Football 4-3 Defense Vs. 3-4 Defense (2024)

FAQs

Football 4-3 Defense Vs. 3-4 Defense? ›

4–3 is better. 4 down linemen and 3 linebackers provide a balance against the run and pass. In a 3–4

When comparing the Pro Football Focus defensive rankings for teams that ran the 4-3 v. the 3-4, a few interesting things pop up. Looking at the overall rankings, the difference between the median 3-4 team and 4-3 was . 5, for run defense it was 3.5, for pass defense 1.3 and pass coverage -4.4.

A drawback of the 3–4 is that without a fourth lineman to take on the offensive blockers and close the running lanes, both the defensive linemen and the linebackers can be overwhelmed by blocking schemes in the running game.

Pros of a 3-4 defense

If a defense has big, strong defenders up front, they can occupy multiple blockers and allow the linebackers to run free towards ball carriers. Having four linebackers also means there can be more defenders to occupy space in pass coverage.

Teams that use the 3–4 defense include the Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, and Houston Texans.

The 4-3 is most effective when the four defensive linemen can protect their gap in run support but also create pressure through a base rush. This defense is designed to stop the run with the gap assignments but can be exposed to no pressure on a passing attack.

A top priority of the 4–4 defense is stopping the run by keeping eight men close to the line of scrimmage. This also makes it difficult for the offense to identify where the pressure comes from when the defense blitzes. 4-4 front, Virginia Tech defense, G front.

You will also see four linebackers behind the defensive line. They are, from left to right: strongside linebacker (SLB), middle linebacker (MIKE), middle linebacker (TED) and weakside linebacker (WLB). It is also common to see the strongside linebacker labeled SAM and weakside WILL.

The over/under 4-3 is basically a four down linemen and three linebacker scheme. The object of this defense is to shift more defensive linemen to the offense's suspected point of attack, which is called the over, or to shift the linemen to the weak side of the offensive formation, which is called the under.

The 4-3-3 is also a good formation from which to press. A three-man forward line provides good numbers to apply pressure on the opposition defence. The midfield three then provides cover and protection in central areas. This is useful both when pressing high or converting into a more reserved block.

Do the Eagles run a 3/4 or 4:3? ›

The 2023 Eagles' defense will resemble the 2022 version in many ways. They will blitz at a below-average rate and utilize zone coverages more often than not. The change from 4-3 architecture to 3-4 architecture is bridged by Vic Fangio's tenure as an advisor to Jonathan Gannon in 2022.

The four linebackers have different names for each position depending on which playbook you're using, but one common way to refer to them is by the names "Sam", "Mike", "Will" and "Jack" like you see in the diagram above. The secondary plays with two corners, and two safeties.

This sixth defensive back is called a "dimeback" (D). The defense gets its name because a dime, worth ten cents, is the next step up in United States coin currency from a nickel, which is worth 5 cents.

The Joker is the outside linebacker almost always positioned to the boundary but occasionally positioned to the field when the offense's passing strength is to the boundary. The primary responsibility of the Joker is as an edge-rusher, though he also has some coverage responsibilities to keep offenses on their toes.

By far the most common alignments are four down linemen and three linebackers (a "4–3" defense), or three down linemen and four linebackers ("3–4"), but other formations such as five linemen and two linebackers ("5–2"), or three linemen, three linebackers, and five defensive backs ("3–3–5") are also used by a number of ...

Linebacker. Like many teams, the Cowboys rely on their nickel defense more than the traditional 4-3 base defense. With the prevalent use of 11 personnel, Dallas prefers to match the extra receiver with a cornerback, resulting in only two starting linebacker positions on Quinn's defense.

The 4-3 defense is a great defense for any level. By using four defensive linemen and having each of these linemen responsible for a gap the linebackers can play downhill and control the box. In this article we will look at the alignment of the base 4-3 and the responsibilities of each position group.

The top 5 NFL defenses are the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets.

The 4-3-3 is also a good formation from which to press. A three-man forward line provides good numbers to apply pressure on the opposition defence. The midfield three then provides cover and protection in central areas. This is useful both when pressing high or converting into a more reserved block.