I do agree that something is cooking in Foxboro. The talent that BB has brought onto the squad is a bit unexpected, and there is definitely something to be inferred. But, Fencer, even tho I agree with your conclusion, I'm not sure you have all the facts right.
The pro game is changing, no question. But I dont agree 3-4 is played out. Some of the best defenses are running 3-4.
I said "classical" BB 3-4 was getting played out. E.g., Pittsburgh does something different. I'm not sure I understand the differences between the Ravens' scheme and ours.
This is not really true. BB still seems devoted to bigger, slower players. Spikes is not a burner, for example. And cutting Guyton really took the only pure speed guy from the LB unit. In this draft class, his choice of Hightower and Jones is not about speed, but strength and shedding blocks. Both of those players show hallmark 2-gap skills.
Fair enough. But Spikes is going to be competing for reps (much as late-career Ted Johnson did).
And yet, BB released Haynesworth because he could not adapt to the scheme. So, really, should we conclude that BB is embracing 1-gap?
Partial/hybrid 1-gap? Yes, I think we can conclude that.
At least as an experiment last year -- but I don't think BB thinks it's an experiment that failed.
Well, not sure this is true. The 3-4 line would be Deaderick - Wilfork - Love
Not exactly Seymour -Wilfork - Warren.
with Ninkovich/Jones/Scott, Spikes, Mayo, Carpenter/Hightower. In fact, I would argue that Jones and Hightower are selections that help BB get BACK to the 3-4 that he was forced to abandon because his LB talent was too thin last year. With Jones he finally has someone who can play the Elephant again. Either Mayo or Hightower can play Will. In fact, what may be fun is to disguise which of them is the Will... see if the QB can make it out.
Again, I don't think this is true. The 4-3 line would be something like Fanene - Wilfork - Love/Brace - Carter/Bequette with Hightower/Carpenter, Spikes, Mayo as backers.
I don't think the distinguishing characteristic of this defensive front is that it is neither 3-4 nor 4-3... the unique thing is that the players give BB to run either scheme or both.
I'm not talking about 3-4 vs. 4-3; I'm talking about 1-gap vs. 2-gap vs. hybrid. And I think a hybrid scheme is a lot harder to read than one you know will be pure 2-gap, much as BB and other coaches commonly go for hybrid man/zone coverage. (I don't even know what pure man coverage would be.)
BB has always been pushing the limits of the scheme. The only thing that's new is that he has a higher caliber pool of talent to draw from.