 D-Line in league history. That level of dominance is rare. With the proliferation of the 34, and more specifically the 2-gap 34, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find top tier tallent late in the draft. So, you make due with what you have and add situational players like Pryor until you have an opportunity to take a legit fit difference maker. Wilfork and Warren are still the best in the NFL at their respective positions, and this is often overlooked.

The backers need to be improved. No doubting this. That said, they are only a Mike and a Sam away from being a damn fine group. Jerod Mayo is a prototypical 34 Will. He would be marginally less effective as a 43 Mike. Guyton in respect to the current roster is better suited as a 43 Will, but has enough sand to be effective situationally in the 34. He's basically a Tampa-2 Mike, and is a very solid passing situation backer. I like McKenzie as a 34 Mike or 43 Sam, but I think he is a little too tight in the hips for the 43. I like him a lot in the 34. Outside, I think TBC is a decent Jack/Joker but the team could use a better athlete there to counter the spread heavy offenses that are multiplying like jackrabbits around the league. They need a Sam.

The defensive backfield, however, is the best indicator of intent. Bodden: press corner. Butler: ditto. Meriweather: Prototypical 34 FS. Chung: Prototypical 34 SS. One of the most important positions in the 34 is the SS. Considering the responsibilities of the Sam backer, the SS is a cornerstone of the defense. They play the TE a lot, play alot of run support, cover a large zone, and are tone setters. Chung is a perfect fit for this position, and would be really poor in a 43. Last year's draft said it all.

Finally, the 34 is the thinking man's defense. It is also the most flexible D in respect to personell. Special teams, situational roster, defensive calls, all are exponentially more flexible when the team is built around the 34. Can they play the 43? Absolutely. Are they clearly designed to be a 34? Yes.

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jays52 said:

In my opinion, the short answer is no. There's a lot more to building a defense than simply the front seven, and this needs to be taken into account. Also, I think that we need to do a better job identifying stop gaps and core players. Here's my two coppers on the matter:
...........
Finally, the 34 is the thinking man's defense. It is also the most flexible D in respect to personell. Special teams, situational roster, defensive calls, all are exponentially more flexible when the team is built around the 34. Can they play the 43? Absolutely. Are they clearly designed to be a 34? Yes.

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jays52 said:

In my opinion, the short answer is no. There's a lot more to building a defense than simply the front seven, and this needs to be taken into account. Also, I think that we need to do a better job identifying stop gaps and core players. Here's my two coppers on the matter:

During the height of the NE defense, it had the best defensive line in the NFL. One could even make a case for the greatest 34 D-Line in league history. That level of dominance is rare. With the proliferation of the 34, and more specifically the 2-gap 34, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find top tier tallent late in the draft. So, you make due with what you have and add situational players like Pryor until you have an opportunity to take a legit fit difference maker. Wilfork and Warren are still the best in the NFL at their respective positions, and this is often overlooked.

The backers need to be improved. No doubting this. That said, they are only a Mike and a Sam away from being a damn fine group. Jerod Mayo is a prototypical 34 Will. He would be marginally less effective as a 43 Mike. Guyton in respect to the current roster is better suited as a 43 Will, but has enough sand to be effective situationally in the 34. He's basically a Tampa-2 Mike, and is a very solid passing situation backer. I like McKenzie as a 34 Mike or 43 Sam, but I think he is a little too tight in the hips for the 43. I like him a lot in the 34. Outside, I think TBC is a decent Jack/Joker but the team could use a better athlete there to counter the spread heavy offenses that are multiplying like jackrabbits around the league. They need a Sam.

The defensive backfield, however, is the best indicator of intent. Bodden: press corner. Butler: ditto. Meriweather: Prototypical 34 FS. Chung: Prototypical 34 SS. One of the most important positions in the 34 is the SS. Considering the responsibilities of the Sam backer, the SS is a cornerstone of the defense. They play the TE a lot, play alot of run support, cover a large zone, and are tone setters. Chung is a perfect fit for this position, and would be really poor in a 43. Last year's draft said it all.

Finally, the 34 is the thinking man's defense. It is also the most flexible D in respect to personell. Special teams, situational roster, defensive calls, all are exponentially more flexible when the team is built around the 34. Can they play the 43? Absolutely. Are they clearly designed to be a 34? Yes.

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Joker said:

you are either an insane person or a troll...the Patriots LED 14-10 with 2 minutes to go..a dropped INT, the worst non calls in NFL history vis a vis the holds on Manning's "escape". a miraculous once in a lifetime catch by a JAG and 5'9" runty midget on Plax leads you to declare the Patriots got "b!tchslapped!!!!!!" and "the defense is no good!!!!!" and "it's all the 3/4 defense's fault@!!!!!!!"....newsflash, Felger...the Patriots defense gave up TEN POINTS in over 58 minutes using BB's schemes...now YOU declare it to be "no good!!!!" and "been lousy since the Rams game!!!!!".

I find it impossible for a Patriots fan to make such ridiculous assertions....you MUST be a troll, as has been suspected all along here for the past two years.

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sbpatfan said:

He's not a troll, just a guy that enjoys acting like a woman and *****ing. Because that's all he does on this forum, moan and whine like a woman.

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HEY BRO! WHAT UP? said:

First of all, I should've clarified what I meant by getting "b*tch slapped". What I meant was the Giants defense dominated the Pats O-line all game long and held the best offense in NFL history to 7 points until late in the 4th quarter. However, the Giants D blew it when it mattered most. The whole point, which went right over your head, was to see the Pats build a defense that can put pressure on the QB like the Giants could. I must be a troll for thinking that.

It may be b*tching and whining to you, but I just tell it how it is.

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sbpatfan said:

Your opinion is not "how it is", sorry to inform you that. Keep on crying about absolutely everything and acting like everything you vomit out onto this forum is gold.

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PatsWickedPissah said:

Please post here more often.

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