(01-25-2019, 06:11 PM)Okeana Wrote: There is a good chance that if Jack Del Rio becomes the new DC that we will be making a switch to 3-4.  How will this affect our draft prospects and does this put guys like Atkins or Dunlap on the trade block?  Where would you see current players in a 3-4?

(01-25-2019, 06:21 PM)Synric Wrote: I'm pretty sure Del Rio runs a 43 defense with a 2 gap front.

(01-25-2019, 06:29 PM)Okeana Wrote: You're correct for some reason I had always assumed he implemented the 3-4 in Denver guess it was Wade Philips.  I guess we will be riding that 4-3 out forever lol

(01-25-2019, 06:36 PM)Synric Wrote: I dont know if I'm on the Del Rio train because of it. If it was a 34 single gap front It wouldn't bother me but using a 2 gap system could really chain Geno as a penetrating interior linemen.

(01-25-2019, 06:40 PM)Okeana Wrote: Yeah, I think the league is leaning towards a hybrid 3-4 and you can see that with teams who consistently get deep in the playoffs.  The last successful 4-3 2 gap I saw was the legion of boom when they won the Superbowl and that team was just loaded with talent.  

(01-25-2019, 07:21 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Probably wont happen right away if JDR wants to go this route. Our LB corps is weak at best. Hard to go to a 3-4 unless you have precisely the right guys you believe can make it work, and these guys need to be workhorses. I see the strengths of the 3-4 as it can stop huge runs, and react to the pass. In addition to giving the backs, for a fraction of a second once the ball is snapped, to see what is developing and controlling the situation. I like the 3-4 because you can quickly switch it at the line to a 4-3 at the last second.

The 4-3 (IMO) is a more run stopping defensive approach and your hopes of getting to the QB. We have ran the 4-3 for years and although we have had success against the run, the last few years we have been eaten up by it. So, what do we do? When you run a 4-3 and have poor coverage with your safety's, you get a bad ranked D overall and abused frequently. It seems more difficult transitioning (on a play) from a 4-3 to a 3-4. 

If the hybrid can be figured out (which takes a lot of planning, execution and coaching) on this team, I see it as being a tool to escalate the Bengals D into a top 5, if not top 3 in the next 2-3yrs. But it cant happen right away with a defense that has been built around a 4-3 defense and the only defense that's been ran by Merv for all these years. To the best of my knowledge, he never veered from 4-3. D needs help finding themselves. I don't see flexibility right away here.

(01-25-2019, 07:38 PM)Whatever Wrote: They've run some 3-3-5  nickel looks in the past with Geathers and later MJ as the "rush" LB.  They could probably incorporate some of that again with Lawson and/or Hubbard in the role.  

(01-25-2019, 07:46 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: But I don't see the effectiveness of that scheme. Honestly, that's more of a poor mans prevent don't you think? Or as Marvin says, "play not to lose" defense. The 3-3-5 would is interesting, but I think we get a lot of short/safe pass coverage out of it. Although, a 3-3 could be a lethal tool if used to form a blitz and leave 5 for coverage. I wonder what our success rate was running this because, TBH, I really never identified it. Very interesting tho.

(01-28-2019, 05:04 PM)Au165 Wrote: He used Bruce Irvin as a hybrid Rush LB in the 4-3 similar to what Seattle did with him. I think Lawson could be a similar tool here for that.

(01-27-2019, 12:33 PM)BengalChris Wrote: When fans have to come up with lots of excuses for a player it is the player who is the problem. Ross couldn't get on the field in his rookie year because he was a healthy inactive for many games. Getting injured later was just an excuse to the failed year. AJ Green, Marvin Jones, Sanu and Boyd didn't have those problems with Marvin Lewis while Ross clearly did.

Ross is now one of several Bengals players who are going to have to show up much improved for the new coaching staff. At least he'll get a chance.

(01-28-2019, 03:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: If the defense stays a 4-3, I'd love to see a LB used as a 5th pass rusher occasionally. That's always been a frustration for me with Bengals teams in the past, only sending 4 rushers and usually only 2-3 being any good. Having that combined with LBs who are poor in coverage resulted in a mediocre defense. And once the run defense also started to decline, we saw a bottom-feeder defense.

(01-28-2019, 03:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: If the defense stays a 4-3, I'd love to see a LB used as a 5th pass rusher occasionally. That's always been a frustration for me with Bengals teams in the past, only sending 4 rushers and usually only 2-3 being any good. Having that combined with LBs who are poor in coverage resulted in a mediocre defense. And once the run defense also started to decline, we saw a bottom-feeder defense.

(01-28-2019, 05:04 PM)Au165 Wrote: He used Bruce Irvin as a hybrid Rush LB in the 4-3 similar to what Seattle did with him. I think Lawson could be a similar tool here for that.