Problems with switching to a 3-4

[Dean]

I hope our lack of a proven nose isn't as big a drawback as it seems.



6. Even more of the 3-4: Expansion of the trendy 3-4 defense will be at the center of a lot of camps. The Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos are the latest to switch from the 4-3 defense to the 3-4 , expanding the number of 3-4 teams to around 13. The 3-4 conversion for the past couple of years hasn't been easy; just ask the Jets, Browns and 49ers. All three teams underwent head-coaching changes in the past year. Those teams' 3-4s didn't have adequate nose tackles during the first year. To have a successful 3-4, you need a great nose tackle who can draw double-team blocks. The Packers have a great chance of succeeding because Ryan Pickett could be a good nose tackle. It might be tough in Kansas City and Denver. It's not certain whether Glenn Dorsey of the Chiefs is the right fit at the nose. The Broncos will have the toughest time unless former 49ers backup nose tackle Ronald Fields can do what wasn't done in San Francisco.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=4350377

[Lonestar]

yep it is a gamble but what else could we have done.. what we had certainly was not going to get much better..

we have 3-4 big guys in Powell, the kid from Hampton/Penn State and there was one more guy that was huge in college.. all in the 6-1 to 6-3 range all above 315.. the perfect size for NT and do not forget we finally have a real DL coach on that made SAN pretty damned good..

I see light at the end of the tunnel.. faint but still light..

[broncohead]

Not having a NT is our biggest weakness but also not having OLBers that can rush the passer or cover hurts too.

[SoCalImport]

It'll most likely be NT by committee for a year (hopefully only one) but You can bet yer sweet Aunt Maybel the D will be better than last years. Honestly, how could it not be?

[SoCalImport]

Not having a NT is our biggest weakness but also not having OLBers that can rush the passer or cover hurts too.

I think our guys will show at OLB. I'm not saying they'll be game breakers, but it's not as big a ?? as NT. Not by half.

[Lonestar]

lets not forget that we will still see a 4-3 from time to time also.. I do not think we can convert 3-4 100% in one year.. I suspect that Nolan and Josh know this.. unless one of those NTs gets hot..

[Superchop 7]

Snap out of it.

WE HAVE NOBODY THAT COMMANDS A DOUBLE TEAM.

This creates a real problem for linebackers and every blitz package, except corner or safety.

They have an extra body to throw at any blitzer.

But hey, you guys keep thinking there isn't a problem.

[slim]

Snap out of it.

WE HAVE NOBODY THAT COMMANDS A DOUBLE TEAM.

This creates a real problem for linebackers and every blitz package, except corner or safety.

They have an extra body to throw at any blitzer.

But hey, you guys keep thinking there isn't a problem.

Which post are you referring to?

No one said there wasn't a problem. In fact, every post here echoed the need to improve at NT.

SC, let me ask you a question.

Do you drool on yourself when you talk?

[Dean]

lets not forget that we will still see a 4-3 from time to time also.. I do not think we can convert 3-4 100% in one year.. I suspect that Nolan and Josh know this.. unless one of those NTs gets hot..

Who do you see playing the front four if and when we are in a 4-3 set?

[Lonestar]

Who do you see playing the front four if and when we are in a 4-3 set?

would guess we would go with Thomas one the of the 3 other heavies at DT or rotating them..

I'm guessing the Powell and baker will be seeing some time there and at NT..

with ayers, crowder, Reid, as run stoppers and doom and moss as in for one of them on passing.

the new rulon kid getting some time at DE..


but frankly I have not been paying that much attention to it this year....

We now have a top notch DL coach something we have lacked for as long as I can remember.. I will let the experts make those decision..

we have so lacked Beef on the DL for a long time.. we were asking for trouble having 250 pound DEs or so last year.. no way they can stop the run..

[Shazam!]

Anything will be better than Shanahan's proposed DLs in the past. Wilkinson, Adams, Rice, etc.

10 rookies + Champ and a new established DC would probably be a better fielded defense than last year's embarassment.

[broncofanatic1987]

I don't think anyone really knows what the Broncos have on defense, especially on the line. Baker could turn out to be the big time NT. Hell, I've seen at least one article that has Everette Pedescleaux listed as a NT and that might be accurate. He's listed at 6'6" 312 lbs. Maybe he becomes the big time NT. Interesting enough though, that same article has 338 pound J'Vonne Parker listed as a DE.

The Broncos really just need a serviceable NT this year. I don't think the goal is for them to become a top ten defense right away. Simply being better than they were last year is good enough.

They're supposedly going to be playing a hybrid defense anyway. There's no telling just how much they will be playing the 3-4. They could be spending most of the time playing a 4-3 alignment. They might not need a NT that can take the pounding all game long. They might just need one that can take the pounding for part of the game.

[Nomad]

I don't think anyone really knows what the Broncos have on defense, especially on the line. Baker could turn out to be the big time NT. Hell, I've seen at least one article that has Everette Pedescleaux listed as a NT and that might be accurate. He's listed at 6'6" 312 lbs. Maybe he becomes the big time NT. Interesting enough though, that same article has 338 pound J'Vonne Parker listed as a DE.

The Broncos really just need a serviceable NT this year. I don't think the goal is for them to become a top ten defense right away. Simply being better than they were last year is good enough.

They're supposedly going to be playing a hybrid defense anyway. There's no telling just how much they will be playing the 3-4. They could be spending most of the time playing a 4-3 alignment. They might not need a NT that can take the pounding all game long. They might just need one that can take the pounding for part of the game.


You're right! It's the ol' cliche "let's wait and see", before people get bent out of shape. Right now what's true is the BRONCOS do not have a big name nose guard that the media smoozed and awed about!!! There are some promising fellas in next year's draft coming from OU and Alabama, so if this year doesn't work out then hopefully McDaniels is watching and doing his homework this college season.

[gobroncsnv]

I thought Thomas has the potential to command double-teams... He's slated for DE in the 3-4 scheme... Powell, well nobody really knows at ALL what this kid's gonna bring, but I'm intrigued to find out. If these 2 can command even a little bit of extra attention, then we'll probably be ok at nose... but who doesn't want a NT who can plow ANYTHING? We all have our opinions, but we're also all stuck on having to wait and see, no matter what our opinions are. I've seen "expert" commentators be absolutely baffled at the success of the 2000 Rams, the Cardinals from last year... just as weather-guessers and economic forecasters are proven consistently wrong. In another twist on this, John Lennon summed it up well... "life is what happens while you're making plans.."

[Lonestar]

I don't think anyone really knows what the Broncos have on defense, especially on the line. Baker could turn out to be the big time NT. Hell, I've seen at least one article that has Everette Pedescleaux listed as a NT and that might be accurate. He's listed at 6'6" 312 lbs. Maybe he becomes the big time NT. Interesting enough though, that same article has 338 pound J'Vonne Parker listed as a DE.

The Broncos really just need a serviceable NT this year. I don't think the goal is for them to become a top ten defense right away. Simply being better than they were last year is good enough.

They're supposedly going to be playing a hybrid defense anyway. There's no telling just how much they will be playing the 3-4. They could be spending most of the time playing a 4-3 alignment. They might not need a NT that can take the pounding all game long. They might just need one that can take the pounding for part of the game.


not every team that runs the 3-4 has a super NT either.. many do and they are hard to come by and are the biggest gamble on draft day..

Most of they kids we have have not been around long enough to know what we have.. we could have the next niogata in there hiding and WE will not know for a year or two..

I like what I have heard about them.. Powell had a hell of a lot of tackles behind the LOS and IIRC never had a RB gain positive yards on him.. can he do half of that in the NFL not sure.. but all accounts of him are he is much stronger after a year of rehab than he was coming out of college..

Baker well the sky is the limit dominated in college until he got into trouble @ PS and then was very good at Hampton.. needs to improve his upper body strength but that is what the trainers are for.. IIRC he is over 315 already..

the sky is not falling like some would allude to.. may not be a bowl of cherries but right now I'll trust the coaching staff until proven else wise..

mike had my trust until the ashley debacle then is I had to start questioning his DAFT day moves..

so Josh Etal gets a few years to be proven from good to great from me atleast..

[gobroncsnv]

One of the best NT's ever to play in the 3-4 went undrafted.... Jim Burt. I can't think of anyone I'd like to have at the position more than him in his prime. The experts got his potential wrong as well.
So again, wait and see is the only thing anyone can say. A player can pretty much come out of anywhere. I'm not fully convinced about our dlinemen, and odds are, you'll hear me next draft season saying our biggest need is up front, AGAIN... (like 7 years running now.) But I'll hold out HOPE for the guys we have, wishing for a pleasant surprise.

[broncohead]

I think our guys will show at OLB. I'm not saying they'll be game breakers, but it's not as big a ?? as NT. Not by half.

I guess you missed the first part of my comment when I said the NT is the biggest problem. The OLB position pretty much has to be able to do it all. Cover zone or man up with a TE most of the time, rush the passer, and stop the run. I believe we'll have good run stopping OLBers but when it comes to covering a TE or rushing the passer I have no faith in our group of OLBers.

[Rick]

Covering TEs remains to be seen but I believe Doom and Moss both will have no problems rushing the passer from the LBer spot. Rushing, granted was from the line, has always been thier strong points, especially Doom.

It has been run stopping thats been the weakness but hopefully the line does a good enough job keeping blockers off them so they can have a chance to battle the run but I don't think rushing the passer is ever going to be a problem from the group of OLBers we have.

[broncohead]

Covering TEs remains to be seen but I believe Doom and Moss both will have no problems rushing the passer from the LBer spot. Rushing, granted was from the line, has always been thier strong points, especially Doom.

It has been run stopping thats been the weakness but hopefully the line does a good enough job keeping blockers off them so they can have a chance to battle the run but I don't think rushing the passer is ever going to be a problem from the group of OLBers we have.

I don't think rushing the passer is a problem for Doom but I also dont see him as a starter. I believe he will have a harder time in coverage then the other potential OLBers. Moss I don't think has the 'it" factor. He is an athlete but not a football player imo.