We're better suited for a 3-4 defense

[LocimusPrime]

3-4 < 4-3

Math tells me the 4-3 is greater. But i could be wrong. Wheres my calculator

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I disagree, if we switch to a 3-4, NT becomes our biggest need. if we stay in a 3-4, there are a hole host of free agents that we can sign to replace Hayden and then spend a 3rd or 4th as a long term answer

 

[whateverman]

who plays the nose? no thanks. the 4-3 can work ours is just so vanilla. hopefully the blitzes we used against washington are permanent.

 

[IAmLegend]

 

[The Natural]

We don't have one down lineman who would be effective in a 3 man front, but somehow we are better suited for a 3-4 defense

 

[Manwiththeplan]

We don't have one down lineman who would be effective in a 3 man front, but somehow we are better suited for a 3-4 defense

Tyrone Crawford would be an effective DE and Jack Crawford as well as David Irving would be effective as a back ups. But again, we have no NT on the roster.

 

[perrykemp]

It also produced the worst statistical defenses in Cowboy franchise history.

I thought the first year (2013) in the 4-3 produced the worst defense in Cowboy history and one of the worst defenses in NFL history.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

People get way to caught up in 4-3 vs 3-4, each scheme has certain strengths and weakness, but for the most part if u have bad 4-3 personnel, you'll have bad 3-4 personnel as well and vice versa. We have struggled on defense this year because we have an inconsistent pass rush, ie Randy Gregory has been injured and not very effective, Crawford has only been ok, Lawrence has been hit and miss and Greg Hardy has not come close to repeating his three sack first half against NE. Switching to a 3-4 won't fix that. We have also struggled, because we have literally one 1-tech on the roster and he's not that good, so we are middle of the road against the run.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I know we just converted a 4-3 a few years back, but imagine having Lee and McClain in the middle, with Gregory and Lawrence manning the outside linebacker spots. Thoughts?

oh God not another 3-4 4-3 debate

 

[texbumthelife]

That gif never gets old haha

 

[texbumthelife]

Tyrone Crawford would be an effective DE and Jack Crawford as well as David Irving would be effective as a back ups. But again, we have no NT on the roster.

No, Crawford really wouldn't. You would be asking him to do every snap, what this current defense is built to make him not have to do, take on two blockers. If you think there is any reason to regret his contract now, moving hi to a 3-4 defensive end would make it even worse. David Irving isn't even close to having enough beef to be a 34 DE. He would have to play outside backer, whereas he has looked great as a situational pass rusher at DE and DT for us.

I think some people believe that any defensive tackle playing the 3 tech could be a 34 defensive end. It simply isn't true. The positions aren't automatically interchangeable.

This whole thread is so off kilter I don't get it. The defense hasn't been the problem this season. The only gripe is a lack of takeaways, which is a reasonable gripe, but this D has performed exceptionally well considering field position, T.O.P. and having to protect the smallest of leads.

Our personnel doesn't come close to suiting a 3-4. Sean Lee and McClain may be the only players that would make sense in a 3-4 front, and at that you're asking Sean Lee to go back to the middle and take on bigger blockers more frequently, while he's looked incredible when healthy at his current position.

There are just so many reasons this is wrong.

 

[texbumthelife]

People get way to caught up in 4-3 vs 3-4, each scheme has certain strengths and weakness, but for the most part if u have bad 4-3 personnel, you'll have bad 3-4 personnel as well and vice versa. We have struggled on defense this year because we have an inconsistent pass rush, ie Randy Gregory has been injured and not very effective, Crawford has only been ok, Lawrence has been hit and miss and Greg Hardy has not come close to repeating his three sack first half against NE. Switching to a 3-4 won't fix that. We have also struggled, because we have literally one 1-tech on the roster and he's not that good, so we are middle of the road against the run.

You'll have to come up with some sort of credible evidence to cite these "struggles" because I certainly haven't seen them.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

You'll have to come up with some sort of credible evidence to cite these "struggles" because I certainly haven't seen them.

15th in ypg, 17th in ypa enough for you?

 

[Kaiser]

This the #5 rated defense in the NFL. So, let's scrap it and start over? The defense is not this team's problem.

Also we should have very good edge players next year a 4-3, especially if we use a high pick on a Sam. The DE's should be Hardy, Gregory, DLaw and Mincey or Russell, then Sean Lee and Ro McClain at LB. Luke Kuechly pretty much beat us by himself, if we added a LB like that to the mix our Defense would be outstanding next year.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Also we should have very good edge players next year a 4-3, especially if we use a high pick on a Sam. The DE's should be Hardy, Gregory, DLaw and Mincey or Russell, then Sean Lee and Ro McClain at LB. Luke Kuechly pretty much beat us by himself, if we added a LB like that to the mix our Defense would be outstanding next year.

Use a high pick on a SAM? Upgrading Hitchens isn't going to drastically improve the defense. Getting 16 games of McClain or Lee type production would, and since I doubt either happens, if we take a LB high, it makes sense to move on from one of them, which likely means McClain

 

[FaSho]

Not sure it would be much different than it is now. McClain and Lee are playing the two big LB roles in this scheme and Hardy, Gregory and Lawrence are free to try to get after the passer instead of also being relied on in coverage. Hardy also would have to play OLB because we certainly wouldn't want to use him as a 3-4 end unless we're playing the Phillips 3-4.

If we made the switch, it wouldn't be this year. I guarantee we wouldn't re-sign Hardy if we did.

 

[Kaiser]

Use a high pick on a SAM? Upgrading Hitchens isn't going to drastically improve the defense. Getting 16 games of McClain or Lee type production would, and since I doubt either happens, if we take a LB high, it makes sense to move on from one of them, which likely means McClain

I agree that McClain is a total wildcard, he could be an All Pro next year or he could be off the team by February. But the team should pick in the 5 - 10 range in the draft and if the best player on the board is a Kuechly type of All Pro Sam, it would be a big upgrade.

I like Hitchens, but he isn't even keeping Kyle Wilber off the field this year. I really, really like the idea of a playmaker Sam joining the defense and Hitchens, Gachkar and Wilson being the backup LBs.

 

[Rack]

I know we just converted a 4-3 a few years back, but imagine having Lee and McClain in the middle, with Gregory and Lawrence manning the outside linebacker spots. Thoughts?

Wed be considerably worse as a 34. We don't have the beef on the DL.

 

[texbumthelife]

15th in ypg, 17th in ypa enough for you?

No, because as I stated that doesn't take anything else into account. Watch the games, don't just look at stats.The defense doesn't operate within a vacuum, the deficiencies of the offense have been a big problem.

Since the New England debacle, this team has given up:
27pts to the Giants (1 pick 6, one ST TD, which makes it s true defensive score of (13))
13 to Seattle
33 to Philadelphia (7 of that from a Cassel pick 6, which makes it a true score of (24))
10 to Tampa
14 to Miami
33 to Carolina (14 of that is Romo pick 6's, which makes it a true score of (19))
16 to Washington

This defense has given up more than 20 points once, since week five.

A lot has been made about this defense faltering down the stretch of games, and that is clearly their biggest downfall. However, given all the circumstances, they have performed admirably on short fields and while regularly being on the field much longer than the other team.

All of this while playing without their best corner and linebacker (for large stretches) and starting a rookie.

I am not excusing all the issues and saying they can't improve. Clearly they can, however, when you give up more than 20 pts once in seven weeks, you should win more than half of those and your defense should be able to pin its ears back making more splash plays and turnovers. Instead, this defense has been forced to play it extremely safe, knowing that one touchdown could sink them. So, while the yardage totals may not look exceptional, they are a precise indicator of the style of defense we have played, more so than anything else.

Like I said, this goes way beyond stats or rankings.

 

[speedkilz88]

I agree that McClain is a total wildcard, he could be an All Pro next year or he could be off the team by February. But the team should pick in the 5 - 10 range in the draft and if the best player on the board is a Kuechly type of All Pro Sam, it would be a big upgrade.

I like Hitchens, but he isn't even keeping Kyle Wilber off the field this year. I really, really like the idea of a playmaker Sam joining the defense and Hitchens, Gachkar and Wilson being the backup LBs.

The Sam LB is barely on the field, they go to nickel too much. That would be a ridiculously dumb move.