The time is right to switch to a 3-4 base

[BrassCowboy]

Micah Parsons is best playing right on the line. It is where he was the most disruptive and on top of his game. Hands down would be a mistake to not put him in a position to challenge olinemen right at the snap.

and absolutely not to the idea of switching to a 3-4 defense.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Not interested in a 3-4 defense, been down that road already...

Yes, I have bad memories of this team's foray into the 3 - 4.

 

[jterrell]

There is no such thing as a 3-4 or 4-3 as the base anymore.

And with Micah that distinction is meaningless as he should and almost certainly will continue to move around frequently between DE, OLB and ILB.

This year made clear dime sets are here to stay.
Safeties who act as LBs and LBs who act as rush DL both inside and out.

 

[Majic]

I believe I’ll stick with DQs ideas vs some random dude on the web.

He's certainly more qualified

There is no such thing as a 3-4 or 4-3 as the base anymore.

And with Micah that distinction is meaningless as he should and almost certainly will continue to move around frequently between DE, OLB and ILB.

This year made clear dime sets are here to stay.
Safeties who act as LBs and LBs who act as rush DL both inside and out.

That is correct, but teams still refer to them when they talk about their base. Looks like the Vikings are the latest team to switch to a 3-4. In terms of drafting and free agents if there was no difference they would continue signing the same type of player like they did under Zimmer. That won't happen. If you look at the Lions another 3-4 team they want a particular type of player. A lot comes down to the ability to take on 2 gaps. My original post wished to highlight we need more of that type of player and that will benefit Parsons who I believe (I'm in the minority) should not be used as a chess piece but as a full-time OLB.

 

[Rack]

Even in a 3-4 I'd want MP at ILB where he could be effective vs the whole offense, not just one edge if he were an olb.

And he's too good in all aspects of LBer play to 9nly have him doing one thing. So glad some of you aren't the DCoord. You'd be getting the GROZ treatment.

 

[Ranched]

Yes I know we play nickel most of the time, but I think going forward we need to be thinking how we can build the DEF around Parsons.

Cowboys are way ahead of you. That's been discussed back in August of last year.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Yes I know we play nickel most of the time, but I think going forward we need to be thinking how we can build the DEF around Parsons. To me, he primarily needs to line up as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme and that is the scheme we need for the next 10 years. I would like to see priority given to drafting an OLB on the other side along with a true Nose Tackle. I am assuming D-Law will not be back and if he does I don't have a lot of confidence he can hold up for a full season. Either way I am not holding back Parsons.

My question is what would the PATS do with someone like Parsons? they would build around him in a scheme best suited to his talents. His best skill his rushing the passer.

Urban (I would bring him back on a cheap deal), Basham come from this scheme and I want players signed who can slot in.

Other teams are now switching to the 3-4 (Raiders, Vikings) so it is very popular now and I know we are a hybrid DEF. But I think primarily we should be building a 3-4.

I expect that he will be used like a 3-4 OLB - off LOS on run downs, 4-3 DE on pass downs. Certainly how he *should* be used.

Moving to a 3-4 looks likely. The move started last year in the draft. Big LBs who can rush. Osa as 3-4 DE. Even made a token swing at a NT. Bohanna has just not been the kind of guy we've drafted.

 

[jterrell]

He's certainly more qualified


That is correct, but teams still refer to them when they talk about their base. Looks like the Vikings are the latest team to switch to a 3-4. In terms of drafting and free agents if there was no difference they would continue signing the same type of player like they did under Zimmer. That won't happen. If you look at the Lions another 3-4 team they want a particular type of player. A lot comes down to the ability to take on 2 gaps. My original post wished to highlight we need more of that type of player and that will benefit Parsons who I believe (I'm in the minority) should not be used as a chess piece but as a full-time OLB.

2021 Defensive Coordinators and Schemes - The IDP Guru

If you see that link what is happening now in modern football is "base 3-4" teams are still running mostly 4-2-5 or 4-1-6 as their PRIMARY package.
And traditional 3-4 guys like Fangio are going 4 pass rushers in a 4-3 style.
3-4 is all but dead now. So the base concept is really lost.
No one wants two edge rush types and 3 down linemen in the game anymore.

Elite edge types are hard to find and you need to have that plus coverage guys galore.

Teams are multiple. They are shifting DL every series if not down in most cities.

If you have a guy like Micah you want to swiss army knife him so the offense has to adjust.

Its really hard to play the big nose tackle types because they offer zero pass rush which means you drop 7 or 8 you better have dogs getting after that QB.
Hard to do so with a guy who won't pass rush at all.
Everyone now wants to stop the run on the way to the QB.

 

[Mobinvans]

Like you said in your post

3-4 or 4-3 really doesn’t matter anymore, everyone plays 3 WR

 

[texbumthelife]

Yes. Let’s change the scheme, setting the entire defense back years, because it MIGHT be a better fit for Parsons who’s sweeping all the awards with his play from the current 43 hybrid. Silly.

 

[goshann]

Old
School
Thinking

everything is multi set

 

[CapnCook]

Didn't read thread. Sorry. Personnel inventory suited for a 3-4. Good call OP

 

[xwalker]

Yes I know we play nickel most of the time, but I think going forward we need to be thinking how we can build the DEF around Parsons. To me, he primarily needs to line up as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme and that is the scheme we need for the next 10 years. I would like to see priority given to drafting an OLB on the other side along with a true Nose Tackle. I am assuming D-Law will not be back and if he does I don't have a lot of confidence he can hold up for a full season. Either way I am not holding back Parsons.

My question is what would the PATS do with someone like Parsons? they would build around him in a scheme best suited to his talents. His best skill his rushing the passer.

Urban (I would bring him back on a cheap deal), Basham come from this scheme and I want players signed who can slot in.

Other teams are now switching to the 3-4 (Raiders, Vikings) so it is very popular now and I know we are a hybrid DEF. But I think primarily we should be building a 3-4.

Dan Quinn used a variety of defensive formations including 3-4.
- Quinn is advanced far beyond the simplistic concepts of 4-3 vs 3-4.

When fans envision 3-4, they're envisioning the alignment of the 3-4 OLBs.
- Because modern era NFL teams play Nickel or Dime on the majority of snaps, the 3-4 equivalent is really 3-3-5.
- The Nickel equivalent of 4-3 is 4-2-5.

In Nickel they often play a front 5 that looks like the front 5 of a 3-4; however, there is only 1 ILB instead of 2.
Parsons DL DL DL Gregory
......................LVE.......................Nickel CB

A 3-4 would have been:
Parsons DL DL DL Gregory
..............LVE.................Neal

Because Parsons is Parsons, you can't really differentiate between 3-3-5 and 4-2-5.
- He can play as a 4-man line DE or as a 3-4 OLB or as a 4-3 OLB.
- He is literally better than other players at any of those positions.
- Gregory wouldn't be 4-3 OLB, but he can play either 3-3-5 OLB or 4-2-5 DE.

A true 3-4 is a run defense. The difference between a true 3-4 and a 4-3 is the 320+ NT vs the 240ish SLB.
- It's not rocket science to figure out that the adding 80 pounds to the front 7 is a plus for run defense.
- If the Cowboys really want to stop the run, the best LB for that is Micah Parsons.
- i.e. That's when he will not be aligned as an outside pass rusher.

 

[doomsday9084]

The base is a 4-2 nickel.

Personally, I think that when Parsons is playing as a nickel LB, it frequently takes him out of the game. Its rare in the NFL, but it is possible to run a 3-3-5 nickel. There may be some advantages to doing so for Parsons in that DQ could move him around a little more without compromising coverage responsibilities.

As far as the 4-3/3-4 hybrid thing the Cowboys run now when teams don't have 3 WR's in . . . its fine. Still need better DT play though.