3-4 Defense help

[moblipeg]

As some of you know, I pondered whether to draft Sweetney after an 0-16 sim season. Well I did and decided to play out the season this year. Offense has been doing great with the new additions. However, I forgot I chose the 3-4 Pressure instead of 4-3 and frankly, I'm getting killed defensively.

I can't stop the pass at all. I can't get to the QB and my DBs look lost. I haven't forced a punt in 3 games and I only have 1 fumble and 1 int this year. I've even let the DC call my plays and he can't get the job done either. Oh and by the way, this now makes my coach 0-19 so I'm definitely on the hot seat.

Any help would be appreciated.

[slacker2]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

If you want a 3-4 scheme simply make some 3-4 plays and run your defense that way. And stop having your coach call your plays. I've won two superbowls in two years with the bears and i call every single play. You are smarter then an ai.

[moblipeg]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

I do call the plays, here, let me explain better.

I've previously won 2 superbowls playing the games with a cover 2 4-3 scheme. This time I wanted to try something different and sim a whole season, but I didn't think I'd be playing the games so I just chose 3-4 pressure scheme. After going 0-16 I've decided to play the games this season, but I forgot my team is a 3-4 team. I'm unfamiliar with the nuances of the 3-4 and wanted some help. I'm not a big fan of the blitz, but seeing as the majority of my plays call for it I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to use these plays. I can stop the run pretty well, but I have no chance against the pass.

[kcarr]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

in the 3-4 you really need a pass rush from your lbs to be successful. Where you are already in the season you probably can't pick up the personel to perfectly fit your system which sucks cause with the right personel a good 3-4 defense can be dominant in this game. For now though you have to kinda make the system fit your players.

try moving your top pass rushers (finesse moves and speed) around to wherever you are blitzing from that play. This may mean putting DEs at LB and even though their overall may be lower they will get pressure. Make sure you keep your front 7 fresh and your best rushers blitzing and the pressure will come. Also, special skills that help speed and blitzing for lbs can help here. In nickel and dime sets some 3-4 defenses move to a 4 man front and in those cases move those top rushers up to the DE spots.

That alone will help your coverage but make sure that you stick to calling the coverages (man or zone) where your corners are at their best.

Work on blitzes in the gameplanning as that is where the 3-4 gets its pressure from. Use those gameplans in definite passing situations to force mistakes and punts.

Your top MLB needs to be able to tackle well as they will be making a lot of plays against the run. You don't want them missing all those tackles.

Dlinemen need to be big. I usually move DTs over to DE but it depends on who I have. You usually want your NT in your base to be your biggest, strongest, highest power move guy. Your DEs in your base should be big strong guys who usually fit well in the run stop or 3-4 versatile systems. Some pass rush is nice here but eating up blocks is more important. Often I will move them back into DT in a 4 man front dime or nickel play.

With all that hopefully you can get to the offseason and find players to really fit the system.

[jdub2k4]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

In the 3-4, the most important players are the OLB's, and pass rushing skills on the edge is a must. You want your dominant OLB at the ROLB position. The LOLB needs to be fairly good in stopping the run and pass coverage. Your MLB's need to be good in tackling and also coverage.

Next, your DT, or NT in a 3-4, needs to be able to stop the run and tackle. Your DE's need to be strong here as well.

Size of players is also important in this game. Your D-line players should be at least 280 lbs but you want them to be 300 lbs if possible. Your linebackers should be between 235-275 lbs. If your current DE's are small, you might want to consider making them OLB's and picking up some bigger DE's in free agency.

With stopping the pass, I had to fix this in the draft. I have assembled 3 CB's that can all cover and catch the ball, rated 82, 88, and 89. My FS is actually another CB that can cover and tackle. My SS is actually a FS that can cover and tackle. So in my base 3-4 defense, I actually have 3 good CB's and one good FS. This has worked well in stopping the pass. When I call a nickel formation, I then have 4 CB's and and one FS.

Remember that the 3-4 is a blitzing formation meant to put pressure on the QB and force mistakes, so like I said earlier, you need to get two good OLB's that can create pressure and then blitz, blitz, blitz.

[kcarr]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

in real life jdub is right, you want your top pass rusher in the rolb spot, but in the game I disagree. I have always had better success rushing from the strong side as offenses key so heavily on blocking the weak side. I personally move mine around a lot anyway, especially when running a 3-4, so their original position is somewhat irrelevant but if I was in a situation where I needed pressure I would start with strong side pressure.

[moblipeg]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

Thank you all.

I realize my problem now is more personnel than anything else. I just can't get to the QB. Everyone on my line seems undersized. At least my LBs seem to fit the scheme. This offseason, if I don't get fired, I'll work on getting some big D Linemen.

Thanks again. This was very helpful info. Now off to try to beat the Pats.

[kcarr]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

For the time being on the dline size is probably more important than rating or at least as important. I would say try to pick up a couple bigger dts and put them in the rotation in each spot.

Also, how is your play knowledge on them? If it is low or if you sign a couple players off of waivers to fill gaps then play them late in blowouts and whatnot running plays they don't know to help them learn.

[rdnk]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

I was going to add something, but everyone beat me to it.

You need top notch linebackers and large ends/tackles that can stop the run. The DT (NT) is the most important part of a great 3-4, followed by the linebackers.

Also, the secondary comes, well, secondary. You need to be able to create a lot of pressure before your DB's can make lots of plays. If you give a QB enough time, he can pick apart and secondary, no matter how good.

The 3-4 pressure is not a passive pick your nose defense. You need to blitz all the time. Even at 3rd and 20, blitz away. You need to create pressure. Vary your blitzes, call a combination of man and zone plays. Keep them guessing.

[moblipeg]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

Update:

Worked on some personnel upgrades. Grabbed 2 DE in FA, both over 6'3" and both 300lbs plus with 78 and 80 Power Move respectively. Traded 1st rounder (not this years, next years) draft for L. Woodley from the Steelers. Looked for DTs, but none better out there than what I have. Scouting for a DT in this years first round.

Lost to the Pats 42-24, but I played a whole lot better. Woodley had 2 sacks and doesn't fully know playbook yet. One of my new DE also had a sack. Forced an INT and a fumble. It was actually close at halftime, but they pulled away in the end. I am now an optimistic 0-4. I've got the Raiders next with a rookie QB, so I'm counting on our first win of the season there.

[kcarr]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

glad to hear that things are looking better. good luck against oakland.

[jdub2k4]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

Sounds good. Keep us posted. I will tell you that 3-4 ILBs are pretty easy to find in the mid rounds of the draft, rounds 3 thru 6. You want to look for guys that have a high tackle rating and man/zone coverage skills around 50-70. Speed isn't that important but then again you don't want a slug here either. Strength is important too because ILBs have to take on bigger linemen.

Good NT's are hard to come by unless you get one in the 1st or 2nd round, at least in my draft path. You should be able to find great pash rushing OLB's in the draft. Scout for guys that compare to DeMarcus Ware or Shawn Merriman. Another neat trick that I picked up is to scout for DE's that are underweight, draft them and move them to the OLB position. This is how it is done in the pros. Most real life 3-4 OLB's play DE in college.

[moblipeg]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

Highly frustrated right now. Was down 31-14 in the 3rd quarter and just turned it off. I can't stop the pass at all. I can't force a punt. McFadden was killing me. 3 and longs, the toss him the ball and he always runs for the 1st. Man blitzes, zone blitzes, I can't stop him. I'm thinking about just starting over with what I know, the cover 2, but I really want to try and make this 3-4 thing work. Right now I just want to throw the controller at the screen.

[ST2SC]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

Right now I just want to throw the controller at the screen.

My friend broke his tv doing that!

[ebongreen]

Re: 3-4 Defense help

I understand your frustration. The Cardinals in my current franchise have picked up whatever coach & playbook uses the Hammer formation, and alternates it at whim with shotgun four- or five-wide. With the AI being less than honest about what personnel are on the field at any given time and the Cards stocked with a decent Matt Leinart & good WRs, it's bloody freaking difficult to pick a good defense.

Playing the Giants is a different exercise in frustration. The running game I can stop, but their 3WR-1TE shotgun plays play hell with zones and Eli Manning is sufficiently accurate to drill it in. Their O-line is pretty stellar, so I can't use the blitz to get to him on a regular basis either.

I have a colossally talented team this year, and it's always a surprise & a puzzle when I'm not blowing teams out by five touchdowns or more.