What if 3-4 defense struggles

[elcowboi]

The Cowboys will have losing season of the 3-4 fails. Or if the defense fails in general.

 

[quickccc]

I keep hearing people saying we were a 3-4 team last year, ..but yet the starting lineup upfront was DLaw, Woods, Hill and Aldon
With LVE and Jaylon as the more the 5-2 look nickel LBs
It was more Hybrid mixture of a 3-4 into the 4 man front at times.

- While I prefer the traditional 4 man, I can learn to compromise for whatever works best with the coaches.

- I believe McCarthy has mentioned that he strongly prefers “ hybrid” like 3-4 defenses, that he thinks is the norm and now in todays’ NFL defenses.
Just like we are seeing spread offenses, ..we are seeing more nickel based defenses around the NFL .

- I think the Cowboys would allow Quinn to work out the early kinks and give him a chance to make adjustments on the run in accordance.
Only if we are even far worse than last year’s record breaking Nolan defense, could I see us making a drastic change in the middle of the season.
And with the likes of George Edwards taking over, but that's a long shot vs a guy that has been an

- I’m very sure management would strongly prefer McCarthy himself to step up and make that kind of drastic call with a mid-season change of DC,.. if it so tragically came down to such a decision.
Whether it’s a defensive or offensive failing, if we get a quick first round exit outta playoffs, ..or fail to even make the playoffs, McCarthy is out as HC.
And I can easily see either Quinn or Moore (depending upon which side of the ball was most/least effective) being announced as the new Cowboys HC.

- Only if we're somehow stunningly 0-8, or 1-7, without major crippling injuries to impact player, and this team quitting and team morale totally shaken, could i see a HC mid season change.

 

[quickccc]

- My problem with 3-4’ schemes in genera is if you have a good undersized DT that fits the more one gap 4-3, and that 3-4 demands a 2 gap scheme, that fairly phases out that good 3 tech

- A smallish LB like a Dexter Coakley a good player with his style of play, cannot play in a 3-4 scheme. And he’s not your typical inside LB Sam Mills type pin ball banger in traffic
That’s not a trait of Coakley. He was a 4-3 OLB more suited to pass defense and most effective in space and some man coverage spots.
I tend to believe the same with a Darrin Smith as well.

- You can try to squeeze a Lai Glover or Grady Jarrett to try to play a 3-4, but as more under-tackles 3 tech upfield types, it’s not really their suit and strong fit as 2 gappers, and they are
not near as effective as pass rushers. Some guys are interchangeable, some guys are not.

- And some coaches are old school dinosaurs, they don’t scheme according to players skill set,.. they want those players to somehow squeeze fit their skill set into their schemes.

 

[quickccc]

Quinn is a MM hire, he was on board with this as Jerry was.
MM was given the free rein in hiring his staff in 2020. So he was the one that brought in Quinn or had a lot to do with it for 2021 as well. Jerry just approves it.

Agree with with everything else though.

I'm not totally convinced of this. But it may never be revealed or confirmed otherwise among the public, as i see management would' like it to be the perception that the Quinn hire was McCarthy.

McCarthy had ties with Mike Nolan - i'm not sure of the past ties or familiarity he had with Dan Quinn.

And i think it was because of the Nolan utter embarrassing disaster on defense, management forced the Nolan (and Jim Tomsula) firing. I truly believe that if it was up to McCarthy himself,
Mike Nolan would have been right back here this year as DC for the Cowboys. i really do.
I personally think management "recommended" Quinn to McCarthy. But that's just me.

Whether Management or McCarthy, the key big difference is that it is this team have to get this DC role right... as we've been thru too many strings of DC's.

 

[Whirlwin]

Do you think that Anae is going to dominate in the run and the pass? I though I was being more polite by just laughing.

One of our other Cowboys brother used to use those emoji’s all the time. I just find them childish my cowboy brother that’s all I’m talking about. I don’t mind remarks I just don’t like those little figures

 

[Loso86]

Last year Mike McCarthy was adamant on playing 3-4 knowing he didn’t have the time, coaches & players to do it and still wants to continue go down this road.

Dan Quinn’s success came under 4-3 defense & in Atl SB run it was 4-3 majority of the time.

My question is would you get rid of McCarthy if the defense struggles for the first quarter of the season like last year and promote Kellen Moore as the HC?

I think Quinn is more than capable of adapting

 

[CowboyRoy]

One of our other Cowboys brother used to use those emoji’s all the time. I just find them childish my cowboy brother that’s all I’m talking about. I don’t mind remarks I just don’t like those little figures

Maybe you should talk to someone about that?

 

[Whirlwin]

Maybe you should talk to someone about that?

I did, and he stopped using them. Their childish

 

[CowboyRoy]

I did, and he stopped using them. Their childish

I find them very effective.

 

[Whirlwin]

I find them very effective.

They definitely go up my ***. LMAO

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

I would fully expect the defense to struggle early in the season no matter who was the new DC. So no I would not.

But what if they specifically struggle to stop the run in 3-4 DL alignment and are more affective in 4-3 DL alignment in stopping the run & rushing the QB?

 

[ESisback]

Last year Mike McCarthy was adamant on playing 3-4 knowing he didn’t have the time, coaches & players to do it and still wants to continue go down this road.

Dan Quinn’s success came under 4-3 defense & in Atl SB run it was 4-3 majority of the time.

My question is would you get rid of McCarthy if the defense struggles for the first quarter of the season like last year and promote Kellen Moore as the HC?

My guess is a hybrid. 4/3 base and 3/4 looks on running downs. No, I wouldn’t get rid of McCarthy. Let’s see what he does this year. I’m not saying let’s repeat a Garrett-like decade of futility, but if you change coaches every two years, that’s not good either.

 

[xwalker]

All this time, I thought you were somehow related to Dak. Turns out you are probably related to Anae. Are Dak and Anae related somehow? Even by a family member marriage?

That is a big insult to poor ole Bradlee Anae...

 

[xwalker]

Dump question, IMO. They are obviously not going to stick with what's not working. The good thing about having a D that can shift from 3-4 to 4-3 or any variation in between is that you have options.

Dumb as in "not smart" is spelled with a "b" not with a "p".

 

[xwalker]

You are making Demarcus Lawrence & Gregory less valuable.

Actually the opposite it true. Playing Gregory at 3-4 OLB on run downs puts less pounding on him.

All teams regardless of 4-3 or 3-4 play the 4-2-5 Nickel on about 70% of snaps.

 

[OmerV]

Last year Mike McCarthy was adamant on playing 3-4 knowing he didn’t have the time, coaches & players to do it and still wants to continue go down this road.

Dan Quinn’s success came under 4-3 defense & in Atl SB run it was 4-3 majority of the time.

My question is would you get rid of McCarthy if the defense struggles for the first quarter of the season like last year and promote Kellen Moore as the HC?

They didn't run a pure 3-4 last year, and won't this year. In most cases last year we were running with 4 down linemen, and 2-3 LBs with 4-5 DB's depending on the situation. I would say 4-2-5 was probably most often used, but in general it's really a hybrid, and the team can show different looks as needed. Most teams have some flexibility with that these days.

 

[xwalker]

The most effective DL is when there are two DE’s, one 3-tech & one NT in the DL rotation at the same-time in 80% of the snaps.

Not according to Bill Belichick...

 

[jrumann59]

I

They didn't run a pure 3-4 last year, and won't this year. In most cases last year we were running with 4 down linemen, and 2-3 LBs with 4-5 DB's depending on the situation. I would say 4-2-5 was probably most often used, but in general it's really a hybrid, and the team can show different looks as needed. Most teams have some flexibility with that these days.

can see that with Neal playing a monster back type role, depending on the play call he would be either LB or extra DB.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_4-3_hybrid_defense

Thats Gus Bradley’s base D. Quinn was baby sitting Gus’s D in Seattle; what he had his d coordinators do in Atlanta is closer to his preferred style, as is the case with all def-minded head coaches.

 

[CCBoy]

Actually the opposite it true. Playing Gregory at 3-4 OLB on run downs puts less pounding on him.

All teams regardless of 4-3 or 3-4 play the 4-2-5 Nickel on about 70% of snaps.

You are always onto the truthful trail...hoooah, my friend.

To me, this will be the cruxt to degree of change on the defensive line:

There’s lots to talk about ...at defensive tackle. Free agents Brent Urban and Carlos Watkins, plus rookies Osa Odhigizuwa and Quinton Bohanaa, are joining the mix with returning prospects Trysten Hill and Neville Gallimore. It’s doubtful all six will make the team and how the snaps will be divided between the survivors is also hard to predict. This is about as wide-open as it gets for a position battle.

https://insidethestar.com/what-is-the-most-anticipated-battle-on-cowboys-defense-for-2021-camp/

Two current roster players; two veteran free agents; and two drafted tackles

8 days until Training Camp...I'll be watching, for sure.


As to the defensive ends, there are two starters already: Randy Gregory and Demarcus Lawrence. All backups/rotational players are speculative going into camp.