how to decide between 4-3 and 3-4?

[cyril]

Occasionally I see folks switching between 3-4 and 4-3. Since that triggered a series of positional changes, I assume there must be something "big" that made the player undergo such transformation.

How do you tell whether one should go from one to the other? For those who switched, what made you do so?

[Jughead Spock]

From what I've seen, it usually hinges on the WLB. A lot of teams (m'self included) will stumble on/seek out a WLB who's just a monster at PRS and PRT and build around that. The WLB blitzes on every down in a 3-4 (with some changes in nickel & dime, I'm sure). But that's the idea. All depends on that, and if you have more/better DL or LB.

[Steel]

From what I've seen, it usually hinges on the WLB. A lot of teams (m'self included) will stumble on/seek out a WLB who's just a monster at PRS and PRT and build around that. The WLB blitzes on every down in a 3-4 (with some changes in nickel & dime, I'm sure). But that's the idea. All depends on that, and if you have more/better DL or LB.

EXACTLY what he said. If you got a beast OLB, build a 3-4 around him. Find at least 2 run stuffers, 1 at DE and 1 at NT, also.

[Firefly]

It's like real life. As more people play the 3-4, it's easier to find personnel for the 4-3 and viceversa. But since most people go with the 4-3, I use a 3-4 in all my leagues. That being said, I think you ideally look for different bars in the entire front 7, except MLB/ILB, depending on which defense you use. But I'm out of touch with the 4-3, so maybe I'm wrong.

[QuikSand]

My impression is that (finally) the two systems are roughly equivalent in overall production and effectiveness, even though the 3-4 front clearly skews the stat distribution in various ways.

Rather than "build around a stud WLB" I think my pivot is more based on the relative availability of effective defensive tackles. In any league where cap management is important, it's simply tougher to keep and pay a starting-caliber DT than it is to keep and pay a pass-rushing LB. For that reason, I think the 3-4 is the more economical system to run, by a modest margin.

[NiteMaestro]

Personally, I feel it's a matter of your personnel.
If you have a pass rushing LB stud, depending on his size, you may be better off making him a DE. So don't always think PR LB = 3-4.

I usually decide by looking at my roster's weaknesses and adjusting to compensate. If I'm weak with ILBs, then 4-3, if I have no run stuffing DT, then 3-4 (if i have runstuffers at ILB). The general availability of players and personnel will dictate which style is best to maximize their potential(s).

[Firefly]

If I had a stud LB who could rush the passer, I'd play him at SLB regardless of the defense.

[bigmouth]

i like the 3-4 but it's just personal preference. i base which defense to use on what other teams in the league do. if a bunch of guys use 3-4 than they will bid up the lb's both in terms of the draft, fa, and trade value.

[stevew]

Really depends on existing players on your roster. I generally think 3.4 is cheaper to run. Stud WLBs are cheaper than DEs. In solo you can just take a ton of flyers on late round WLBs. In MP those guys go earlier.

The major thing is the RDE in the 34 needs to be a run stopper cause the game tends to treat him as a DT IMO.

if you don't have a stud DE but have a lb with high PRT(doesn't even really have to be a good player otherwise) running a 34 will get you more chances to win.

[NewIdentity]

If I had a stud LB who could rush the passer, I'd play him at SLB regardless of the defense.
Why SLB? Seems to go against what everyone else is saying about the 3-4 and the WLB position.

[Firefly]

Why SLB? Seems to go against what everyone else is saying about the 3-4 and the WLB position.

Cause in the 4-3 the WLB comes out in the nickel and dime, and in the 3-4, all he does is rush the passer, so you'd be wasting his pass coverage bars there.