D-line looks to build with smooth transition to 3-4

[Denver Native (Carol)]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. —Not too long ago, new Broncos defensive line coach Bill Kollar was with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips implementing a defensive shift under Head Coach Gary Kubiak, much like they’ll do soon in Denver albeit in a very different situation. After a rough 2010 season, Houston needed a defensive change desperately after the Texans ranked 31st in yards per play allowed, 29th in points allowed, 31st in passing yards per play allowed, 25th in interception rate and 26th in sacks per pass attempt.

With Phillips' arrival, he brought about a schematic change from the traditional 4-3 defense with four down linemen to a 3-4 with three down linemen and four linebackers. The results paint a pretty clear picture: Houston ranked third in yards per play allowed, second in passing yards per play allowed, 14th in interception rate and fifth in sacks per pass attempt in 2011. The defense got much more pressure and penetration to opposing backfields, which helped not only get sacks but also hurry throws and stop runs. With rookie J.J. Watt, who would become one of the most dominant pass rushers in today's league, the Texans' defense helped the team reverse their record from 6-10 to 10-6 to earn the franchise's first playoff appearance and then their first playoff win.

The Broncos don't need any kind of comprehensive turnaround like that—they were the NFL's second-best defense by yards-per-play measurements—but a transition to the 3-4 defense could bring some added aggressiveness.

Kollar is reunited with Phillips and Kubiak this year in Denver, and he anticipates the defensive change will be easier than some might think. From watching the Broncos last year, Kollar noticed that they already played with a bunch of 3-4 tendencies anyway.

"The type of 3-4 that we played in Houston and that we’re going to end up playing here — the players, believe it or not, will be a lot more familiar with what we do than you think," he said.

rest - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/D-line-looks-to-build-with-smooth-transition-to-3-4/205fc9ec-6bc0-4d18-8dbe-018279b0da3d

[OrangeHoof]

DeMarcus Ware will become upright and become the OLB opposite Miller and will probably need to drop some weight but he should be able to pick up the mental side very quickly since he played under Phillips in Dallas . Finding the right two ILBs will be the challenge.

The DLs in a 3-4 are generally run-cloggers first and pass-rushers second. The LBs make most of the tackles and the DL is there to tie up the OL so they can't get to the second level.

[RebelRocker]

This should be a relatively smooth transition, considering our personnel. The outer edges of the defense are already set. We can have Malik Jackson and Wolfe as our DE's, Von and Ware as our OLB's, then Harris, Talib and Ward handling the secondary. The only questions about the defense is what we do up the middle. Nose tackle all depends on if we can bring back Knighton and if we don't, who can we get to fill that spot? We don't have any other DT's on our team that fit the mold of that role. ILB's we would assume are going to be Marshall and Trevathan, but it wouldn't surprise me if we drafted or signed someone to compete. Finally, FS is a big question mark. Do we bring back Moore? If not, do we draft a guy, sign a guy, let other safeties on the roster compete for it? I think we'll have a good idea what the Broncos are going to do with their defensive personnel by the first or second week of free agency.

[underrated29]

Im pumped for our defense this year. I think it is going to be Sexy like our offense was the year prior.


Knighton will be DT. If not SLY fits that mold perfectly for wades NT. Perfectly. Austin may be a guy who can play it well too. We are set here.
DE- Wolfe is another Perfect fit at DE. Malik should be too.

Inside Nate Irving is also another PERFECT fit at ILB. Perfect! We just need to figure out the other ILB spot. My money says trev. (im sure everyones does).


Ware/Trev/Irving/Miller....Cant do much better than that. We will still have Marshall, Mccray, Nelson, Yobouty, Barrow and Steve J to back them up.

Our Corners are set and I look for Webster to come on strong (still think he could be a better S but whatever).
TJ will finally go back to being a SS for us and not a MLB like del rio had him.
All we are missing is a FS. That is it.

If we add guys like Holliamn, Drummond, at FS; Kikaha or orakpo or houston at OLB; and Perryman or dawson or the 6'5 guy (forget his name atm)- wow O wow will our defense be Lights Out Amazing!

[Jsteve01]

DeMarcus Ware will become upright and become the OLB opposite Miller and will probably need to drop some weight but he should be able to pick up the mental side very quickly since he played under Phillips in Dallas . Finding the right two ILBs will be the challenge.

The DLs in a 3-4 are generally run-cloggers first and pass-rushers second. The LBs make most of the tackles and the DL is there to tie up the OL so they can't get to the second level. not in a Phillips 3-4 see JJ watt. Its what I love about wade. He's always in the attack

[TXBRONC]

not in a Phillips 3-4 see JJ watt. Its what I love about wade. He's always in the attack

When Phillips ran the 3-4 in Denver the first time around it wasn't the defensive ends getting sacks it was the outside linebackers.

[Rick]

Wade doesn't have stereotypical positions on his defense. His 3-4 philosophy is no matter your position, if you can sack the QB I'll let you.

[OrangeHoof]

Wade Phillips didn't make Watt. Watt made himself. Phillips also tried to turn Mario Williams into a 3-4 OLB comparing him to Ware but Mario always looked lost in space. He still got his share of sacks but otherwise he was useless as an OLB.

[Simple Jaded]

I think jsteve's point is that DE's in Phillips scheme aren't plodding block-eaters and run-pluggers, I believe he's right.

[TXBRONC]

Wade Phillips didn't make Watt. Watt made himself. Phillips also tried to turn Mario Williams into a 3-4 OLB comparing him to Ware but Mario always looked lost in space. He still got his share of sacks but otherwise he was useless as an OLB.

Williams didn't look like a good fit at linebacker but Phillips has had a lot of success converting defensive ends into linebackers including our own Simon Fletcher.

[Jsteve01]

I think jsteve's point is that DE's in Phillips scheme aren't plodding block-eaters and run-pluggers, I believe he's right. yup I'm just saying you can't take a traditional view of the 3-4 when looking at Wade's defenses. It's enough of a unique animal that people throughout the league refer to his style as a Phillips 3-4. The thing is it may end up looking like a traditional if your 5 tech can't get to the qb but it's fluid. Wolfe was a pass rushing animal coming out and this defense is easily the best opportunity he's ever had to utilize that ability. Jackson as well.

[TXBRONC]

yup I'm just saying you can't take a traditional view of the 3-4 when looking at Wade's defenses. It's enough of a unique animal that people throughout the league refer to his style as a Phillips 3-4. The thing is it may end up looking like a traditional if your 5 tech can't get to the qb but it's fluid. Wolfe was a pass rushing animal coming out and this defense is easily the best opportunity he's ever had to utilize that ability. Jackson as well.

It will be interesting to see how guys like Jackson and Wolfe fit into the way Phillips runs his defense.

[underrated29]

It will be interesting to see how guys like Jackson and Wolfe fit into the way Phillips runs his defense.

I'm very good x ited for it

[TXBRONC]

I'm very good x ited for it

I can tell you were so excited that you forgot the e and c in the word excited.

[Rick]

I think this defense will excel in the 3-4. I believe we can arguably say this is the most talented defense that Wade has ever been given, and we saw what he did with other defenses.

[TXBRONC]

I think this defense will excel in the 3-4. I believe we can arguably say this is the most talented defense that Wade has ever been given, and we saw what he did with other defenses.

The only position that Denver might need to change a bit is inside linebacker.

[Rick]

The only position that Denver might need to change a bit is inside linebacker.

I do have some concerns there as well.

What I hope is that Danny can play as a cover LBer and despite being a little small, Marshall can play the more run stuffing one. Marshall IMO played pretty physical last year and seemed to play bigger than his weight.

[TXBRONC]

I do have some concerns there as well.

What I hope is that Danny can play as a cover LBer and despite being a little small, Marshall can play the more run stuffing one. Marshall IMO played pretty physical last year and seemed to play bigger than his weight.

I just went back and looked the Ravens, Steelers, and Texans starters at inside linebacker and none them had a starter at ILB that was over 250 lbs. The starting inside linebackers for the Steelers were both under 240 lbs. So there is that.

Trevathan's leg is an even bigger concern than his size.

[Simple Jaded]

yup I'm just saying you can't take a traditional view of the 3-4 when looking at Wade's defenses. It's enough of a unique animal that people throughout the league refer to his style as a Phillips 3-4. The thing is it may end up looking like a traditional if your 5 tech can't get to the qb but it's fluid. Wolfe was a pass rushing animal coming out and this defense is easily the best opportunity he's ever had to utilize that ability. Jackson as well.
I took a quick look at 2011 Texans and other 3-4's (GB, SF, Jets) and Phillips had all his DL playing in gaps, Jets were all over the place, 9ers spent most of the time in Nickel that looked like Del Rio's in Denver, really the only team I looked at that played their DL straight up 2-gap was GB. I also noticed that Phillips gets his DL closer to the LOS, GB had theirs a full yard back.

[Jsteve01]

yup I'm just saying you can't take a traditional view of the 3-4 when looking at Wade's defenses. It's enough of a unique animal that people throughout the league refer to his style as a Phillips 3-4. The thing is it may end up looking like a traditional if your 5 tech can't get to the qb but it's fluid. Wolfe was a pass rushing animal coming out and this defense is easily the best opportunity he's ever had to utilize that ability. Jackson as well.
I took a quick look at 2011 Texans and other 3-4's (GB, SF, Jets) and Phillips had all his DL playing in gaps, Jets were all over the place, 9ers spent most of the time in Nickel that looked like Del Rio's in Denver, really the only team I looked at that played their DL straight up 2-gap was GB. I also noticed that Phillips gets his DL closer to the LOS, GB had theirs a full yard back. fun stuff. Thanks Jaded

[Denver Native (Carol)]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – When Wade Phillips’ name first formally came up in the Denver Broncos’ search for a defensive coordinator, it showed the Broncos’ willingness to use more 3-4 principles on defense than they had used in John Fox’s tenure.

Certainly Fox, first with Dennis Allen at defensive coordinator and then Jack Del Rio, used plenty of hybrid fronts and often lined up in a 3-4 look in some situational work, including using a traditional 3-4 look when they faced teams who worked comfortably out of two tight end formations or a read-option quarterback.

But Phillips’ 3-4, at least in the past, would represent the next step there. However, with the Broncos’ current personnel, they have the makings of a unit that should make the transition easier.

“I think we have guys who can play in lots of spots," said Broncos linebacker Von Miller. “I think you look at the guys we have, we can do a lot of things, we can line up in whatever defense they want us to and make plays."

rest - http://espn.go.com/blog/denver-broncos/post/_/id/11843/broncos-have-personnel-to-make-smooth-move-to-3-4-defense

[Lancane]

Oakland has hired Ken Norton Seattle's Linebacker Coach as their DC... I hope we make Pot Roast a priority before he goes to Oakland and we regret letting him walk.

[underrated29]

Oakland has hired Ken Norton Seattle's Linebacker Coach as their DC... I hope we make Pot Roast a priority before he goes to Oakland and we regret letting him walk.



Pot roast
Dt
Irving
Green

Those are our musts imo. (in no order)...Green and Irving should come cheap enough.

[Lancane]

Pot roast
Dt
Irving
Green

Those are our musts imo. (in no order)...Green and Irving should come cheap enough.

Actually I think they'll let Irving walk, Brandon Marshall is getting more interest from around the league. Green is a must as well, and I won't argue Demaryius Thomas right now. But if I was Denver I would be looking at Knighton as a priority.