Playing with the Defense: the New England Patriots experiment with a 4-3

by MaPatsFan on Sep 2, 2009 10:24 PM EDT

Ever since I can recall, the New England Patriots have played a 3-4 defensive alignment. Or, more accurately, they have been PEGGED as a 3-4 team. Any observant fan will notice some really wacky combinations, especially when employing a nickel or dime package.

In the 2009 preseason, Belichick appears to be messing with a 4-3 alignment. We saw a great deal of it in the first game against the Eagles and we postulated on this blog, "Wouldn't it be cool if Ron Brace was lining up next to Vince Wilfork?" Well yeah, it IS cool.

via football.calsci.com

To get all geeky on y'all, a 4-3 alignment is incredibly good at stuffing the run. It's simple: 4 down linemen to plug up the gaps on rushing plays. 3-4 DE's are primarily used to plug up holes or gaps. 4-3 DE's are fast, athletic, and big - think Julius Peppers. They are pass rushers first. The problem? They are VERY expensive as we saw in the offseason when Peppers was looking for an OLB job in a 3-4 (he must be PO'd we're messing with a 4-3 now, dontcha think?).

The question I'm not clear on is why, exactly, is Belichick messing with his defensive alignment. Is he unhappy with the 3-4? Does his current personnel grouping fit better in a 4-3 alignment? Has no one stepped up to take Bruschi's ILB spot?

It seems Jerod Mayo has emerged as a defensive leader and has been wearing the green dot indicating a radio. It makes sense for an inside (now middle) linebacker to take that role. But what is it about the OLB's and DE's that's got Belichick toying with that 4-3? One theory I have is a 4-3 is excellent at generating backfield pressure; that's probably its greatest strength. It's possible he thinks his current crop of DE's or hybrid DE/OLB players are better suited for this alignment. Or he may be trying to fool everyone into thinking he's going in that direction.

Only Hoodie knows.

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guarded

It’ll be interesting to watch. Mayo made his bones last year as a 3-4 guy, where the down linemen were tasked with keeping him free to make plays. His incredible 20 tackle game v. the Jets is as much a testament to the work of Seymour, Wilfork, Warren and Green as it is to his own considerable talent and drive. I’ll be watching to see how he copes with having to engage and shed the blocks of large men who are now free to go get him. It’s a different world.

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Sep 2, 2009 10:29 PM EDT reply actions

Horses for courses

I’d imagine they’ll use whatever suits. A heavy passing team with no run game? Nickel/dime. A team with a mix of everything? Base 3-4. A run-first team with no pass threat? Stack the box with as many big men as you can forklift into it. Belichick has done it before, and I’d be highly surprised if he doesn’t again.

by Comedic.Sans on Sep 2, 2009 11:01 PM EDT reply actions

One interesting quote by I don't remember which lineman

said to the effect that the Pat’s were still playing 2 gap in the 4-3, not single gap like your picture. That means the 2 Tackles are stuffing the A and B gaps, leaving the C gap(s) for the OLB or DE.

The advantage in having 2 Tackles stuffing 4 gaps, is that you can have up to 5 rushers on the QB without affecting your backfield coverage. Since our regular DE’s and NT’s can all handle 2 gaps (their normal assignments), it should allow us to get more pressure, as well as interesting blitz combinations.

What is also interesting is our specific personnel. Wilfork, Brace NT/DT, Seymour, Warren DT/DE, Thomas, Burgess DE/OLB, Mayo, Guyton ILB/OLB.

With the exact same guys on the field, we can switch between 3-4 and 4-3. Or 3-4 pre-snap read, that becomes 4-3 at the snap.

The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.

by SlotMachinePlayer on Sep 3, 2009 10:31 AM EDT reply actions

Pats need to get a rush with only 4

Whether it’s a 4-3, 3-4 or 2-2-7, I’m not as concerned with how the Pats line up pre-snap or the personnel on the field per play as I am with seeing the unit generate a consistent pass rush with 4 going in and 7 staying back.

If that means Burgess or Tusky have a hand down and are on the line in a 4-3 or if it’s one of them, Mayo, AT or Guyton overloading the center from a standing position with 3 down, it doesn’t matter what it looks like as long is the result is pressure on the QB that saves the young secondary from being out there for too long each play and makes the QB uncomfortable.

by JonnyNYC on Sep 3, 2009 10:36 AM EDT reply actions