It still blows my mind how this team doesn't run a 3-4 defense

[tm1119]

Absolutely, a 3-4 is a fantastic run stuffing defense. My argument is simply that its difficult to find enough players to pull it off to be effective in both the run and pass game. A lot of these 3-4 teams are giving up a lot of yardage via the pass. I might be missing one but here are the 3-4 defenses that were top 10 in run defense in 2024...

Baltimore - #1 against the run, but # 31 against the pass
Pittsburgh - #6 run, #25 pass
Denver - #3 run, #19 pass


You have to have some of these big guys on the interior who can also attack the passer at a high rate which are very difficult to find, especially if you're not using #1 round picks to do so. If you are in your base defense and a team is throwing it on you then you also have to think about which of my EDGE pass rush specialist am I keeping in coverage? Are you rushing both guys every time, essentially creating a 100% blitz percentage leaving your secondary short handed? You dropping a Mican Parsons into coverage on occasion giving him fewer chances at the QB? This is where it always gets tricky to me and in addition to the 'teams are in nickel 70% of the time anyways' argument which just makes me think the 4-3 vs 3-4 argument isn't really worth the time. Both work, both have pros & cons, but I think if the Cowboys would just address the roster with a couple stronger run defenders instead of being all in on the pass defense I doubt we are that worried about it in general.

This is the correct argument. I get that we’re in the dead spot of the offseason, but multiple pages discussing something that has been irrelevant for 10+ years is crazy.

 

[gtb1943]

Mazi took a step forward last year. He had some very good games. He just wasn't consistent all season long. It usually takes 3 years for big DL to hit their stride.

small step. He did not have more than one or two that I would call good games.
this three year thing is a joke. As little as he has shown up till now, claiming that he will suddenly become worth his pick is frankly fools gold

 

[gtb1943]

Kneeland & Osa would be DE's in a 3-4.

they would get wiped out; nowhere near big enough to deal with Guards when 3-4 DE's quite often have to

 

[Rockport]

My bad, sorry for trying to have a football conversation on a football forum.

Everyone makes mistakes. Just learn from it and move on.

 

[Rockport]

what you know about football is less than what could be put on the head of a pin

The 3-4 D was DESIGNED TO STOP THE RUN
but then you are ignorant of so much

Hey @gtb1943 , learn how the 3-4 is susceptible to the run yet?

 

[Majic]

Micah’s best was in Penn and he completely wrecked the cotton bowl (I think) single handedly.

Funny enough. He was the highest graded LB in college at run defense.

Comes to Dallas and is put into a situation where he’s going up against tackles constantly. And people wonder why he’s worn out.

One of the most idiotic decisions ever made in franchise history

 

[Majic]

Good post
But why do most of the top run defense teams run a base 3-4 defense? In other words, it appears that if you want to stop the run, you should switch to a 3-4.

https://nflpickwatch.com/nfl/stats/teams/total-defense/rushing-yards-allowed

I think because the better coached teams realise it is a more succesfull scheme. Designed to stop the run but it is more unpredictable than the 4-3 scheme as you don''t know what the OLB's will do.

 

[atlantacowboy]

when the front office is obsessed with pass rush and cares not at all with stopping the run, this is what you get

Mazi, unless he takes a HUGE step forward, is a bust

the only person we have on this team that could be a real NT is our seventh round rookie

we certainly have no one who could be 3-4 DE's

DE's in a 3-4 aren't the guys racking up the sacks. It's the OLBs that make the pass rush in that defense. The point of the poster was that our DT's are the right size for 3-4 DE's. Aside from the 7th rounder, we don't have a fat boy run stuffer.

 

[zrinkill]

I never said otherwise. Meanwhile your issue:

Nothing triggers a narcissist like accountability.

The second you call them out, their rage erupts not from innocence, but from exposure. They’ll twist facts, rewrite history, and paint you as the villain. Suddenly, you’re "crazy," "too sensitive," or "making things up."

But their fury isn’t denial it’s guilt. They can’t handle truth, so they gaslight, deflect, and play victim. It’s not about reality; it’s about protecting their ego and keeping you confused.

Don’t be fooled. Their anger proves they’re caught, not wronged. The louder they scream, the more they reveal.

Stand firm. Their lies can’t erase the truth, no matter how hard they rage against it.

You keep posting what you stole over and over ...... all it does is sound like you and your ilk ..... especially the part about screaming louder and gaslighting.

History is the opposite of what jerry and his fool followers preach.

Keep screaming ...... it is quit funny

 

[gtb1943]

DE's in a 3-4 aren't the guys racking up the sacks. It's the OLBs that make the pass rush in that defense. The point of the poster was that our DT's are the right size for 3-4 DE's. Aside from the 7th rounder, we don't have a fat boy run stuffer.

Osa and company are too small for 3-4 DE's

 

[plasticman]

Even if they did run the 3-4, they wouldn't do it the right way.

They would put Parsons at OLB and almost exclusively use him to rush the quarterback.

That's nothing more than a 4-3 out of position.

The success of a 3-4 pass rush is predicated on the surprise element of that 4th pass rusher. He could come out of nowhere. The defense is looking to confuse the O-line and their blocking scheme.

In addition, the Cowboys would have to completely renovate the D-line.

A 3-4 D-line is composed of DE's that are similar to a DT in a 4-3. They are not the quick but smaller EDGEs you see in a 4-3. They are bigger and bulkier.

Osa is too small to play NT. This guy is that 325+ pound anchor whose job is too just get in everybody's way. He clogs up the middle and forces the RB to deviate.

In a 3-4 defense, the stars are the LBers. You will rarely see impressive stats from a D-lineman but they are critically important. They force the offense into the hands of the LBers.

 

[speedkilz88]

Even if they did run the 3-4, they wouldn't do it the right way.

They would put Parsons at OLB and almost exclusively use him to rush the quarterback.

That's nothing more than a 4-3 out of position.

The success of a 3-4 pass rush is predicated on the surprise element of that 4th pass rusher. He could come out of nowhere. The defense is looking to confuse the O-line and their blocking scheme.

In addition, the Cowboys would have to completely renovate the D-line.

A 3-4 D-line is composed of DE's that are similar to a DT in a 4-3. They are not the quick but smaller EDGEs you see in a 4-3. They are bigger and bulkier.

Osa is too small to play NT. This guy is that 325+ pound anchor whose job is too just get in everybody's way. He clogs up the middle and forces the RB to deviate.

In a 3-4 defense, the stars are the LBers. You will rarely see impressive stats from a D-lineman but they are critically important. They force the offense into the hands of the LBers.

Osa would be an end in the 3-4 and play the 5 technique which he has played. Mazi, Rogers, and Toia would be the NTs.

 

[plasticman]

Osa would be an end in the 3-4 and play the 5 technique which he has played. Mazi, Rogers, and Toia would be the NTs.

I don't know, Spears and Canty were both larger than Osa.

Canty was 6'7 315 LBS and Spears was 6'4 315 pounds in Parcell's traditional 3-4 defense. Even Ratliff was 6'4 303 LBS.

Osa is 6'2 280 LBS.

 

[Aliencowboy]

They will still put out 3 guys who weigh less than 280 lbs and one who looks like he barely tips the scale at 300. That will never stop the run and we will continue to get gashed up the middle. If you stack 3 300lb+ interior lineman and have Micah and the 2nd rounder on the outside and Murray and Overshown in the middle this team would not only stop the run but it would allow all that speed to shine and make plays. It's a joke, the worst offseason move this team made was resigning a shrimp at DT to 20+ million a year.

Why? Teams are in nickle defense 65% of the time. Meaning there are 4 Dlinemen. The players are completely different for 3-4.

Get over it

 

[Zekeats]

Why? Teams are in nickle defense 65% of the time. Meaning there are 4 Dlinemen. The players are completely different for 3-4.

Get over it

Ha, to stop the run. When we get run all over like we have before we can't win. Its that simple.

 

[kskboys]

when the front office is obsessed with pass rush and cares not at all with stopping the run, this is what you get

Mazi, unless he takes a HUGE step forward, is a bust

the only person we have on this team that could be a real NT is our seventh round rookie

we certainly have no one who could be 3-4 DE's

Osa might actually make a decent 3/4 DE, as long as he has a legit NT and a pile driving DE at the other spot.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Ha, to stop the run. When we get run all over like we have before we can't win. Its that simple.

Oh yeah. In base there are two DTs in the middle with a MLB behind them - hope that helps

 

[Pass2Run]

Especially with the personnel now...

 

[TNCowboy]

Yeah I think a 3-4 might be the best defense for the personnel....

We don't have a single 3-4 end on the roster. Osa in no way fits a 34.

 

[Pass2Run]

You sound so happy when you’re crapping on the team every thread, every post and every day.

The funny thing, Mazi is progressing. It's a false narrative that he's not. He's for sure a good athlete. He just needed more NFL man strength. He does his job most of the time 1 on 1. It takes two blockers to take him out, so he's got to get better at that. And he plays like he actually loves football. How his athleticism translates to the field is a little awkward and doesn't translate linearly in football. But he's clearly trying to get better and you can see some progress. I never thought he was plug and play like Carter or Davis anyway. He was always going to bloom late as a player if he boomed at all.