Switch to a 3-4 defense?

[FTLDOLFAN]

I know its not going to happen during the season but it actually might not be a bad idea with the personnel that we have.

Phillips can play the NT position with Francis spelling him at times.

Suh and Mitchell would both be our 3-4 DE's with Shelby and Fede rotating in for some plays as well.

Wake and OV would be our OLB's. They are both undersized 4-3 DE's and have problems setting the edge against the run. As 3-4 OLB's they can react and go after the ball carrier or simply rush the passer.

Misi and Jenkins would be our ILB's. Both are good in coverage and at making tackles.

[HndRkyaBong34]

No doubt I would make the switch.. More conducive to the personal we have.. Smash mouth football...

[AquaXI]

3/4 or 4/3 why do I feel that the players won't play for Coyle.

[VAIDER5120]

I'm a 4-3 guy but I wouldn't mind a little 3-4 thrown in there. Wake would rather have his hands in the dirt. I'd rather they play more 5-2 with our lack of LB depth and depth at the D-line plus we have a hard enough time stopping the run with 4 D-lineman on the LOS. If the Dolphins get caught in a hurry up with the 5-2 Wake and OV can stand up and boom your in a 3-4.

[VAIDER5120]

Also OV and Wake are to bulked up to play OLB all the time. If a full switch were to be made it would have to be in the offseason and the way things are going who knows WTH is going to happen. Plus we just spent 4 years switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 so it'll take time going back to 3-4 full time.

[FTLDOLFAN]

I'm a 4-3 guy but I wouldn't mind a little 3-4 thrown in there. Wake would rather have his hands in the dirt. I'd rather they play more 5-2 with our lack of LB depth and depth at the D-line plus we have a hard enough time stopping the run with 4 D-lineman on the LOS. If the Dolphins get caught in a hurry up with the 5-2 Wake and OV can stand up and boom your in a 3-4.

Exactly, if we threw in some 3-4 which can morph into a 5-2 at times that would give an offense something to think about. The way we are playing in our base 4-3 defense now we are not stopping the run and we are not generating a pass rush. 1 sack in 2 games and that was by Jordan Phillipps.

[FTLDOLFAN]

I still maintain that switching to a 3-4 defense might improve things and frustrate what other teams are doing against us. Every team has been double teaming Suh. Are they still going to double team him if he is playing DE in a 3-4 scheme? Normally teams double team the NT in a 3-4 scheme and I think they would still have to do that against Phillips since one o-lieneman is not going to move Phillips by himself. So is an o-line going to dedicate 4 of their 5 linemen to blocking 2 players? I don't think so. Wake and OV also struggle to set the edge as 4-3 DE's. I think having them play as 3-4 OLB's would allow them to either rush the QB or react and pursue when its a running play.

[Phintim Menace]

The 3-4 defense was invented by Shula and Arnsparger to take advantage of having very few quality DL players and more than enough good LBs. They named it the "53 Defense" after Bob Matheson's jersey number, because it was a way to get him into the lineup. I can't really see how this fits our personnel. We can't find 3 starting LBs, let alone 4. We have more DTs than we can get on the field.

[HndRkyaBong34]

I think it would suit our OLB's and give our secondary more relief .... At least a mixture dictated by the opposing offense.. Free up Wake and OV to rush the passer..