Since there been a bit of conjecture this off season about Sean McDermott possibly incorporating a 3-4 look , I decided to do some research and find whether or not a 3-4 is a more effective defense. What I've found so far is actually rather schocking. I took a look at last seasons sack leaders according to NFL.com heres what i found.
1 | Elvis Dumervil | DEN | OLB | 49 | 42 | 7 | 17.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 1 | 0 |
2 | Jared Allen | MIN | DE | 51 | 43 | 8 | 14.5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | -4 | -4 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
3 | Dwight Freeney | IND | DE | 24 | 19 | 5 | 13.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- |
3 | LaMarr Woodley | PIT | OLB | 62 | 50 | 12 | 13.5 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 |
5 | Will Smith | NO | DE | 49 | 36 | 13 | 13.0 | -- | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -- | -- |
6 | Trent Cole | PHI | DE | 57 | 48 | 9 | 12.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- |
7 | Andre Carter | WAS | DE | 62 | 48 | 14 | 11.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
7 | Brian Orakpo | WAS | OLB | 50 | 37 | 13 | 11.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- |
7 | DeMarcus Ware | DAL | OLB | 57 | 45 | 12 | 11.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
10 | Julius Peppers | CAR | DE | 42 | 36 | 6 | 10.5 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 13T | 5 | 1 | 0 |
11 | Tully Banta-Cain | NE | OLB | 55 | 35 | 20 | 10.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- |
11 | James Harrison | PIT | OLB | 79 | 60 | 19 | 10.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 2 | 0 |
11 | Clay Matthews | GB | OLB | 51 | 37 | 14 | 10.0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 3 | 1 |
11 | Aaron Schobel | BUF | DE | 56 | 34 | 22 | 10.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 26T | 3 | 1 | 0 |
15 | Robert Mathis | IND | DE | 37 | 24 | 13 | 9.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
16 | Joey Porter | MIA | OLB | 41 | 34 | 7 | 9.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 |
16 | Mario Williams | HOU | DE | 43 | 38 | 5 | 9.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 0 |
18 | Ray Edwards | MIN | DE | 51 | 43 | 8 | 8.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 |
18 | Tamba Hali | KC | OLB | 62 | 46 | 16 | 8.5 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
20 | Antwan Odom | CIN | DE | 19 | 18 | 1 | 8.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 0 | -- | -- |
Now of all the top 10 players only 3 come from teams that run a 3-4 defense and only 8 in the top 20. However it could be said that in 2009 with many players getting injured via concussions , alot of teams slowed down the attack and were more run based as evidenced in the 3 headed attaks of the Jets ,Cowboys, Redskins , and even our dear Iggles ran it a LITTLE more '09. This could lean in favor of a 4-3 defense as there are more down line man and less chances for an OLB Blitz package.
Now going back one season further I found the exact oppisite to be true.
1 | DeMarcus Ware | DAL | OLB | 84 | 69 | 15 | 20.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 1 | 0 |
2 | Joey Porter | MIA | OLB | 47 | 36 | 11 | 17.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 1 | 0 |
3 | John Abraham | ATL | DE | 38 | 36 | 2 | 16.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
4 | James Harrison | PIT | OLB | 101 | 67 | 34 | 16.0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 7 | -- | -- |
5 | Jared Allen | MIN | DE | 54 | 41 | 13 | 14.5 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
5 | Julius Peppers | CAR | DE | 51 | 40 | 11 | 14.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- |
7 | Justin Tuck | NYG | DE | 67 | 52 | 15 | 12.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 41T | 3 | -- | -- |
7 | Mario Williams | HOU | DE | 53 | 44 | 9 | 12.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
9 | Robert Mathis | IND | DE | 48 | 36 | 12 | 11.5 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 3 | 1 |
9 | LaMarr Woodley | PIT | OLB | 60 | 41 | 19 | 11.5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Out of the top ten sack leaders in '08 5 came from 3-4 teams and I believe Indy runs a hybrid (however i may be mistaken on that one) . Of the top 5 sack leaders 4 came from teams using a 3-4 . Going back one last year....
1 | Jared Allen | KC | DE | 64 | 55 | 9 | 15.5 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
2 | Patrick Kerney | SEA | DE | 60 | 49 | 11 | 14.5 | -- | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -- | -- |
3 | DeMarcus Ware | DAL | OLB | 84 | 60 | 24 | 14.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
3 | Mario Williams | HOU | DE | 59 | 43 | 16 | 14.0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 1 |
5 | Osi Umenyiora | NYG | DE | 52 | 40 | 12 | 13.0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 2 | 1 |
6 | Trent Cole | PHI | DE | 70 | 49 | 21 | 12.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 1 | 0 |
6 | Elvis Dumervil | DEN | DE | 39 | 34 | 5 | 12.5 | -- | 5 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
6 | Greg Ellis | DAL | OLB | 31 | 24 | 7 | 12.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 3 | -- | -- |
6 | Shawne Merriman | SD | OLB | 68 | 54 | 14 | 12.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | 0 |
6 | Mike Vrabel | NE | OLB | 77 | 55 | 22 | 12.5 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 |
Now in 07 (the year Tom Brady and Randy Moss broke so many passing/recieving records and the evil Patriots went ALMOST undefeated) 7 out of the top ten sack machines came from 3-4 teams, and 07 was a pass happy year. So my conclusion from all of this would be that a 3-4 defense is DEFINNITLY more effective in passing situations as it allows the OLB to attck while DE contains the OT. But im not gonna stop there. Below is a list taken from Wikipedia of all the Super bowl winners since 1998.
XXXII | 01998-01-25 January 25, 1998 | Denver Broncos 05 Denver Broncos† (5)[note 3] | 3124 31–24 | Green Bay Packers 04 Green Bay Packers* (4) | Qualcomm Stadium 02 Qualcomm Stadium (2)[note 4] | San Diego, California 02 San Diego, California (2) | 068912 68,912 | [35] |
33 XXXIII | 01999-01-31 January 31, 1999 | Denver Broncos 06 Denver Broncos† (6) | 3419 34–19 | Atlanta Falcons 01 Atlanta Falcons* | Dolphin Stadium 03 Pro Player Stadium (3)[note 4] | Miami, Florida 08 Miami, Florida (8)[note 2] | 074803 74,803 | [36] |
34 XXXIV | 02000-01-30 January 30, 2000 | St. Louis Rams 02 St. Louis Rams* (2) | 2316 23–16 | Tennessee Titans 01 Tennessee Titans†[note 3] | Georgia Dome 02 Georgia Dome (2) | Atlanta, Georgia 02 Atlanta, Georgia (2) | 072625 72,625 | [37] |
35 XXXV | 02001-01-28 January 28, 2001 | Baltimore Ravens 01 Baltimore Ravens†[note 3] | 3407 34–7 | New York Giants 03 New York Giants* (3) | Raymond James Stadium 01 Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, Florida 03 Tampa, Florida (3) | 071921 71,921 | [38] |
36 XXXVI | 02002-02-03 February 3, 2002 | New England Patriots 03 New England Patriots† (3) | 2017 20–17 | St. Louis Rams 03 St. Louis Rams* (3) | Superdome 06 Louisiana Superdome (6) | New Orleans, Louisiana 09 New Orleans, Louisiana (9) | 072922 72,922 | [39] |
37 XXXVII | 02003-01-26 January 26, 2003 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 01 Tampa Bay Buccaneers* | 4821 48–21 | Oakland Raiders 05 Oakland Raiders† (5) | Qualcomm Stadium 03 Qualcomm Stadium (3)[note 4] | San Diego, California 03 San Diego, California (3) | 067603 67,603 | [40] |
38 XXXVIII | 02004-02-01 February 1, 2004 | New England Patriots 04 New England Patriots† (4) | 3229 32–29 | Carolina Panthers 01 Carolina Panthers* | Reliant Stadium 01 Reliant Stadium | Houston, Texas 02 Houston, Texas (2) | 071525 71,525 | [41] |
39 XXXIX | 02005-02-06 February 6, 2005 | New England Patriots 05 New England Patriots† (5) | 2421 24–21 | Philadelphia Eagles 02 Philadelphia Eagles* (2) | ALLTEL Stadium 01 ALLTEL Stadium | Jacksonville, Florida 01 Jacksonville, Florida | 078125 78,125 | [42] |
40 XL | 02006-02-05 February 5, 2006 | Pittsburgh Steelers 05 Pittsburgh Steelers† (6)[note 3] | 2110 21–10 | Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks* | Ford Field 01 Ford Field | Detroit, Michigan 02 Detroit, Michigan (2)[note 1] | 068206 68,206 | [43] |
41 XLI | 02007-02-04 February 4, 2007 | Indianapolis Colts 03 Indianapolis Colts† (3) | 2917 29–17 | Chicago Bears 02 Chicago Bears* (2) | Dolphin Stadium 04 Dolphin Stadium (4)[note 4] | Miami, Florida 09 Miami, Florida (9)[note 2] | 074512 74,512 | [48] |
42 XLII | 02008-02-03 February 3, 2008 | New York Giants 03 New York Giants* (4)[note 3] | 1714 17–14 | New England Patriots 06 New England Patriots† (6) | University of Phoenix Stadium 01 University of Phoenix Stadium | Phoenix, Arizona 02 Glendale, Arizona (2)[note 1] | 071101 71,101 | [53] |
43 XLIII | 02009-02-01 February 1, 2009 | Pittsburgh Steelers 06 Pittsburgh Steelers† (7) | 2723 27–23 | Arizona Cardinals 01 Arizona Cardinals* | Raymond James Stadium 02 Raymond James Stadium (2) | Tampa, Florida 04 Tampa, Florida (4) | 070774 70,774 | [54] |
44 XLIV | 02010-02-07 February 7, 2010 | New Orleans Saints 01 New Orleans Saints* | 3117 31–17 | Indianapolis Colts 04 Indianapolis Colts† (4) | Dolphin Stadium 05 Sun Life Stadium[45] (5)[note 4] | Miami, Florida 10 Miami, Florida (10)[note 2] | 074059 74,059 |
They say defense wins championships ...well the proof is in the proverbial pudding 8 out of the llast 13 Super Bowl champs have run a 3-4 defensive scheme . thats over a 60% ratio in favor of a 3-4 scheme. Mr. McDermott from this Eagles fans perpspective , If you wanna start running a 3-4 defense...Im OK with it, and im sure if it helped us bring home the ring, everyone else would be too
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