Is a 4-3 switch possible?

[starfrombirth]

We've been playing a hybrid 4-3 for years and with the weighting of the players kept, does anyone else think that maybe we just feel that our personnel are better suited to that defense and switch. Also, the 4-3 is inherently stronger against the line and that has been the weakness of our defense this preseason. What r ur thoughts?

 

[popcorn]

I've been wondering the same. We have the best OLB for a 3-4, but without a true NT. Would 4-3 hurt Wares effectiveness. Would it significantly help Rats effectiveness. Maybe in part that's what R Ryan has hidden in his game plan.

 

[dargonking999]

we'e been playing a 4-3 hybrid?

Wow I didn't a 3-4 was a 4-3 hybrid, thats news to me

 

[starfrombirth]

we'e been playing a 4-3 hybrid?

Wow I didn't a 3-4 was a 4-3 hybrid, thats news to me

Not even gonna dignify it.. :bang2:

 

[jaybird]

Really how often have we seen 3 ILB in the game -brooking, Lee and Brady?

 

[noshame]

I'm sure there's a good reason for Rat's extension, and I'm excited. We'll see the defense totally unveiled in a few short days.

 

[AKATheRake]

3-4 will definitely be our base and we played in it approx 30% of our snaps last season.

But I think we will see the 3-4 mixed in with 4-3, 4-6 and other alignments more so now than ever. Especially since this league has become so pass oriented and the need for faster players on the field is greater.

It's the alignments like the amoeba 1-1-3-6, 2-3-6 and the 2-5-4 you will see bite into the 3-4 more on passing downs and the 4-3 and 4-6 bite into the 3-4 more in running downs.

Spears, Ratliff and Hatcher would be sufficient at DT in a 4-3 or 4-6 and Ware and Spears both played DE in college as we know. So they could play DE.

But yes, Ware obviously is most effective in a 3-4.

When Carter gets healthy our ILB's are more suited for a 4-3 with their speed and coverage skills anyways and would become OLB's in a 4-3 where Bradie James would play the Mike in that situation. Since he's the better of the 3 playing the run and getting to the QB at this point.

So other than having a NT by trade for a 3-4 and better play makers in the secondary, we definitely have the personnel physically to execute the variety of defenses Rob Ryan is known to use.

Do we have the players mentally though? The football smarts?

Maybe the confusion these multiple looks will do their job to confuse opposing offenses and the players will just look that smarter. The latter is my thinking.

 

[Hostile]

Two words, DeMarcus Ware.

That means no.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Two words, DeMarcus Ware.

That means no.

That and I've never heard one word from the Cowboy's braintrust that would lead one to believe for one millisecond that the team is less than thrilled with Ratliff's play at NT.

I think this is another one of those topics where fans think if they repeat it long enough ("Ratliff can't play NT") then they think it's true.

 

[Eskimo]

That and I've never heard one word from the Cowboy's braintrust that would lead one to believe for one millisecond that the team is less than thrilled with Ratliff's play at NT.

I think this is another one of those topics where fans think if they repeat it long enough ("Ratliff can't play NT") then they think it's true.

Ratliff is not an effective two-gap NT. He is easily walled off by a quick double team and allow the opponent to really gash us up the middle.

I do think Ratliff is an effective NT in a 4-man line and is still a very good player in the nickel defense.

I suspect opposing teams are really going to destroy us up the middle this year unless Ryan is going to run a lot of run blitzes on the early downs.

 

[tomson75]

Sports Illustrated had an interesting article in it this week about the 4-3/3-4 defenses, and how there really isn't anyone running a true version of either defense anymore. There are teams that stick to their base defenses more than others, but most teams run a hybrid version of each more often than not.

The whole "switch" discussion is petty vague considering we don't really run a true 3-4 most of the time to begin with.

 

[AsthmaField]

Not with only three 43 type LB's on the team (James,Brooking, Lee).

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Ratliff is not an effective two-gap NT. He is easily walled off by a quick double team and allow the opponent to really gash us up the middle.

I do think Ratliff is an effective NT in a 4-man line and is still a very good player in the nickel defense.

I suspect opposing teams are really going to destroy us up the middle this year unless Ryan is going to run a lot of run blitzes on the early downs.

OK I get that.

But don't you think the Cowboys, i.e. is going to compensate for Ratliff's lack of girth at NT?

I just can't see– If the Cowboy coaching staff truly thinks Ratliff is a liability at playing a 2-gap NT, that they would run that type of defense a great deal.

I'm also not sure about a 325lb NT whose obviously heavier, but most likely not nearly as quick as Ratliff being a net positive.

Draft, free-agency, undrafted free agents... Dallas hasn't exactly been beating the bushes looking for a 325lb NT, which leads me to believe they don't want one.

 

[lwehlers]

Two words, DeMarcus Ware.

That means no.

i would like to see a 4-3 defense. hey hos why do think that ware would not be a effective end in a 4-3. he is a great passrusher who would thrive in any scheme.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The whole "switch" discussion is petty vague considering we don't really run a true 3-4 most of the time to begin with.

That's a pretty good point.

How often are we even going to be seeing a base 3-4 where Ratliff would be asked to play as a 2-gap NT?

Probably not enough to warrant investing in a 325lb NT.

Passing downs...
Very short yardage...
Teams putting 3 WR's (or more) out onto the field at one time...

All situations that will call for a defense other than the base 3-4.

 

[GIFTS]

you can line d-ware up anywhere and he is good. so our d is not fixed on 1 player

 

[MichaelWinicki]

i would like to see a 4-3 defense. hey hos why do think that ware would not be a effective end in a 4-3. he is a great passrusher who would thrive in any scheme.

But the team is screwed at having anyone other than Carter, who has the physical skills to be an effective 4-3 OLB. And at this point we don't even know what we have in him.

Butler, Spencer... Neither one would be a good OLB in the 4-3
Lee, Brookings, James... Strictly ILB types

 

[GoCowboysGo]

I think the Cowboys, just as the Patriots only ran their 3-4 D on 39% of their plays, run less 3-4 than one would think. I really would like to know how often the 'boys ran their 3-4 last year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1189944/1/index.htm

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think the Cowboys, just as the Patriots only ran their 3-4 D on 39% of their plays, run less 3-4 than one would think. I really would like to know how often the 'boys ran their 3-4 last year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1189944/1/index.htm

If Parcells were here he would live & mostly die with the base defense– refusing to come out of it no matter what.

Ryan seems to look for reasons to get out of the base defense.

 

[RS12]

I dont understand and doubt anybody can explain to me the logic of Ratliff going down to 285 and being expected to man the nose.