Switch to 4-3

[Concudan]

I saw an article the other day that suggested that the D under Bradly was switching to 4-3. It said that Ingram would then play at DE, instead of LB.

I am not sure how I feel about that. The D has not run the 4-3 overly well the last four or so years, but I thought that with Bosa and the younger players it might work out. How do you guys/gals feel about going back to the 4-3 full time? Pros and cons?

[Concudan]

[oneinchpunch]

I saw an article the other day that suggested that the D under Bradly was switching to 4-3. It said that Ingram would then play at DE, instead of LB.

I am not sure how I feel about that. The D has not run the 4-3 overly well the last four or so years, but I thought that with Bosa and the younger players it might work out. How do you guys/gals feel about going back to the 4-3 full time? Pros and cons?

I feel the 3-4 hasn't worked well for the Chargers since they said "see ya" to Jamal Williams.

When you have a talent like that in the middle the 3-4 can be great.

[blueman]

According to Steve we really haven't been playing too much 3-4 anyway. Sounds like they're gonna be maximizing our base set with the talent we have. Okey-doke.

[Concudan]

According to Steve we really haven't been playing too much 3-4 anyway. Sounds like they're gonna be maximizing our base set with the talent we have. Okey-doke.

That is true. The Chargers have been running a hybrid system with a lot of times having 4 linemen. So maybe no big deal.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

When we ran the 4-3 before John Butler was the gm we got no pressure at all rushing 4 and couldn't stop the run either.

[Fleet]

Im excited because if we stay healthy we have a few tandems that could end up being some of the best in the league.

Bosa/Ingram
Verrett/Hayward
Perryman/Brown

For how many of us were dying for defense this draft, we have some pretty solid young players on this D. And with a guy like Mebane in the middle i think we can be a very opportunistic D this season.

I really like Ingrams speed at Leo on the weakside. I expect Bosa will get a lot of doubles at 5T and that will really open up Ingram to wreak havoc. I think our LBs are a better fit in this D than in a 34. Perry was a weakside 43 guy. I think Brown will probably play that Telvin Smith roll and will have a ton of success because he is so fast. I think Toomer could be our best coverage SAM and Attaochu will probably rush from that spot. But we have a lot more Leo types than SAM types imo.

I think Emmanuel is sort of a jack of all trade type LB. Will play SAM and can play Leo as well as on the weakside.

Its not like we were in an exclusive 34 last year. We were in a traditional 43 base often. And 34/43 Under isnt terribly different. One standup up rusher with another's hand in the ground etc. Its more hybrid 34 than a complete switch to a traditional 43. But we have solid personel for a traditional 43 as well.

I like that our young players will come into a new defense with a ton of 34 experience. But the key will be getting the right guy in the right gaps. And a guy i could see really thriving as sort of a freelance gap filler will be Brown. I think Brown ends up with a shitload of tackles and big plays for us this year.

Perryman is no Wagoner but he should continue to get better and i think he will make a lot of plays for us. Bosa and Ingram will cause so much trouble in the run and pass game that i can see Perryman and Brown really racking up the plays this year.

Who knows maybe Brown sees more time inside like Atlanta uses Deion Jones and Perryman plays the weakside. I do compare Jones and Brown to each other. Very similar skillsets. You want to get Brown in the right place to succeed. He may be a machine inside..

[Big Dog]

I like King in the slot up close to the line, he looks stout like a LB but has the speed of a DB ... I think he wil have more of an impact than the guy drafted above him.

Anybody notice how a lot of teams went same position twice ina row in the draft in the higher rounds; like we did going OG-OG and then S-S ... everyone copying the Pats when they did it atTE a few years ago. Never saw it once before they did it. Now it's like the in thing to do ... guess it gives you 2 chances to find 1 starter at the position.

[Panamamike]

I like King in the slot up close to the line, he looks stout like a LB but has the speed of a DB ... I think he wil have more of an impact than the guy drafted above him.

Anybody notice how a lot of teams went same position twice ina row in the draft in the higher rounds; like we did going OG-OG and then S-S ... everyone copying the Pats when they did it atTE a few years ago. Never saw it once before they did it. Now it's like the in thing to do ... guess it gives you 2 chances to find 1 starter at the position.

For years the Steelers did that with CB, but they used round 3-5. They felt they could find corners for their system in the mid rounds and would double up as insurance.

[Steve]

Most NFL teams spend most of their time in a 425 alignment, whether they are a base 43 or 34. I don't see that changing for us.

The Seattle 43 is based on the old hybrid 34 D that the 49ers won all their SB with. They have 1 rush LB/DE (Elefant/LEO) that rushes from weakside. They have a Strongside DE, who sets the edge and rushes the passer. They like to use a tilted NT type of guy (Mebane). Seattle likes to use mostly man to man, but the 49ers were a mostly zone team, and Atlanta and Jacksonville have used a lot of zones while they were switching over. The defense Bradley uses is very flexible and multiple, letting the coaches do a lot of things, but it has been implemented in a way that makes it easy to teach and they tend to keep the individual assignments fairly simple.

I don't think the change in scheme will have much if any difference. Our D was pretty good last year, and I think it will be even better this year with the addition of King as the nickel DB and the way that Bradley will simplify the S spots. The only spots I am a little worried about is DT. Liuget has not played well in a couple of years and Mebane is getting up there. It is not a major worry because I do like the other guys we have on DL, but it would be nice to have a better player to hold down the middle. We have a lot of young players, they just have to find their spots and play well. But that is true if we had stayed in the 34 or switched to another 43.

[Steve]

For years the Steelers did that with CB, but they used round 3-5. They felt they could find corners for their system in the mid rounds and would double up as insurance.

Ironically, they are making a change. They are getting tired of losing to the Patriots and feel like they need to play better coverage to slow Brady and give their pass rush more of a chance. ()

They drafted Artie Burns in the 1st round last year and are trying to get guys who play more man to man D. You have to draft man to man guys higher, the guys you get later tend to be guys who are zone corners. The steelers noticed that it has been a long time since a team that doesn't play a lot of man to man D has won a SB. They are full swing into playing less zone blitz, and do more press man to man D.

[Panamamike]

Ironically, they are making a change. They are getting tired of losing to the Patriots and feel like they need to play better coverage to slow Brady and give their pass rush more of a chance. ()

They drafted Artie Burns in the 1st round last year and are trying to get guys who play more man to man D. You have to draft man to man guys higher, the guys you get later tend to be guys who are zone corners. The steelers noticed that it has been a long time since a team that doesn't play a lot of man to man D has won a SB. They are full swing into playing less zone blitz, and do more press man to man D.

Yeah.....but there is a lot that precipitated the change. The biggest problem was they allowed their D to get OLD at LB and in the secondary at the same time. they wiffed on some edge players, and no longer were able to do what made them successful for so long. Their pass rush suffered which exposed their young DBs. They also wiffed badly on DBs in successive drafts. What had allowed them to be successful for so long under Lebeau was the personnel was rotated through and drafted in advance, especially OLBs. They got OLD all at once, failed on a few restocking efforts and ended up with a weak D in a short period of time.

[Chargerville]

Things that probably would have been addressed if Cowher would have stuck around.