The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Just want to know what people think would be the better scheme for a team to use?

3-4 is the only scheme you can use to beat the Colts or the Pats. You can only use a 4-3 to beat them if you have 2 ridiculous DE's.

I vote 3-4

^^ Really Wow I thought the Giants did a hell of job using the 4-3 to beat the Pats...

I like the 4-3 defense....

Denver has no memory, Lil_B...otherwise the weight of all the stupid shit he's said and done in his life would come crashing down on him.

Either system is a good system, provided you have quality players who can fill the roles in that scheme. Personally, I like the 4-3, because I like having the extra DL in the middle of the line, but a team can win with either one.

I have always been a 4-3 guy, but am starting to appreciate the 3-4.

I think more teams should adopt the 9-2 defense and hope like hell no team runs a 3 WR set against them.  All blitz all the time!

Actually Stroke what Donkey boy forgets is,That when you play the Colts,and Pats..It's doesn't matter what you run 4-3 or 3-4...you're in nickel and dime defense 75% of the time....As Maine mentioned the 3 wide sets,or splitting the TE in the Slot...

I actually have to stick up for the guy for once. Denver said you have to have two rediculous DEs and I think the Giants qualify as that.

Personally, I liked it when the Dolphins used the 4-5 defense against Buffalo in 1992, which is what we used when I was in high school. 

Five defensive backs and only two linebackers.  Even though I was listed as an outside linebacker, I was a roving linebacker who would shadow the running back.  I could line up in several different spots depending on the type of play that was called.  The other linebacker pretty much blitzed on every play.

Off topic somewhat, but as long as we are bringing up defense variations, I like the 3-3-5 that WVU plays. I don't see it being effective in the NFL, but it really gets athletes on the field in college.

I prefer the 4-3.  Pressure is better than coverage, in most cases.

Same here.

Thank you, sir.

Love how these guys spin my words........

Tommy, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that the defense that Miami was in when the Bills ran 29 screen plays that they couldn't stop in the AFC Championship Game at JRS? Thurman Thomas and Kenneth Davis had a field day.

I like the 46 Defense with attitude. You've got to have good corners though. When Miami beat Chicago in 1985, Chicago's corners were very average and that's where Miami attacked them.

It was also the same defense used when they beat the crap outta them IN BUFFALO 37-10.  Louis Oliver had three picks in that game. 

The screen play is pretty much the only way to counter a 45 setup.  My senior year, we had Southridge beat, 24-21 going into the final quarter.  We had been stopping the Davis brothers all night.  At one point, I read their double reverse perfectly and busted into the backfield untouched, swiping the handoff from Darren Davis as he was making the exchange with his older brother Troy.  Then in the 4th, they went almost exclusively to screens, and coach Miller failed to make the adjustment.  He should've gone back to a 4-3, but he didn't.  The Davis brothers turned on the afterburners when catching the ball in open space. , and the end result was a 42-32 loss.

Reminds me of what my HS football team ran.  They did the 4-4 , 3-5-3, 4-6 bear set which was confusing  but effective. 

3-4

Depends on who you're playing.   You don't see many true "3-4" defenses anymore because there are so many pass rushing linebackers.  The NFL goes through this every so many years. 

In the 1980's nearly everybody not named Chicago Bears or Washington Redskins was running some version of the 3-4.  This alignment requires bigger linebackers (this is a generality) and the defensive ends are usually more like wide side tackles 300lbs and better against the run.  A solid Nosetackle is also a key ingredient.

Then the 90's hit and with the exception of Pittsburgh and Carolina everybody ran a 4-3.  There's so many versions of this largely because the 4-3 has been around since the 1950's.  Who invented the 3-4?  If you say Bum Phillips you get half credit.  Bill Arnsparger. 

The 4-3 variations come from generally speaking how you line up your linebackers.  It's more versatile, your DE's can be just about anything but you better have two decent defensive tackles.