34 defense solution to pass rush???

[Chump Bailey]

I know this has been debated before, so I apologize for the redundancy. I thought a revisit would be informative for me/new members because of the knowledge most veteran posters here possess.

Would such a switch allow the defense to put consistent pressure on the opposing QB with no decline in stopping the run? I think it would elevate both aspects personally.

I realize we do not have the prototypical NT to implement a 34, but a possible solution would be to acquire Cardinals DT Gabe Watson in the offseason who I believe is an UFA. Gabe goes 6’4” 330lbs and IMO is capable of assuming such a role as Kris Jenkins did with the Jets this season.

We have played in a 34 before – this season and IMO it worked out well. I believe it was the first Dallas or Philly game.

DL:

Gabe Watson NT

Griffin RDE

Evans LDE

LB:

IMO, we have a plethora of guys that could perform very well in such a defense. These guys all have the speed, power and quickness to rush the passer, seal off the edges and help the outside run – also inside rushing. We could have a strong rotation of guys with speed and speed kills.

Andre Carter: He may not like the move, but he is doing squat currently as a DE. He should be able to utilize his speed more in such a move IMO and not get worn down as easily perhaps.

Marcus (perhaps)

J. Taylor (perhaps)

Rocky – adequate in coverage role.

E. James

Rob Jackson

Fletcher – good in coverage role.

Blades

Campbell

Fincher

Wilson

I also think were Buzbee to return to full strength, he could perhaps play a major role in such a defense.

We have the DB’s without question IMO.

[Major Harris]

sorry, mw isn't an OLB in a 3-4, carter was not very good in that role in SF, and i'll assume you were joking about jason taylor. i don't see blades in that role, really, k. campbell is probably too small.

[RiggosMohawk]

We'd need a complete overhaul of the OLBs. Rocky may work in coverage, but those guys give your main pressure on the QB. I don't see any of our DL really flourishing in a 3-4, and relying on a Watson pickup doesn't make the deal sound any better either.

I think the worst thing is to force the players to fit a system that doesn't work for them. Fit the system to the players, and I think a 4-3 team is what we have in the near future.

[No_Pressure]

We have none of the personnel. We need a massive DT, massive DE's, and bigger outside linebackers.

[chaddukes]

A 3-4 Defense is not a cure all. See the Cleveland Browns as an example. This defense doesn't indicate an instant improvement in anything. Of the top five defenses in the league only one (Pittsburgh) runs a true 3-4. The Ravens run sort of a hybrid 46/3-4 defense. The other three are traditional 4-3 defenses.

And, as everyone has already said, we would need to completely overhaul the entire front seven. If Vinny won't invest in the D-line now what makes you think that he will overhaul the system and have to get a whole new batch of linemen.

[ThePreciating]

If you can't stop the run with a 4-3, what makes you think you'll have success in a 3-4?

Stay off the Madden for a bit.

[JRAB]

We simply don't have the personnel to run a full-time 3-4 and do well with it.

Carter physically is what you'd need for the WOLB in a 34, but he has proven in the past that he isn't very good in that role. It isn't only about rushing the passer, which he can do... but it's about coverage and moving backwards and sideways, as well as forward. Carter isn't nimble enough to do that.

For the SOLB, we really don't have anyone who could do that either. Taylor just wouldn't be able to do it at his age. Maybe 10 years ago... but not now.

We could probably piece together a couple of ILB's from the group we now have... but they likely would have trouble against the run.

Want to cut LFB's career short? Just ask him to take on some guards all game long in the running game. He has a lion's heart, so he'd give it a try... but he'd beat himself straight out of the league pretty quickly in doing so.

Washington is about done and McIntosh doesn't have the ballast to take on guards on a regular basis.

Then of course, we don't have the prototypical NT needed and really, we don't have much to play out at DE in a 34. We could stick some of the DT's we now have out there... but they would be pretty mediocre in that role, IMO.

I'd be leery of trying to make that change in one offseason... much less trying to switch in the middle of the season.

Our defense isn't the problem anyway. It is the offense which let's us down and continually puts our defense in situations where they get too worn out to even stop the run.

:2cents:

[jleopiper]

Wouldn't we need a new Defensive Coordinator for that too? I think Dick LeBeau is the only one doing this with a high rate of success.

I think our defense is good, we just need a pass rushing DT to complement Cornelius' ability to stop the run. IMHO

[Genghis Khan]

In order to fix our pass rush we need to add a speedy linebacker at the Sam position and a three technique defensive tackle. Just two players who could change everything for us.

[JC#17]

If we ran a 3-4, Barber would have had 200+ yards and 3 + tds

[nightbird]

Nope.

Our coaches don't coach it, and our players don't play it.

Entirely different concepts and personnel needs.

Getting a pass rush is about A) Disguising and timing your blitzes when you bring heat, and winning individual line of scrimmage battles when you don't.

[pjfootballer]

No, I wouldn't go to a 3/4. It's the in-vogue defense right now and I like the 4/3. We need to do a better job of getting players that play better in a 4/3. As for the pass rush, I don't know what to tell you. It seems like NOBODY gets to the QB. Maybe a big DT that can get a push in the pocket will help the DE's.

[terpskins10]

We'd have to:

Have a big NT like Watson

Move Montgomery and/or Golston to DE, which would not suit their capabilities. Drafting Tyson Jackson might help though.

Get rid of Carter, MW, Taylor.

Move Rocky and Fletcher to ILB.

Draft two bigger OLBs or try to use Chris Wilson in that facet.

It might be productive a few years down the line with an overhaul of the front 7 but if you're looking for a quick fix it isn't happening.

[G-Prime]

Yeah it's already been pointed out but we don't have the guys to run a 3-4.

[CrypticVillain]

If we had the coaches and players to run a 3-4 we would be running a 3-4.

The only thing I could suggest to spice up our pass rush is to put Taylor as a LB on 3rd downs. We did it on Sunday and it worked, should do more of that.

[mel25]

on a bit of a side note, i always felt if we ran a 3-4 when we had a healthy lavar, he probably would've went down as one of the greatest LB's ever.

[fire3fighter4]

i think we could be successful in a 3-4 defense....we'd definitely need to pick up a NT though.

i doubt we'd change with how good our defense has been though(top 10)

[Saqs]

Coach Blache almost lost it when someone asked about lack of sacks again. The tone of his voice says it all.

Go here and checkout the Coach Blache: 11-20 video http://www.redskins.com/do/videoGallery

[SMOSS89]

I hate to say it but....this is where Gregg Williams would have been a bit more creative. He likes to sprinkle in some 3-4 stuff on occasions (not the whole game), do stuff like switch Carter on the other side (like in the Viking game) and use 4 LBs, 5 down lineman if necessary. I love Blache this year and he's really playing a basic defense and we are excecuting well, but schematicely we aren't anything special right now.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Who is going to play NT?

Where are we going to get the DEs?

Who is going to teach the technique?

And unless you plan on having LBs getting a lot of free runs at the QB, running the 3-4 is not going to change the fact that none of our LBs are good pass rushers.

Joey Porter has proven this year that a good pass rusher is a good pass rusher in any system.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

on a bit of a side note, i always felt if we ran a 3-4 when we had a healthy lavar, he probably would've went down as one of the greatest LB's ever.

A young Lavar would have been a monster in a 3-4.

[dallasfan]

Gabe Watson may be a RFA, but since he's just finishing his third year, he's not an UFA. Either way he doesn't have the motor needed imo because if he did, he'd be playing in ARZ more.