4--3 Ain't What It Used To Be - 09.05.11

	September 05, 2011 4--3 Ain't What It Used To Be PETER KING

MOST POPULAR

TEAM	PCT.	SKINNY
SEAHAWKS	60.0	Only team to play its base defense at least 60% of plays
RAIDERS	59.7	Also played dime 40% of the time
BENGALS	56.2	Not a dime team. Base or nickel on 93.6% of snaps
COLTS	54.3	Plain Jane of the AFC: 4--3 or 4--2 on 89% of downs
RAMS	52.1	Only 4--3 team that used dime more than nickel
BUCCANEERS	51.0	Desperate for more pass rush out of line. Showed in '11 draft
SAINTS	51.0	Coordinator Gregg Williams likes to rush LBs to get pressure
JAGUARS	50.6	Failed at the 3--4 in 2009 and played four-man line 82% in '10
TEXANS	48.9	Moving to classic 3--4 under new coordinator Wade Phillips
BEARS	48.4	Used formation other than four-man line only five plays all season
EAGLES	48.1	Like Indy, didn't vary much: 4--3 or 4--2 on 91% of the snaps
PANTHERS	47.8	Lots of injuries. Tried to find effective D; never really did
FALCONS	46.2	Only team in the league never to use six DBs last season
VIKINGS	45.8	96% of snaps out of just two packages, 4--3 and nickel
LIONS	45.6	Ditto: 90% of time in 4--3 or nickel
RAVENS	41.4	OLB Terrell Suggs dropped in coverage just 9% of time
TITANS	40.1	Played 4-2-5 half the snaps; not a lot of variety
GIANTS	32.8	Fielded four linemen 94% of the snaps
BILLS	28.5	Searching for right mix, Buffalo had league-high 17 packages

ProFootballFocus.com analyzed every game from last season and identified 19 teams as operating a 4--3 (including Buffalo, which went back and forth). But that masks wide variability. How fungible have NFL defenses become? Seattle, which led the league in percentage of plays from its base defense, still lined up in something other than the 4--3 on four of every 10 snaps.

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.]

TOP OF STORY

SI VAULT HOME

CHAOS BY DESIGN: No down linemen? Linebackers on the nose? Cornerbacks in a three-point stance? Today's attacking... - September 05, 2011
3--4 AND A WHOLE LOT MORE: Pro Football Focus identified 13 NFL teams as playing a base 3--4, then determined how often... - September 05, 2011
THE CASE FOR ... Tim Tebow If the New York Jets made dinner rolls, they would be the most polarizing dinner rolls in the... - August 13, 2012

	ARTICLES	GALLERIES	COVERS
American Football Conference	6441	0	171
National Football League	13627	0	598
Buffalo Bills	331	0	7
AFC East	221	0	56
National Football Conference	7801	0	185

COVERS

American Football Conference (171)