Stay 4-3

[Future]

Oh boy, all this talk of the 3-4 defense. Personnally i hate it, especially with this team. If we switch to the 3-4 this year, we sort of eliminate our best defensive linemen. Ellis and Glover are not 3-4 guys, and we dont have the size at LB to go with 3-4....same ol same ol

I say we make the trade for Howard and stick with the 4-3. Lets not forget that this 4-3 was the #1 defense only 2 years ago. (Granted we had woody)

I'd like a 4-3 defense to look like this.

DE - Ellis
DT - Ferguson
DT - Glover
DE -Howard

OLB - DJ or Merriman
MLB - Nguyen
OLB - Thornton/Shanle

[irishwaste]

I agree, we do not have the personel to switch the the 3-4. I'd like to see it used sometimes to mess up the other team's offense, but we should be a base 4-3 team.

[DallasEast]

Oh boy, all this talk of the 3-4 defense. Personnally i hate it, especially with this team. If we switch to the 3-4 this year, we sort of eliminate our best defensive linemen. Ellis and Glover are not 3-4 guys, and we dont have the size at LB to go with 3-4....same ol same ol

I say we make the trade for Howard and stick with the 4-3. Lets not forget that this 4-3 was the #1 defense only 2 years ago. (Granted we had woody)

I'd like a 4-3 defense to look like this.

DE - Ellis
DT - Ferguson
DT - Glover
DE -Howard

OLB - DJ or Merriman
MLB - Nguyen
OLB - Thornton/ShanleI agree 99%. However, with respect to DJ and Merriman supporters, I believe that Bradie James can fill the role as the other starting OLB. If the defense can be fundamentally sound with the front seven (including James), the top pick could be used to fill another hole on this team--besides that of a projected starter at DE or LB via the draft.

[Hostile]

Oh boy, all this talk of the 3-4 defense. Personnally i hate it, especially with this team. If we switch to the 3-4 this year, we sort of eliminate our best defensive linemen. Ellis and Glover are not 3-4 guys, and we dont have the size at LB to go with 3-4....same ol same ol

I say we make the trade for Howard and stick with the 4-3. Lets not forget that this 4-3 was the #1 defense only 2 years ago. (Granted we had woody)

I'd like a 4-3 defense to look like this.

DE - Ellis
DT - Ferguson
DT - Glover
DE -Howard

OLB - DJ or Merriman
MLB - Nguyen
OLB - Thornton/ShanleNo Bradie James?

I just don't see the speculated 3-4 switch still having any play. Nothing we have done or been rumored to be doing supports that theory any more.

[big dog cowboy]

I say we make the trade for Howard and stick with the 4-3.
I would feel more comfortable going into the draft with Howard already secured as a Cowboy. That would fill a huge need and give us a little more flexability on draft day.

[big dog cowboy]

I just don't see the speculated 3-4 switch wtill having any play. Nothing we have done or been rumored to be doing supports that theory any more.
Nors ain't gonna like that.

[Hostile]

Nors ain't gonna like that.He'll either get over it or he won't.

[DallasEast]

He'll either get over it or he won't.From what I've previously read on this board, I'm placing $5 down on "he won't".

[big dog cowboy]

It will take more than $5 to get that bet. I'm good for at least a $10 spot.

[blindzebra]

Nors ain't gonna like that.

That's an added benefit to staying 4-3. :D

[big dog cowboy]

That's an added benefit to staying 4-3. :D
hehehe............ :D

[DallasEast]

It will take more than $5 to get that bet. I'm good for at least a $10 spot.Okay, I'll see your $10, but that's it! This could get very expensive real quick. Don'tcha know that my wife and daughter expect me to hand them every red cent that I earn? :D

Man, I'm so broke... :(

[MichaelWinicki]

That's an added benefit to staying 4-3. :D


LOL!

Yeah... he'll just start another "Pryce" thread... 18th or 19th, I've lost count. :D

[jksmith269]

No Bradie James?

I just don't see the speculated 3-4 switch still having any play. Nothing we have done or been rumored to be doing supports that theory any more.


Only three things I've seen or heard have made me think we will switch to the 34 and they are in order.

At the end of last season BP was asked about the D for 05 and he said he would not commit to anything at the time but added if I'm going to lose its going to be doing what I know best. (he has ran the 34 in all but two seasons as a coach, and by the way he's been here two years with the 43)

Fergueson signing and his preference to the 34

Lastly just about every interveiw Ferg gives he says he will be playing the 0 or Nose tackle, and when asked so you are going to the 34 he says well that is if we go to the 34....it sounds like he's towing the company line.....

What does this mean? absolutly nothing....I do think BP has pretty much made up his mind which way we go. If we draft Spears over Merriman I think that will be a telling clue as well.

[blindzebra]

Only three things I've seen or heard have made me think we will switch to the 34 and they are in order.

At the end of last season BP was asked about the D for 05 and he said he would not commit to anything at the time but added if I'm going to lose its going to be doing what I know best. (he has ran the 34 in all but two seasons as a coach, and by the way he's been here two years with the 43)

Fergueson signing and his preference to the 34

Lastly just about every interveiw Ferg gives he says he will be playing the 0 or Nose tackle, and when asked so you are going to the 34 he says well that is if we go to the 34....it sounds like he's towing the company line.....

What does this mean? absolutly nothing....I do think BP has pretty much made up his mind which way we go. If we draft Spears over Merriman I think that will be a telling clue as well.

Our base 4-3 uses a slanted NT that attacks the guard/center gap.

Ferguson at his PC said he PREFERS THE 4-3, so where is this preference?

[jksmith269]

Our base 4-3 uses a slanted NT that attacks the guard/center gap.

Ferguson at his PC said he PREFERS THE 4-3, so where is this preference?

He said around the 4:18 mark of the interview. He was asked which position he prefered he said "I'm a Nose Tackle thats what he played the most the 0 but played the slant and either way it didn't matter"

at the 10min mark asked if BP told him what to expect and he said BP told him to just to be ready for anything and he expected to play the nose (0) most tilt but it don't really matter.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/broadcasts.cfm

[blindzebra]

He said around the 4:18 mark of the interview. He was asked which position he prefered he said "I'm a Nose Tackle thats what he played the most the 0 but played the slant and either way it didn't matter"

at the 10min mark asked if BP told him what to expect and he said BP told him to just to be ready for anything and he expected to play the nose (0) most tilt but it don't really matter.


http://www.dallascowboys.com/broadcasts.cfm

Way to take it out of context, completely left out the part where he talks about looking forward to playing inside beside Glover in that section of the PC.

Like I said, our 4-3 base uses a NT in the slant position he's talking about.

[jksmith269]

Way to take it out of context, completely left out the part where he talks about looking forward to playing inside beside Glover in that section of the PC.

Like I said, our 4-3 base uses a NT in the slant position he's talking about.


I did not take it out of context you said " he said at his PC he PREFERS the 4-3" he never said that he said he prefers the NOSE or 0 which is a 3-4 position the slant is a 4-3 which he said he has played.

Look it doesn't really matter it matters what BP prefers...I think we will run a combo of 34 adn 43.

[jksmith269]

Way to take it out of context, completely left out the part where he talks about looking forward to playing inside beside Glover in that section of the PC.

Like I said, our 4-3 base uses a NT in the slant position he's talking about.

and your right he did say he's looking forward to playing next to Glover....

[blindzebra]

I did not take it out of context you said " he said at his PC he PREFERS the 4-3" he never said that he said he prefers the NOSE or 0 which is a 3-4 position the slant is a 4-3 which he said he has played.

Look it doesn't really matter it matters what BP prefers...I think we will run a combo of 34 adn 43.

Telling quote from the Mosley article about the signing:



Ferguson, a 6-3, 305-pounder, will immediately take his place in the middle of what could be a 3-4 defense. Parcells drafted Ferguson, 30, in the seventh round of the 1997 draft. He played his first four seasons with the Jets in a 3-4.

Ferguson said, however, that HE WOULD RATHER PLAY IN A 4-3 ALIGNMENT. "It's more aggressive for a defensive lineman," he said.

[jksmith269]

Telling quote from the Mosley article about the signing:



Ferguson, a 6-3, 305-pounder, will immediately take his place in the middle of what could be a 3-4 defense. Parcells drafted Ferguson, 30, in the seventh round of the 1997 draft. He played his first four seasons with the Jets in a 3-4.

Ferguson said, however, that HE WOULD RATHER PLAY IN A 4-3 ALIGNMENT. "It's more aggressive for a defensive lineman," he said.


Liike I said it doesn't really matter.... oh and thanks for the link with this statement he made......

[speedkilz88]

Oh boy, all this talk of the 3-4 defense. Personnally i hate it, especially with this team. If we switch to the 3-4 this year, we sort of eliminate our best defensive linemen. Ellis and Glover are not 3-4 guys, and we dont have the size at LB to go with 3-4....same ol same ol

I say we make the trade for Howard and stick with the 4-3. Lets not forget that this 4-3 was the #1 defense only 2 years ago. (Granted we had woody)

I'd like a 4-3 defense to look like this.

DE - Ellis
DT - Ferguson
DT - Glover
DE -Howard

OLB - DJ or Merriman
MLB - Nguyen
OLB - Thornton/ShanleMerriman is not a 4-3 linebacker. He is a DE in a 4-3 and would play OLB only in a 3-4. Thornton is the same type of player as Merriman, just shorter and not as talented.

[Hollywood Henderson]

Parcells knows zimmy has failed with trying to coach his awful passive & oh so predictable "Occupy & engage" never pressure a QB CRAP!

The 3-4 is coming, get use to it...

I saw it in Parcells eye when I asked him...(Although the answer was only a half a smile) it was quite telling...

He knows the farther we get away from zimmy clueless foolishness, the better our D will be!

[Hostile]

Parcells knows zimmy has failed with trying to coach his awful passive & oh so predictable "Occupy & engage" never pressure a QB CRAP!

The 3-4 is coming, get use to it...

I saw it in Parcells eye when I asked him...(Although the answer was only a half a smile) it was quite telling...

He knows the farther we get away from zimmy clueless foolishness, the better our D will be!Yeah, there's no way his half smile might have been amusement that he has duped so many people into thinking the 3-4 is imminent.

I repeat, he kept Zimmer.

I repeat, we didn't even look at the available 3-4 LBs.

I repeat, Ferguson said one of the reasons he wanted to come here was that he preferred to play DT in a 4-3.

I repeat, we're looking to add a 4th starting DL in Darren Howard.

Truly telling.

[big dog cowboy]

I repeat, we're looking to add a 4th starting DL in Darren Howard.
I hope we stop window shopping before we are on the clock.

[AsthmaField]

I hope we stop window shopping before we are on the clock.


Me too. But I think we all need to prepare ourselves for the Howard saga to drag into draft day... because I think it's going to.

[blindzebra]

Liike I said it doesn't really matter.... oh and thanks for the link with this statement he made......

Like I just made it up.:rolleyes:


'Most expensive day in Cowboys history'

05:27 PM CST on Thursday, March 3, 2005


By MATT MOSLEY / DallasNews.com



IRVING – Jerry Jones moved slowly in free agency last year.

The Cowboys' owner and general manager didn't plan to make the same mistake in 2005.

One day after the free agency signing period opened, the Cowboys made a big splash, signing cornerback Anthony Henry, defensive tackle Jason Ferguson and guard Marco Rivera.

A big splash monetarily, too. Jones called it the "most expensive day in Cowboys history." The Cowboys handed out $28 million in bonus money -- $10 million for Henry and $9 million each for Rivera and Ferguson.

"Our plan in free agency this year was to be very aggressive and very timely," Jones said.

Anthony, who had 10 interceptions during his rookie season with the Browns in 2001, was introduced during a Thursday morning news conference. Ferguson, who played three seasons with the Jets under Cowboys coach Bill Parcells, and Rivera, a Pro Bowler with the Packers, were introduced in the afternoon. Parcells did not attend any of the news conferences.

Jones said Ferguson's "motor" was the biggest factor in signing him.

Ferguson, a 6-3, 305-pounder, will immediately take his place in the middle of what could be a 3-4 defense. Parcells drafted Ferguson, 30, in the seventh round of the 1997 draft. He played his first four seasons with the Jets in a 3-4.

Ferguson said, however, that he would rather play in a 4-3 alignment. "It's more aggressive for a defensive lineman," he said.

On the signing of Henry, Jones said, "It was no secret we were not as productive as we needed to be on the defensive side of the ball last season. ...We were never able to develop consistency and continuity. The signing of Anthony Henry is a step in the direction to putting the pieces in place to develop continuity and consistency we didn't have last year."

Jones said Henry's size [6-1, 205] was a big factor in the signing. "He's bigger than Deion [Sanders]," Jones noted.

Jones said he did not anticipate adding another cornerback in free agency, but said it's likely Dallas will add a safety.

Henry was taken by the Cleveland Browns out of South Florida in the fourth round of the 2001 draft. He was the first rookie to lead the league in interceptions since 1995.

He talked about the influence that his college defensive backs coach, former Eagles safety Andre Waters, had on him. Henry joked that he shared Waters' aggressive style, but said that he didn't use the "dirty" tactics that Waters was regarded for using as a player.

Jones said that Bowles played a large role in bringing him to the Cowboys.

Henry's agent, Jerrold Colton, said the Cowboys contacted him soon after the free agency period began at 11:01 p.m. Tuesday.

Colton said several other teams were interested, but thought it would be to Henry’s advantage to sign quickly. Henry got a larger signing bonus than Ferguson ($10 million to $9 million), but Colton did point out that Jones sent his private jet to pick up Ferguson, not Henry.

Over the past three seasons, Henry, 28, only has seven interceptions. He’ll immediately become the starter at right cornerback, where the Cowboys struggled mightily last season.

Henry had 10 interceptions in 2001 despite only starting two games. He returned one of those interceptions for a 97-yard touchdown.

Henry played free safety his first three years in college before switching to cornerback his senior season. He missed the final two games of 2004 season with a knee injury.

Ferguson has a reputation for stuffing the run, but he can also create pressure on the quarterback. He has 11 sacks over the last three seasons.

Rivera, who had played 10 seasons for the Packers, is a two-time Pro Bowl selection at guard who has played in 99 straight games. He was signed to a five-year deal worth about $21 million, including the $9 million signing bonus. His salary will count for $2.6 million against the cap this season.

Rivera said he flew in Wednesday and had dinner with new offensive line coach Tony Sparano and Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten. Rivera and Witten share the same agent, Jimmy Sexton.

"I believe we're going to have the best offensive line in the NFL," Rivera said.

E-mail mmosley@dallasnews.com