Clipped from: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com (share this clip)
I remember after last years defensive meltdown for the Giants, lots of people were looking for the easy answer to fix things in NY. “3-4 Defense is the answer” I’d hear all the time. Easily said, that’s for sure. Whether you agree with it or not, transitions like that to your defense take time, commitment, and hard work to get them to stick. And depending on your personnel, it doesn’t always work — there’s no magic bullet. But last year 4 of the top 5 defenses based on production were 3-4 schemes.
Here are some case studies – first let’s start with 4-3 base defenses that have done well:
• The Vikings had the best defense in the NFC last year and sported a 4-3 base defense.
• In 2008, the Eagles, Titans, and Giants were among the best defenses in the league… all had 4-3 schemes.
• In 2007 when the Giants won it all, they were a top 5 team with a 4-3 scheme as well.
• The Giants stuck with their 4-3 base this year with new Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell and have a top defense once again this year. #2 in passing, #3 in running… and they got to a #1 total ranking last week before they played the Cowboys. Not bad for being awful a year ago.
Now for notable teams that have changed:
• The Redskins are doing well enough this year defensively, DeAngelo Hall just got 4 interceptions in one game – yeah they played Cutler and the Bears… but still that team has created more opportunities for turnovers this year and it’s worked for them. Albert Haynesworth of course threw a bit fit this past offseason when he heard about the shift, but now it looks like he’s on board and actually has been doing extremely well in the new 3-4 scheme in the role he once eschewed – ‘plugging holes’.
• Green Bay made the transition after the 2008 season, had a tremendous secondary last year and seem to be on track for another top 5 finish overall.
• Kansas City’s defense has come alive this year, they had a 3-4 last year as well but again, it takes longer than a season sometimes to get all the necessary pieces in place to be effective.
• Of course Pittsburgh is consistently ranked among the top defenses in the league, if not THE best — they are a 3-4 base defense.
• The Ravens in the past have transitioned from one scheme to another and back again depending on personell and strategy — and amazingly they always post a top defense at the end of the year. Quite impressive actually that even amidst transition, they are still consistently at the top.
But he Buffalo Bills have found out the hard way that you can’t just bring in a few free agents, draft for a 3-4 LB, and problem solved. Apparently, after getting gashed on the ground for 3 straight weeks and going 0-5, they’ve decided to abandon their 3-4 experiment in favor of the 4-3 scheme and actually… they showcased a pretty good team against the Ravens this past weekend in a game that went to OT. They still lost, but clearly the switch back to 4-3 reignited some passion in the defense against a very good Baltimore team that everyone, including me, thought they’d get destroyed by.