The Basics of the 3-4 Defense In Football
NFL Teams Are Moving to the Base Defense Because of Recent Success
Jul 31, 2009
The NFL has always been a "follow me" league. When something works, other teams are quick to latch on to it and it begins to sweep the league. This is true with the Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense which led the Steelers to the Super Bowl title in 2009.
Where the 3-4 Comes From
The 3-4 was originated at the collegiate level at the University of Oklahoma in the 1940s. The Miami Dolphins were the first to bring the 3-4 to the professional ranks and won a Super Bowl running the defense in the 1970s.
From there the defense grew and currently 18 teams including the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers run or will be running the 3-4 defense as their base defense.
Setting up the 3-4 Defense
The 3-4 defense formation is as its name suggests. Three down linemen with four linebackers lined up behind them. Two cornerbacks cover the outside receivers and a strong and free safety make up the middle of the defensive backfield.
In the 3-4 set up the front seven players are really the key to the defense. The front three defensive linemen are made up of two defensive ends and nose guard. In the 3-4 defense, the nose guard needs to be a player that can clog up the middle.
The linebackers in the 3-4 defense are different than linebackers found in the more common 4-3 defense. Generally, one of the linebackers will lineup on the line of scrimmage. Usually this is one of the outside linebackers. That means the linebackers must be big enough to take on offensive tackles while at the same time be quick enough to cover receivers in the pass route. Finding that type of linebacker is the key to having a good 3-4 defense. Two examples of the prototypical 3-4 linebacker are Derrick Thomas and Lawrence Taylor.
Advantage of the 3-4 Defense
The main advantage of the 3-4 defense is its linebackers and canopy effect they give to the line of scrimmage. Based 5 yards back from the play, linebackers can read the flow of the play and give pursuit. The defensive lineman are really there to take up blockers and clog the running lanes leaving the linebackers free to make the play.
The 3-4 defense also can confuse offenses as at different times a different linebacker can be lined up on the line of scrimmage to rush the passer. A number of blitz packages are also available to defensive coordinators as blitzes can come from any of the eight spots on in the defensive backfield.
Disadvantages of the 3-4 Defense
The 3-4 defense really is a personnel-based defense. If a team does not have the linebackers who have the speed and size needed or defensive linemen who cannot take up blockers , the 3-4 is very vulnerable. The result of these situations is teams playing a base 3-4 but through most of the game actually running a 4-3 defense with a linebacker used as the fourth down lineman.
The 3-4 defense is also susceptible to the inside rush. With just a nose guard to plug the middle, the inside rushing game many NFL teams use as a base offensive play. Teams running the 3-4 defense need to have a nose guard that can occupy 2 to 3 players on every down to free up the middle linebackers. In the league right now, finding a true nose guard like that is difficult because of the emphasis on speed play in the college ranks is producing fewer large bodies to be run stoppers.
Running the 3-4 Outside the NFL
The 3-4 defense is best run at the professional level due to the responsibilities put on the linemen and the linebackers. Unless a college or high school team has seven players that tweeners (or players who could play defensive line or play linebacker), the 3-4 is not really an option.
Also with the quick play and misdirection offenses appearing more and more in the collegiate and high school levels, reading those offenses while dealing with the responsibilities of the 3-4 can be hard for players below the professional level to handle.
High Schools and college players are probably better adapted to running other base defenses including the 4-3, 3-3-5 or the 4-4 defenses where responsibilities are clear cut and do not vary like the 3-4.
