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Resurrecting the 3-4 defense Don't be surprised if Falcons, Ravens struggle with new 'D'Posted: Wednesday July 03, 2002 2:57 PM
This season the Ravens and Falcons will switch their defensive scheme from the 4-3 (four defensive linemen, three linebackers) to the 3-4 (three defensive linemen, four linebackers) while down in Houston, the expansion Texans will also use this package. Now the Steelers won't have exclusive rights to this odd front. Let me explain how difficult it will be for Baltimore and Atlanta to convert and in some ways how much easier it may be for Houston to build this defense from the ground up. There are four critical issues at hand: Issue No. 1: Which starting defensive lineman will switch from a down stance player to a linebacker? The Falcons are taking their best pass rusher, Patrick Kerney (12 sacks last season), and are teaching him to play outside linebacker. The team claims that Kerney is making progress, but remember -- if it were that easy, every team would take its best player, move him out of his comfort zone and install the 3-4. Since they're starting from scratch, the Texans don't have to convert any players for this position. In this case, they simply plugged in free agent Kailee Wong, who has played linebacker and has a history of being a good pass rusher. Issue No. 2: Is there a nose tackle on the roster big enough to "two gap" the center? The main job of the nose tackle in the 3-4 is to force the offensive line to double team him, which in turn frees up a linebacker. A 4-3 nose tackle is a "one-gap" penetrator whose skill set is based on quickness and stunting. The Steelers used their 2001 first-rounder to draft, 315-pound Casey Hampton, to play nose tackle. The Ravens would have been fine here if they had re-signed Sam Adams (350 pounds), but salary cap issues prevailed so now 285-pound Kelly Gregg is penciled in at the spot. He will have trouble filling the job description and that will put more pressure on the inside linebacker. The Texans grabbed three linemen (Seth Payne, Gary Walker and Jerry DeLoach), all of whom are over 300 pounds and are perfectly suited for the 3-4 front. Issue No. 3: Which undersized speed-oriented defensive lineman now will play down inside over the offensive tackle? The three defensive linemen in the 3-4 are not quick, penetrating players but rather stout, heavy-legged types. Baltimore DE Mike McCrary is 265 pounds and will struggle anywhere except off an edge as a wide rusher (think Hugh Douglas from when the Jets converted to the 3-4). Atlanta DE Brady Smith is in the 275 range and he may struggle, too. Pittsburgh uses 300-pound former Bengals nose tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen at the spot that McCrary and Smith will now be forced to play. Issue No. 4: Which inside linebackers formerly protected by the four-man front can line up directly over 325-pound guards and get off their blocks to make plays? Without a great nose tackle in Baltimore, Ray Lewis is going to be frustrated in this scheme. A number of offensive coaches who'll be playing the Ravens this year finally feel they have a chance to block the All-Pro linebacker. In the past, with Adams and Tony Siragusa up front, it was virtually impossible to stop Lewis. Just another example of taking your best player and risking production for scheme. During the year, the so-called experts will no doubt promote this conversion as a tactical stroke of genius. But don't buy the idea that the scheme will confuse opponents and create an advantage for the teams using the 3-4. It's not as if other teams don't know the defense. For instance, Saints coach Jim Haslett ran the 3-4 for the Steelers for three seasons before leaving for New Orleans -- he didn't install the package when he got to Louisiana because he didn't have the kind of players he needed to do so. Haslett knows players, not schemes, win games. And it's possible that because other clubs are now copying the Steelers' scheme, some of Pittsburgh's success on defense could be minimized since more opponents will get exposure to the package. Case in point: Jon Gruden and Co. will already have played against the 3-4 three times before Pittsburgh visits Tampa Bay on Dec. 23. Things could be a lot different this year for the Steelers' defense. Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNNSI.com.
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