Wade Phillips and the 46 Defense (READ IT)

[Biggems]

You are correct, Dallas was in its base 3-4. Dallas expected the run on those plays and even called the right set, just too many missed tackles.


And many have mentioned the very thing Vela does in his article, Wades' use of the 46 is what improved the D went it went into a slump. The 46 also made James a borderline pro bowler. I think a guy like Jason Williams would become an absolute monster playing James spot in this front, while Hodge could be just as impactful in Burnett's role as the sideline to sideline/coverage MLB. The front 7 would be just as big, but crazy fast w/the addition of those two as starters. One day .... if Wade is still here, that is.

from what I understand either one of the linemen or one of the LBs freelanced and tried to be a hero, instead of filling the specified gap......leaving both bruising RBs one on one with our sissified DB....end result, 2 long TDs.

 

[BAT]

from what I understand either one of the linemen or one of the LBs freelanced and tried to be a hero, instead of filling the specified gap......leaving both bruising RBs one on one with our sissified DB....end result, 2 long TDs.

That may be the case, but there were missed tackles by DL and LBs, in addition to the "sissified" DBs.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

How you saw anything on that little screen is beyond me. I was just relying on memory when I saw it live on my big screen.


But if there was another DL between Canty and Ware, it makes those 2 runs even more embarassing. From what I saw (and remember), Spencer misses the tackle first (in the backfield), then Zach, Spears is walled off completely, then James can't wrap up, then finally the humiliation bounce off by Hamlin.

There were only 4 down lineman sandwiched by Spencer and Ware on the second long TD. The first long one was against a 3-4 front.

The critical design element of the play from the offensive side is that they had 3 players in the backfield on the left side of the offensive line. Instead of running it that way, they ran to the right. Our entire defense plugged the left side perfectly while Spencer got walled off on a double team on the right.. The defensive lineman were falling all over each other like a damn Three Stooges slapstick fest. Disgusting to watch from our side of the field.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Wow, there is some excellent football commentary by the posters in this thread.

I had no clue you guys were so knowledgable.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

But wouldn't our personnel tip the possibility?

If Zach Thomas was on the field, it was likely a straight 3-4. Any regular down where Kevin Burnett came in, odds favored a shift to the 46 to protect him from offensive linemen.

Are we any better off with Keith Brooking?

I believe he's an upgrade over Thomas on the inside due to his size and familiarity with Wade's scheme. But Brooking isn't a coverage 'backer and I wouldn't want to see him responsible for the middle of the field in our 46 set.

If we have to bring a better cover player on the field to be able to shift looks, it's an automatic tip off on what might be coming to the opposing offense.

That doesn't make the look less dangerous, but it'd be nice to be able to pull it off with our base personnel while not worrying about the middle linebacker getting comepletely exposed in coverage.

Well, by looking over and over that one particular play against Baltimore, they were leaving Thomas in for the 46/Cowboy defense. The thing is you can feign the threat of an all-out run attacking defense and still drop the LB'ers on the LOS into lanes at the snap of the ball.

That's one thing I really like about the 3-4, the almost limitless subterfuge it brings once you have the right personnel in the LB corps, credible safeties, and decent corners across the board.