Wade Phillips is the new DC

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

Man. Not only would any TE on any NFL roster torch an OLB tandem of Barwin and Mark Anderson, Demeco and Cushing are particularly unsuited to be ILBs in a 3-4. And I won't even bother telling you that Mario is a prototypical 4-3 DE and has no real place in a 3-4 because I know you already know that. There is literally no safety on the roster who can cover a Left Tackle and you want Barwin and Anderson at OLB? Wow. Peyton manning would redefine the word 'abuse.'

At least you're not echoing Wade's dad who said that he'd try Amobi at OLB.

Everywhere I turn it's the lunatics running the asylum.

Look, I'd be delighted to have a defense that looks like New England's, a hybrid that shifts (moving quickly I initially typed 'shits' - we already have a defense that does that...) and morphs unpredictably in response to down, distance, offensive personnel, etc. I wouldn't mind moving Mario around and showing different looks and confusing the hell out of QBs all over the league. The problem is relatively speaking Belichick is a Harvard PhD and the goons running the Texans are paste-eating, finger-painting Aggies. Actually, in certain instances this is literally true.

If we can run a 34/43 hibrid, then I am all for it. Watch a New England game and they are almost never lined up in a straight 3-4. Especially on 3rd down. You can run a 3-4 but still line up Mario wide on passing downs. You can do pretty much anything you want with either defense and even more with a combination of the two. When cleveland stymied NE this year, they did it with 1 down lineman and an amoeba of other guys standing up near the LOS and then randomly rushing or dropping.

But a DC needs to get creative to do this. I have no idea whether Wade is capable of this or not. His cowboys (when they tried) ran a great but very traditional 3-4. Of course, they had a decade of assembling 3-4 personnell and Demarcus Ware on the field. There is little reason to morph out of the 3-4 when that's the case. I have heard on here that Wade has coached a 4-3 defense in the past. So maybe he can be that guy.

But if he is coming to run a 4-3 with our personnell I take a huge pass. Someone needs to get creative to win with this group. So why hire a guy and ask him to do what he's 2nd best at.

If he is coming to run a straight 3-4 I'll take another huge pass. We aren't suited for it as an every down defense. It decreases the value of Mario and Demeco in a big way. I actually think Cushing may flourish as a standing rush OLB, and smith will fit well, but the rest of the front 7 is ill used in that situation.

I hope our guys are thinking these same things, but I fear Bob McNair is completely misreading his fan base and thinking he can sell good old days and Texas pride in a Wade Phillips package.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

Wade Phillips a failure? Yes, as head coach.

As a defensive coordinator? He's proven to be really, really good.

This is what everyone says, isn't it? It's not true. At least it's not borne out by the facts.

The last time he could be said to have had a very, very good defense as a DC was in Atlanta in 2002. The Falcons' defense the following year was a disaster. His three years in San Diego produced middle of the pack to slightly better defenses. They won games in shootouts with a high flying offense. They beat Cincy his last year 49-41 if I recall correctly. But the most certainly did not have a dominating, Ravens or Steelers style defense. That is what I want, and we are not going to have it. Ever.

And barrett, yes, that is precisely what I am saying. To make the most of the "talent" the team has on defense requires creativity. Beginning with red, white and blue uniforms I have not seen one ounce of creativity out of this franchise. Ever.

[dalemurphy]

Bob McNair loves to oogle the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers franchise hoping to model the Texans after them. He has been attempting to mimick the stability of those organizations for a decade now. I respect that effort. However, those organizations didn’t just decide to be stable and then succeed with the people and philosophy that happened to be in place at the time. It took years and years of searching for the right combination of coaches, scouts, and front office personnel before everything fell in place for them. For Pittsburgh, their dark years were primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. Since Chuck Knoll arrived, they have had a steady and remarkable run. But, plenty of growing pains and lessons were learned by the Rooneys up to that point. Bob Kraft purchased the New England patriots in 1994. While they had some early success, it took seven years and some good fortune (Bledsoe injury, insane officiating, and an odd family squabble between Parcells and Belichek) before they found their footing. If Kraft would have decided simply to be a stable organization during Pete Carroll’s tenure, would they be the exemplary franchise they are now? Smart money would say “no”. Now, having said that, it is interesting to note that Pete Carroll never had a losing season in his three years in New England. Then, when he was replaced with Belichek after his poorest season (8-8), Belichek led the Pats to a 5-11 year. Then the tide turned.

I am not suggesting that, if McNair wants similar success, he should fire Kubiak. I’m generally glad that he didn’t. What does bother me is a growing concern that Bob McNair is so focused on emulating the winning organizations that he is missing the larger picture. The NFL is not a paint-by-numbers endeavor. As I am sure Bob McNair understands most of the time, any organization with hundreds of variables (people) is a complex orchestration. Yet, what I fear is happening is that McNair is working from a two dimensional checklist of a few simplistic observations he has made regarding the Patriots and the Steelers:

1. Organizational stability (check)

2. Seldom paying premium for FAs (check)

3. As an owner, don’t get too involved (check)

and now, this new one:

4. 3-4 defense (check?)

I certainly hope his thinking is not this simplistic. However, with the Wade Phillips hiring imminent even though he has not even interviewed yet, one has to wonder. After all, not only has Wade not interviewed, but I don’t think a single candidate has interviewed (saying hello to Marvin Lewis on the telephone does not qualify). I know that McNair also likes Wade because he has been a successful DC and has had 30 years of experience. Still, though, those are simply labels (like a 3-4 defense is) and don’t speak to the how/why Wade is the best choice to run the Texans’ defense in 2011 under Gary Kubiak and with this scouting department bringing him talent and with Rick Smith running football operations (sort of). Perhaps Wade is the best choice. However, how could McNair/Kubiak/Smith possibly have any idea of that if they haven’t been through an exhaustive process, including interviewing other candidates… or, just sitting down and speaking to Wade for 30 minutes. All that being said, I’m still excited about the Wade hire. Perhaps my expectations have simply been muted the past decade watching the way this organization attempts to run itself.

If Bob McNair really wants his football team modeled after the Patriots and Steelers, this is what is sorely missing from his checklist: job clarity for every single member of the organization and football team. Who’s in charge of decisions around there? Heck, if you listened to Kube’s presser on Monday, it is clear that he’s not even sure. When asked about the defensive coaching search, his response was “Bob has his list. Rick has his list, and I’ll start working on mine”. When he was pressed by Barry Warner regarding who will actually make the final decison, he hemmed and hawed for awhile before laboring to say that “Bob assured me that I will always be comfortable with the coaches on my staff”. Okay, I’m not sure what that means. According to Jerome Solomon, during the last DC search, Rick Smith urged Kubiak to interview multiple people for the job but Kubiak declined. It is also widely believed that Kubiak makes all the calls regarding player personnel on offense but leaves all those decisions regarding the defense to Rick Smith…. that’s odd as well. As alarming as it may be that fans do not know/understand the hierarchy of the organization, what is truly disconcerting is that I don’t think even the Texans know… not just the players but the coaches and even the three top guys (McNair, Smith, Kubiak). This confusion and lack of role definition translates on the field as well and it is this issue, more than any other, that separate the Texans from teams like New England and Pittsburgh.

I don’t have the heart to revive all the old stories of the defensive players under Rick Smith and Frank Bush. If it wasn’t so sad, though, it would be comical to listen to them answer questions about what the defensive philosophy is and what their role is. I remember an interview with Demeco in 2008. Demeco was asked about Richard Smith’s defensive philosophy and Demeco was left grasping at air. Really, really not good considering Demeco is the QB of the defense, a team leader, and a very bright football player. This is the problem. Those guys on defense, particularly, are out there with 11 different ideas of what the defense is about. More than that, they probably have 4 competing thoughts regarding their individual role on that defense. And, I would not be surprised if the DC, the head coach, and the position coach are all contributing to the confusion by feeding them incongruous information. I don’t think this sort of confusion and identity crisis is the intended product of stability.

Meanwhile, examine the Patriots. I’m willing to bet that you could walk up to any of the 53 players on the Pats roster, ask them the team philosophy and their specific role on the team, and you would immediately receive a confident and detailed answer. Breaking that down even further, I would bet each player has a crystal clear understanding of his role for a particular game (and that the role may change week to week). However, ask a Texan defensive player that and you won’t get more than “make plays”. Why? is it because the Texans are more protective of information? no. Simply put, I don’t think the player would know with confidence anything more than that. I believe that, until this changes, the organization is going to be floundering in mediocrity.

All is not lost, though. I think McNair is an intelligent and committed man that is learning from his failures. I also have a lot of faith in Gary Kubiak’s ability to change and grow as a football coach. Finally, I think that Wade Phillips will bring more definition and order to the Texans’ defense. I’m encouraged that the Texans only retained one defensive assistant coach, Bill Kollar (who has worked with Wade in the past). If Wade is able to assemble a staff of his guys, then that will be another step into developing continuity. The defense can build an identity, and the coaches will be better able to define the job/role of each player on the defense.

Texans Bull Blog

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Just as a point of order, the Rooney Rule only applies to head coaches, not the assistants. Since we've already determined who the head coach is, the Rooney Rule isn't applicable.

Ah...well, I'd still like to talk to these guys. I wasn't seeking them out because they were Black, I wanted to interview them because they have been successful with the type of defense I'd like to run. They just so happened to be minorities, so I thought I was getting two birds with one stone. Keith Butler is Whiter than I am, by the way.

As for the Hybrid 3/4 4/3, I think it can be done and should be done. Peyton Manning had his worst games against 3/4 teams (Cowboys, Chargers, Patriots, Steelers). It is more difficult to determine who is and isn't rushing the passer. I'd rather have Mark Anderson on the field blitzing instead of Zach Diles attempting to cover Dallas Clark.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by chuck

Man. Not only would any TE on any NFL roster torch an OLB tandem of Barwin and Mark Anderson, Demeco and Cushing are particularly unsuited to be ILBs in a 3-4. And I won't even bother telling you that Mario is a prototypical 4-3 DE and has no real place in a 3-4 because I know you already know that. There is literally no safety on the roster who can cover a Left Tackle and you want Barwin and Anderson at OLB? Wow. Peyton manning would redefine the word 'abuse.'

At least you're not echoing Wade's dad who said that he'd try Amobi at OLB.

Everywhere I turn it's the lunatics running the asylum.

Look, I'd be delighted to have a defense that looks like New England's, a hybrid that shifts (moving quickly I initially typed 'shits' - we already have a defense that does that...) and morphs unpredictably in response to down, distance, offensive personnel, etc. I wouldn't mind moving Mario around and showing different looks and confusing the hell out of QBs all over the league. The problem is relatively speaking Belichick is a Harvard PhD and the goons running the Texans are paste-eating, finger-painting Aggies. Actually, in certain instances this is literally true.

Harsh words... I wish I agreed with less of them.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

If Bob McNair really wants his football team modeled after the Patriots and Steelers, this is what is sorely missing from his checklist: job clarity for every single member of the organization and football team. Who’s in charge of decisions around there? Heck, if you listened to Kube’s presser on Monday, it is clear that he’s not even sure. When asked about the defensive coaching search, his response was “Bob has his list. Rick has his list, and I’ll start working on mine”. When he was pressed by Barry Warner regarding who will actually make the final decison, he hemmed and hawed for awhile before laboring to say that “Bob assured me that I will always be comfortable with the coaches on my staff”. Okay, I’m not sure what that means. According to Jerome Solomon, during the last DC search, Rick Smith urged Kubiak to interview multiple people for the job but Kubiak declined. It is also widely believed that Kubiak makes all the calls regarding player personnel on offense but leaves all those decisions regarding the defense to Rick Smith…. that’s odd as well. As alarming as it may be that fans do not know/understand the hierarchy of the organization, what is truly disconcerting is that I don’t think even the Texans know… not just the players but the coaches and even the three top guys (McNair, Smith, Kubiak). This confusion and lack of role definition translates on the field as well and it is this issue, more than any other, that separate the Texans from teams like New England and Pittsburgh.


Texans Bull Blog

There is no organized power structure in New England other than Bill Bellachik has the power. They have no clearly defined roles. This year they didn't even bother to name offensive or defensive coordinators. They have rarely had a GM and usually just have a personnell man that works with Bellachik in an undefined relationship and balance of power. And they have had more turnover in the front office and coaching ranks than any NFL team.

They win based on the three constants in all of those things...Bill Bellachik, Tom Brady, and their Offensive Line. Everything/Everybody else is a movable/expendable part. Well defined roles has little to do with it.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by barrett

There is no organized power structure in New England other than Bill Bellachik has the power. They have no clearly defined roles. This year they didn't even bother to name offensive or defensive coordinators. They have rarely had a GM and usually just have a personnell man that works with Bellachik in an undefined relationship and balance of power. And they have had more turnover in the front office and coaching ranks than any NFL team.

They win based on the three constants in all of those things...Bill Bellachik, Tom Brady, and their Offensive Line. Everything/Everybody else is a movable/expendable part. Well defined roles has little to do with it.

Maybe we are about to argue semantics, but the fact that you are so confident of how they operate/why they are successful drives home my point.

Bill is in charge of all. Tom Brady is clearly the single leader of the team...etc...

More than schematics (and I've heard this from a number of respected football people), Bill's gift is his ability to communicate specific, defined roles to each player for a given game plan. One week, player X will be given a certain set of duties and will clearly understand and perform them on the field, and the following week, he will have a different set of responsibilities but still have comprehension of those and a willingness to fulfill them.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Bill is in charge of all. Tom Brady is clearly the single leader of the team...etc...

Bill's gift is his ability to communicate specific, defined roles to each player for a given game plan.

Bill has unique talents to be able to get the most out of his players. His attention to detail is remarkable. He also has the ability to utilize a player's strengths. Defining roles and communicating expectations to players is one of the reasons they respect him so much.

Who could/would cut Randy Moss and expect the team to get better? Who takes Deion Branch and makes him look like a Pro-Bowler? Places WR Troy Brown at CB and passes TD passes to LB Mike Vrabel? Takes a cast-off short white guy and uses him as a weapon (Woodhead, Edleman, Welker). Plays defense with a bunch of rookies and simply has his offense score more points than they allow.

Many have attempted to grab some of the magic by taking coaches associated with him. Crennel, Weiss, McDaniels, Mangini, et. al only to find out that they may have been around greatness, but it didn't rub off.

Now, I wonder what happened between Cleveland and New England. Brady is great, but he won with Cassell too. If we could find the next coach like him, then stability would follow. However, Hall-of-Fame coaches don't just grow on trees.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Maybe we are about to argue semantics, but the fact that you are so confident of how they operate/why they are successful drives home my point.

Bill is in charge of all. Tom Brady is clearly the single leader of the team...etc...

More than schematics (and I've heard this from a number of respected football people), Bill's gift is his ability to communicate specific, defined roles to each player for a given game plan. One week, player X will be given a certain set of duties and will clearly understand and perform them on the field, and the following week, he will have a different set of responsibilities but still have comprehension of those and a willingness to fulfill them.

Having a genius be a genius is not a great organizational power structure unless you have a genius. Saying the biggest difference between us and the patriots is well defined roles is false. Bill Bellachik is the difference. We could put Kubiak firmly in charge with the identical role to Bellachik and give everyone else hazy and ever shifting roles like the patriots do. We could do all of this exactly like them and fail. The reason is that what they do only works because he is Bill Bellachik. If you try to act like him without being him you destroy franchises (see Mcdaniels, Josh).

Now if you are saying that New England is good because Bill Bellachik is in charge and we are bad because Gary Kubiak is in charge, you could have saved about 2000 words in doing so. If you really think they are good and we are bad because of the defining of roles, then you are way overcomplicating things.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Now, I wonder what happened between Cleveland and New England. Brady is great, but he won with Cassell too. If we could find the next coach like him, then stability would follow. However, Hall-of-Fame coaches don't just grow on trees.

That is a GREAT question, and aside from Brady, I have never been able to put my finger on it......The guy just has some karma, deal with the devil, or something..... Sometimes, I think he makes moves just show people how damn smart/good he is. REALLY pisses me off.......

Back to Wade, he has some successful experience, been around the block a time or twelve, so I guess he is a good option, but it sure seems like he is the only option. Aside from a "reported" (IE - Texans brass to McClain - Psst - tell everyone I called Marvin) check in with Lewis, it seems like this is/will be a done deal for an search even gets going.

[Roy P]

I think that is what pisses me off about the whole situation with this Wade Phillips scenario. Bum gets invited to practice on Wed to endorse Kubes and then we seem to have a new DC before an interview ever takes place. The PR move makes it seem so trite. Getting Wade after a few guys have had a shot at an interview would just make me feel better. Remember when they intervied Scott Linehan and Cam Cameron for the HC job before deciding upon Kubiak? Sort of reminds me of the situation when we brought in Dan Reeves to consult on how much better off we would be if we kept David Carr around and Casserly.

I'd be much happier if I were able to believe that the fix isn't already in.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Sounds to me like they will be active in free agency, maybe not going after the huge names but going after solid vets that can play now.

Want to make a huge splash to the players? Trade away Mario and Cushing.

One last prediction I have, Pollard is not resigned

I agree about FA, this will likely be their most active offseason in FA by far.
But I think McNair might actually spend some big bucks on a high-profile defensive name because he needs to placate a lot of pissed-off fans unhappy about his retention of Kubiak for atleast another season. If there's a big-time corner or edge-rusher in FA this year, look for Big Bob to dig deep into his jeans.
And if they do go 3-4 both Mario & Cushing, though certainly capable of playing in the 3-4, are both best suited for the 4-3 IMO. I do wonder how marketable Cushing might be because of his now establshed inclination to "over train", and dunno how much uncertainty there might be about Marios full recover from his sports hernia ?
But to your list of vets that might be released, I say add both OD & Jacobey to Pollards name.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by WMH

That is a GREAT question, and aside from Brady, I have never been able to put my finger on it......The guy just has some karma, deal with the devil, or something..... Sometimes, I think he makes moves just show people how damn smart/good he is. REALLY pisses me off.......

Back to Wade, he has some successful experience, been around the block a time or twelve, so I guess he is a good option, but it sure seems like he is the only option. Aside from a "reported" (IE - Texans brass to McClain - Psst - tell everyone I called Marvin) check in with Lewis, it seems like this is/will be a done deal for an search even gets going.

It looks like it's officially Wade. I agree that he's not a bad hire, but the process left me very unimpressed. It didn't exactly appear to be a painstaking search in which every possible option was investigated.

I've been wondering about the Marvin Lewis thing -- did his contract expire immediately at the end of Bengals' season? Because if it expires later, like at the end of the NFL League Year (February 28), the Texans committed tampering unless they had the Bengals' permission to talk to him.

On Belichick, I think he was better in Cleveland than he gets credit for -- he took over a team that was 3-13 and went 6-10, 7-9, 7-9, 11-5, then collapsed to 5-11 (losing 7 of their last 8) amid the circus that became of their 1995 season when Art Modell announced the move to Baltimore. Making unpopular moves like getting rid of hometown icon Bernie Kosar and being generally horrible with the media didn't help his reputation. I also think in the five years between head coaching jobs he must've taken an honest look at his time with the Browns and learned from his mistakes.

[nunusguy]

Coach Gary Kubiak said he's excited to switch to a 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Kubiak hired Phillips on Wednesday to replace Frank Bush, who was one of four defensive coaches fired on Monday.

"Wade feels confident about running a 3-4, and I'm excited about that," Kubiak said. "Wade said he feels good about the talent we have and how he'll use the players. He said (defensive end) Mario (Williams) has to be one of our most successful players and that it's up to him to put Mario in position to do that.

"Wade talked about some things he did with Bruce Smith in Buffalo compared to what he'll do with Mario, and I like what I hear."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/7367380.html
**
They are definitely going 3-4 under Phillips. Fantastic !

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

"Wade talked about some things he did with Bruce Smith in Buffalo compared to what he'll do with Mario, and I like what I hear."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/7367380.html
**
They are definitely going 3-4 under Phillips. Fantastic !

This is from the chron.com

Phillips' defenses
Just once in Wade Phillips’ long NFL tenure has he failed to improve a defense after taking over as either the head coach or defensive coordinator. Ironically, the only time it didn’t happen was when he joined defensive mastermind Buddy Ryan’s staff in Philadelphia. Also, that was also the only time Phillips coached a 4-3 alignment instead of his trademark 3-4.

Team Year Record Def. rank Def. set
PA YA
Cowboys 2006 9-7* 20 13 3-4
Cowboys** 2007 13-3* 13 9 3-4

Chargers 2003 4-12 31 27 4-3
Chargers 2004 12-4* 11 18 3-4

Falcons 2001 7-9 24 30 4-3
Falcons 2002 9-6-1* 8 19 3-4

Bills 1994 7-9 22 17 3-4
Bills 1995 10-6* 12 13 3-4

Broncos 1988 8-8 20 22 3-4
Broncos 1989 11-5* 1 3 3-4

Eagles 1985 7-9 10 10 4-3
Eagles 1986 5-10-1 12 17 4-3

Saints 1980 1-15 28 28 4-3
Saints 1981 4-12 24 11 3-4
* - made playoffs
** - Phillips was head coach

I like the fact that he thinks he can help Mario become a bigger force, and I agree, if Mario will buy into Wade's defense.

[coloradodude]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

That said, I still don't like the fact that neither one displays much toughness which is why their teams underachieve, particularly in clutch situations.

I've let some of you convince me of things I disagreed with over the years and now it's time to get tunnel vision.

We're gonna be just fine. We only need 3 to 10 players to fit the new 3-4 scheme...again. And yes, we should move Mario to ILB and force him to get involved in the run defense.


Seriously, somebody needs to give Mario about 5 seasons of film from the Buffalo Bills so he can watch and absorb Bruce Smith get after the QB from the 3-4 as an end.

[cland]

Originally Posted by Warren

...On Belichick, I think he was better in Cleveland than he gets credit for -- he took over a team that was 3-13 and went 6-10, 7-9, 7-9, 11-5, then collapsed to 5-11 (losing 7 of their last 8) amid the circus that became of their 1995 season when Art Modell announced the move to Baltimore. Making unpopular moves like getting rid of hometown icon Bernie Kosar and being generally horrible with the media didn't help his reputation. I also think in the five years between head coaching jobs he must've taken an honest look at his time with the Browns and learned from his mistakes.

Not to be a Kubiak apologist... but if I could recraft the quote:

he took over a team that was 2-14 and went 6-10, 8-8, 8-8, 9-7, then collapsed to 6-10...

...prior to becoming the widely considered best coach in the NFL. Not saying this will happen with Mr. K, but the truth is that nobody knows.

[TheMatrix31]

Originally Posted by chuck

This is what everyone says, isn't it? It's not true. At least it's not borne out by the facts.

The last time he could be said to have had a very, very good defense as a DC was in Atlanta in 2002. The Falcons' defense the following year was a disaster. His three years in San Diego produced middle of the pack to slightly better defenses. They won games in shootouts with a high flying offense. They beat Cincy his last year 49-41 if I recall correctly. But the most certainly did not have a dominating, Ravens or Steelers style defense. That is what I want, and we are not going to have it. Ever.

If everyone could have that defense, everyone would have it.

Wade Phillips was a Top 2 defensive coordinator available. The other available (interestingly enoguh the coach of the Ravens defense in 2000) re-upped.

We don't need a dominating defense. We need a defense that will not put pressure on our offense to score seven points EVERY trip down. We need a defense that won't allow chunks of yardage every single time they're on the field.

I don't know, man. I'm just not sure what people are expecting. Given the circumstances, Wade Phillips is a great hire.

[painekiller]

Interesting article on the 3-4 defense from the NY times

Bum Phillips and the 1-gap 3-4

To hear Bum Phillips tell it, developing his version of the 3-4 defense wasn’t rocket science.

“Coaching is pretty simple really. If you don’t got something, find something you do got. Really, we didn’t have but one [defensive lineman] – [Hall of Famer] Elvin [Bethea] – until we got Curley [Culp] in the middle of that season. Then we had two. What we did have was four real good linebackers, so all I done was find a way to get our best players on the field.”

Like the Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 scheme that was taking hold in New England at the same time, Phillips was looking to contain the run and create mismatches in pass rush. Though Phillips based his scheme on the same concepts that the New England coaches did, he favored a more attacking style. He used a number of one-gap techniques in his front seven, stunting and slanting his linemen to cause pressure and using an OLB – “Dr. Doom” Robert Brazile, who was LT before Lawrence Taylor came into the league – frequently as a fourth pass rusher. In many ways, Phillips’s scheme was a 4-3 with four players in a two-point stance.

That attacking style of play has stood the test of time better than the read-and-react style for much the same reason that the 4-3 with an under or over shift has. It allows players to attack the offense, specifically by disguising the defense’s fourth (and fifth or sixth) pass rusher and the coverage behind. In fact, there are a lot of under front concepts in the Phillips 3-4.

In contrast to the true 2-gap 3-4, there’s no clear “bubble” in a 1-gap front. The strongside end slides down in the guard-tackle gap and the nose tackle slants to the weakside center-guard gap. The weakside end may or may not be head-up on the tackle, sometimes aligning in a 5-technique. Moving the defensive lineman just a few inches changes the philosophy entirely. The diagram above shows an under-shifted 3-4, but over-shifted 3-4 fronts are also common.

By comparing the two 3-4 diagrams, it’s easy to see how the mind-set of the defensive linemen differs between the two flavors of 3-4. It’s clear that the two inside linebackers can be, if the linemen are disruptive at all, better protected from the blocks of interior linemen. You can see the lines of attack for a delayed ILB blitz or how each OLB might get a jump by shifting one defensive end to the outside of an offensive tackle.

The under-shifted 3-4 front, with or without a 2-gap end, is just one of many potential variations a coordinator may align for his front seven. In fact, a coach influenced by both flavors of the 3-4 might be tempted to meld both concepts with traditional 4-3 ideas and create a monster playbook with more than 50 fronts. And pull it off with amazing success.

Read the whole article to understand the concepts and the ultimate defense like New England runs.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Interesting article

Read the whole article to understand the concepts and the ultimate defense like New England runs.

Thanks...that was awesome.

Doing a little dot-connecting, I am wondering about the LB and Secondary Coaches that Wade may want. Greg Manusky the D.C. of SF has LB experience in a 3-4, Reggie Herring is the LB coach in Dallas, and Cris Dishman is the Asst. Secondary Coach in S.D. Then, there is Todd Bowles of Miami, but I'm not sure if he'll be available...he may get a H.C. gig someplace or a D.C. job.