Edweirdo's Oakland Raiders Report

The Basics of the 3-4 Defense

Editor's note: this article was written in 2005; some players have moved on to new teams. But the info on the scheme is accurate and current, and always will be. Enjoy!

With the recent success of AFC playoff teams such as the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the San Diego Chargers, the 3-4 D has come back in style. In 2005, 5 NFL teams (the Broncos, Browns, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Niners) may switch to the 3-4 as their base defense, bringing the total to 10 teams (including the Chargers, Patriots, Raiders, Steelers, and Texans) who favor the system. So what is the 3-4 D? This article discusses:

1. How the 3-4 defense differs from the 4-3 defense
2. What are the personnel requirements for the 3-4 defense
3. What are the advantages of the 3-4 defense

How the 3-4 defense differs from the 4-3 defense

The 4-3 D has the following characteristics:

• There are 4 defensive lineman (DL) and 3 linebackers (LBs)
• On plays where a LB or DB does not blitz, the pass rush is generated by the defensive linemen. The DEs in particular must be able to get pressure on the QB. The best/fastest pass rushing DE typically plays at RDE and is referred to as the "rush end". The LDE is referred to as the "base end" and must be solid against the run, because teams often run strong-side, which is the side where the TE is, and the TE often lines up next to the RT. The DEs play from a 3-point stance, so they have a hand on the ground
• The SLB (strong-side LB) matches up against the TE. SLBs typically range from 240-250 and are on the taller side for a LB. The MLB (middle LB) plays the middle of the field and provides run support. MLBs typically range from 240-255, although some teams get away with an undersized MLB (e.g. the Jets' Jonathan Vilma) by protecting him with beefy DTs. The WLB (weak-side LB) often plays in space, has the freedom to flow to the ball, and must have good range. WLBs are often undersized compared to the other LBs.

The 3-4 D has the following characteristics:

• There are 3 defensive lineman (DL) and 4 linebackers (LBs)
• The primary function of the DL is to protect the LBs and play the run. Each defensive lineman is responsible for 2 gaps
• The pass rush is generated by the 3-4 OLBs. On almost every play, 1 of the OLBs will rush the QB. The OLBs play from a 2-point stance, so they're standing up

What are the personnel requirements for the 3-4 defense

The front 7 players in the 3-4 D are significantly different from their counterparts in the 4-3. In a nutshell, the DL in the 3-4 are bigger than the DL in the 4-3. The 3-4 OLBs are bigger than 4-3 OLBs because they have to match up against OTs.

• 3-4 NT is the toughest position to fill. The NT is head-up on the OC and is responsible for defending both A gaps in the running game. He faces constant double-teams and takes a pounding. He must have size, mental and physical toughness, stamina, durability, lateral quickness, and good technique in terms of playing with leverage. If the NT can not hold his ground, the defense is very vulnerable to runs between the tackles. The prototypical 3-4 NT is the Raiders' Ted Washington, who is a massive 6-5 365. Washington was the key to the Patriots win over the Panthers in the 2004 Super Bowl. Stephen Davis ran for a meager 19 yards on his first 9 carries, because Washington effectively stuffed the middle of the line. Other quality NTs include the Steelers' Casey Hampton (6-1 320) and the Chargers' Jamal Williams (6-2 348)
• 3-4 OLBs are the playmakers of the D. They get the glory of picking up sacks on the QB. They must have strong pass rush skills and be able to drop into coverage. If the 3-4 OLBs are unable to consistently apply pressure on the QB, the D is very vulnerable in the passing game. They tend to weigh around 245-270, and many are former 4-3 DE/OLB "tweeners". Many 4-3 DEs are not suited to playing 3-4 OLB because they lack the ability to play in space. The more agile 4-3 RDEs, such as the Jets' John Abraham (6-4 256), are able to play both 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB. Many 4-3 OLBs are not suited to playing 3-4 OLB because they lack the pass rush skills and the ability to go toe-to-toe with an OT. Examples of solid 3-4 OLBs are the Patriots' Willie McGinest (6-5 270) and the Steelers' Joey Porter (6-2 248)
• 3-4 DEs tend to weigh around 290-310, and many are former 4-3 DT/DE "tweeners". They must be able to play the run well. The 3-4 DE is responsible for the B and C gaps in the running game and lines up in the 5-technique position, so he is head-up on the OT. It's tough for a 3-4 DE to pick up as many sacks as a 4-3 DE, because a 3-4 DE doesn't have the freedom to go willy nilly upfield. He has to protect the LBs in order for the 3-4 to work. Panthers' 4-3 DE Julius Peppers said that he didn't like playing 3-4 DE, because he felt like he was essentially a DT. Unlike Peppers (6-6 290), most 4-3 DEs are not suited to playing 3-4 DE, because they lack the size and ability to hold up against the run. Examples of solid 3-4 DEs are the Patriots' Richard Seymour (6-6 310), the Steelers' Aaron Smith (6-5 300), and the Raiders' Bobby Hamilton (6-5 285)
• 3-4 ILBs must be stout in run support. Because there are only 3 DL to match up against 5 OL, they must be able to stack and shed an unblocked offensive lineman in the running game. How hard is it to play 3-4 ILB? Check out this telling quote by All-Pro Ray Lewis, who is glad to be finished playing 3-4 ILB (the Ravens are switching from the 3-4 to the 4-3 and 46 for the 2005 season):

  "We're in the 46 defense now, and finally, finally again, I get to play football," said Lewis. "My job is not to take on offensive linemen, but to make running backs not want to play against me"

  Examples of solid 3-4 ILBs are the former Ravens' Ed Hartwell (6-1 250) and the Raiders' Danny Clark (6-2 245)

What are the advantages of the 3-4 defense

The offense does not know which of the 2 OLBs is going to rush the QB, as both of the OLBs are in a 2-point stance. This creates the following advantages:

1. It's harder for the offensive linemen to correctly determine their blocking assignments before the snap and execute
2. It puts more mental pressure on the QB. E.g. the Patriots did a masterful job in disguising their D against 2004 MVP Peyton Manning in the 2005 playoffs. Manning came unglued mentally, and his frustration seemed to affect his performance

With the growing number of defenses running the 3-4 D, it will be interesting to see whether its effectiveness decreases as offenses get used to facing it.

If you have feedback / comments for this article, email me at edweirdosraiders@gmail.com. I may add them to this page.

Andrew Ryall (2007/05/10): While it's not very often that a 49ers fan compliments a Raiders fan, I just wanted to let you know that I've found your site to be a strong resource on a couple of occasions.

When the 49ers hired Norv Turner, it was the first time the Niners had really abandoned the West Coast Offense of Bill Walsh in favour of the Coryell interpretation of offense. Your site was an excellent primer on what to expect.

I was searching for 3-4 information and came across your site again. Your site gives an excellent rundown of the basics of the 3-4, but that's not what I was hoping to find. Actually, I was hoping to see the roster requirements of the 3-4 - how many DTs and LBs are typically carried by a 3-4 team. I know there is no hard and fast rule, and teams might tip towards one or the other (I would assume linebackers moreso, using the Patriots of the last few years as an example).

edweirdo (2007/05/11): First off, thanks for the feedback. The main reason I've been writing Football 101 articles on specific topics (e.g. Coryell offense, 3-4 defense) is because of the lack of good material on the Internet.

Re: the number of players, that's a great question.

Whether a team runs 3-4 or 4-3, they usually carry about 14-15 for the front 7, and about 8-9 DBs, for a total of 23-24 or so on defense (and 27-28 on O and K and P to make 53). A 4-3 D will carry more DL than LBs, but for the 3-4 it's the opposite.

E.g. a 3-4 might look like this:

• 2-3 NTs
• 4 DEs
• 4 OLBs
• 4 ILBs

whereas a 4-3 might look like this:

• 4 DTs
• 5 DEs
• 6 LBs

Basically a starter and a backup at each position. The backups will typically contribute on ST and rotate in on D to keep the D fresh. Some teams will carry an extra DB if that player is a KR or PR.