The 46 Challenge - Are you up to it?

[dwmyers]

Okay, I said this to superpunk in PM, but let's also say this here. I intend to do some digging and find out for sure whether the Ravens (or whomever) is actually playing a 46 defense. I've found at least one source of a 1985 Chicago Bears game torrent, which is here:

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/975602/3327828/

My intention is to break the game down and find identifiable instances of the 46 defenses in use (it'd be nicer to find the Dallas-Chicago game of that year, cause Danny White said Chicago used it, but no luck so far).

After that I'm aiming to get a contemporary Baltimore Ravens game and break it down as well. I've heard for far too long that the Ravens run a 46 defense and I don't believe it one bit.

I know what I'm looking for. A 6 man front with two linebackers.. we'll see where we can find that elusive 46 defense. :

David.

 

[dwmyers]

Ok, progress so far.

I've spoken with superpunk in PM and he has (what I consider) solid references to Rex Ryan "dusting off" the 46. The article is a June 2005 Washington Post interview with Rex. I've given him grief in the past for making stuff up but he didn't make up these quotes.

So, at least I understand the basis of his claims.

A picture of an actual 46. This is the first defensive play for the 1985 Chicago Bears in their week 8 encounter with the Minnesota Vikings:

There is a five man front instead of a 6 man front because of the one man backfield and the slot receiver. The adjuster has to come out of the line and cover the slot man. The linebackers shift to the right side of the offense and the weakside linebacker is aligned with the tailback and the strongside linebacker is just outside the tight end. 99, Dan Hampton, is face up with the center. The two linemen beside him are on the guards. The offensive tackles are uncovered.

Diagrammatically, the defense is close to Diagram 10-15 from Rex's book:

Things that are not progress. I have yet to get Raven's film. The torrents I can find have a tracker that requires a registration and registration to those trackers is closed for now.

 

[dwmyers]

Two more 46 defenses.

This next one isn't as clear, the linebackers (such as they are) are moving into position as of this point, but look at the line spacing.. three linemen on G,C,G and the free end outside, 95 Richard Dent. This play occurs with 6:29 left in the half of the 1985 Chicago-Minnesota game.

This next image a bit after the above, on a play where 22, Duerson, intercepts Tommy Kramer. This is about as classic a 46 front as I've seen so far. It's easy to count 6 shadows along the line, see the two players at linebacker depth (Duerson on top). I'd ask if this really could be confused with a 3-4 of any kind. As a "4-3" it's awfully bizarre.

David.

 

[dwmyers]

Four more images to show, and also I'll note I've broken down one half of the game between the Vikings and the Bears. This is in 1985, Bud Grant is the Vikings coach, Tommy Kramer is the Vikings quarterback. He's pretty mobile and the game was close through the first period. The score at the end of the half is 13-7, the difference being 2 field goals scored by the Bears. Both teams suffer an interception, Tommy Kramer being intercepted by Dave Duerson on a pass when the Bears were in a 46 (that lineup was shown previously).

Ok, this screen I originally tagged as possible 46 but the more I look at it.. it's a 46. This is from a 2nd and 10 play at the very end of the first quarter. The Vikings are threatening to score.

This 46 came just before the 2 minute warning of the first half. Ironically the Bears are playing 46 when the Vikings need to pass to get downfield. The score is 10-7 and the game is close.

This 46 came at 1:15 left in the second half on a 3rd and 5. It ended up well for the Bears, but only because Tommy Kramer overthrew a wide open receiver downfield.

Finally this photo of a Baltimore front. I post this because of the count along the line (3 down linemen, 3 in 2 point stance, 6 total). I suspect the line spacing is wrong for a 46 but the two linemen nearest the "viewer" are paired in an almost 46ish fashion. This is probably a 3-4 where the RILB has slid into the gap between the DE and ROLB. Real game film and a few more angles could tell the tale here.

David.

 

[superpunk]

In that Baltimore photo, the only difference between the 46 and the front the Ravens are running is that the rush end is not down in a stance. Gregg appears to have his hand lined up with the ball, so he is directly on the center, with two linemen directly next to him over the guards. It's a 46. It's not "exact" with the Bears photos - but it is a 46. A rush end, 3 linemen over the G C G, and two OLBs overloaded. Bingo.

Nice photos. I still haven't finished the game download.

 

[dwmyers]

I'm not sure the line spacing is a 46, superpunk. If it's an "honest to god" 46, then the interior linemen are over guard, center, guard. The "LDE" could be over the tackle. The NG and the RDE appear to be slanted and I won't call the line spacing 'correct' for a 46. I agree with you about the 'rush end'; I don't think that the 'rush end' being in 2 point matters.

The other thing is, I only see 7 in the box in the photo. If the view were broader and the SS had taken a LB slot I'd be a lot happier. But people move around and such; it's why film is so valuable.

Further, even if the DE, NG and DE (using 3-4 terms) are in their regular 3-4 places, this could be a 46-esque play if the DEs pinch into the G-T gap.

The whole pic is intriguing but I'm not as willing as you to say it proves the case, yea or nea. I'd love the film of the entire play.

David.

 

[dwmyers]

More notes..no pics this time, sorry. If someone knows how to get a JPEG from a mp4, let me know. VideoDub didn't read the new game I have (2006, Titans versus Jags).

I've looked at a bit of Titans tape, as I got a Titans game down. I have about 70% of a Ravens game downloaded, but I don't expect to have it completely until the end of the week. I don't think that one is in mp4 format.. least I hope not.

At least through about a quarter and a half, I see Noooo 46 from the Titans or the Jags. The Titans do have an interesting formation, 8 in the box, where the DTs line up in a normal 4-3 slot, both DEs scoot out so that the OTs are uncovered, the 4-3 outside linebackers fill in a slot about 5 yards behind the OTs, and the middle linebacker stays in place. A safety comes up to form a fourth "linebacker" in this set.

No pics. If someone has an idea, I'm all ears.

David.

 

[dwmyers]

The Baltimore video finally downloaded; Indianapolis versus Baltimore, the Division Championship game. I went through a bit more than a quarter and I can't say I've seen even one 46.

They do have the oddest 3-4 front I've ever seen.

This is an example:

See the slant of the LDE? Whether the NG is slanted I'm not 100% sure but I wouldn't be surprised if Kelly Gregg was too. He's undersized and a motor guy. The big DE on top I think is Ngata and what a load he is. Their left OLB is Thomas who at 270+ is often more of a rusher than a LB but it makes for an amazing amount of versatility in their front.

David.