Operation Sports Forums - View Single Post - The gap control defense, or, an Ode to Jimmy Johnson

Sven Draconian · 02-10-2010, 12:05 AM

This thread will venture into the dark, scary side of football (and my specialty), the defense. Defense, and more specifically, the 4-3 defense is my favorite subject to talk about. While my next thread was going to be the defensive line compliment to my blocking thread, that would have been annoyingly incomplete. Defensive line play is counter-intuitive without the entire context of the defense. The beauty of defense is that, regardless of alignment, the “machinery” of run defense remains the same.

To begin with I need to make an important point (and one that is sure to be ignored later on). Alignment is not a defense. Alignment is not a defense. Alignment is not a defense. An annoying reality of watching a football game (and, playing video games) is naming a defense based on lineman and linebackers. 4-3, 3-4, 4-2, 3-3. To the purpose of this thread, those distinctions are meaningless. Here is an example.

................R...................$
.....................LB.........LB..........
CB........LB....DT.......N.........DT....LB....... CB
WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... .......
...........................Q...................... .....WR
...............FB....................HB

This is a "3-4" defense? Why. Because there are 4 players called LB. Note, however, that both DTs and the NT are aligned in a "shade" (IE, not head up the offensive lineman). This will become signficant in a moment. (This is often called an Eagle Front by 3-4 teams, and is used quite a bit by Rex Ryan and Dick Lebeau).

................R...................$
.....................LB.........LB..........
CB........DE....DT.......N.........DE....LB....... CB
WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... .......
...........................Q...................... .....WR
...............FB....................HB

This is a 4-3 defense. Why? Because there are 4 players labeled as lineman, and 3 as linebackers. (This is the basic "Tampa 2" alignment as made famous by Monte Kiffin, also used heavily by Pete Caroll at USC).

................R...................$
.....................LB.........LB..........
CB........DE....DT.......N.........DT....SS......C B
WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... .......
...........................Q...................... .....WR
...............FB....................HB

Now this is a 4-2-5 look (made famous by Va. Tech and TCU).

There is no difference between the alignments. The alignment above (Called an Eagle front, or the more modern name, the Under front) is the most common alignment to a 21 personel offense (2 backs, 1 TE).

The point that is being made by this is that, for the purpose of this thread (and Maden gaming) I'll categorize defensive fronts into two types: Gap control and slant/angle. What is the difference?

In a gap control defense the defensive players are aligned in a shaded alignment (that is, on a shoulder or in a gap) of the offensive lineman. Their goal is to maintain that relative position (that is, their position in relation to the offensive lineman). By doing this, they control the "gap" they are aligned in.

A slant/angle defense slants into a gap (or, a single player will attempt to control two gaps).

This thread will be used to explain and discuss a gap control defense. Why gap control, two simple reasons? 1) I know this style of the defense the best and it is far and away the most common defense in the NFL and NCAA.

02-10-2010, 12:05 AM	#1
Sven Draconian Rookie OVR: 9 Join Date: Jul 2006	The gap control defense, or, an Ode to Jimmy Johnson This thread will venture into the dark, scary side of football (and my specialty), the defense. Defense, and more specifically, the 4-3 defense is my favorite subject to talk about. While my next thread was going to be the defensive line compliment to my blocking thread, that would have been annoyingly incomplete. Defensive line play is counter-intuitive without the entire context of the defense. The beauty of defense is that, regardless of alignment, the “machinery” of run defense remains the same. To begin with I need to make an important point (and one that is sure to be ignored later on). Alignment is not a defense. Alignment is not a defense. Alignment is not a defense. An annoying reality of watching a football game (and, playing video games) is naming a defense based on lineman and linebackers. 4-3, 3-4, 4-2, 3-3. To the purpose of this thread, those distinctions are meaningless. Here is an example. ................R...................$ .....................LB.........LB.......... CB........LB....DT.......N.........DT....LB....... CB WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... ....... ...........................Q...................... .....WR ...............FB....................HB This is a "3-4" defense? Why. Because there are 4 players called LB. Note, however, that both DTs and the NT are aligned in a "shade" (IE, not head up the offensive lineman). This will become signficant in a moment. (This is often called an Eagle Front by 3-4 teams, and is used quite a bit by Rex Ryan and Dick Lebeau). ................R...................$ .....................LB.........LB.......... CB........DE....DT.......N.........DE....LB....... CB WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... ....... ...........................Q...................... .....WR ...............FB....................HB This is a 4-3 defense. Why? Because there are 4 players labeled as lineman, and 3 as linebackers. (This is the basic "Tampa 2" alignment as made famous by Monte Kiffin, also used heavily by Pete Caroll at USC). ................R...................$ .....................LB.........LB.......... CB........DE....DT.......N.........DT....SS......C B WR...........T....G....C....G....T....TE.......... ....... ...........................Q...................... .....WR ...............FB....................HB Now this is a 4-2-5 look (made famous by Va. Tech and TCU). There is no difference between the alignments. The alignment above (Called an Eagle front, or the more modern name, the Under front) is the most common alignment to a 21 personel offense (2 backs, 1 TE). The point that is being made by this is that, for the purpose of this thread (and Maden gaming) I'll categorize defensive fronts into two types: Gap control and slant/angle. What is the difference? In a gap control defense the defensive players are aligned in a shaded alignment (that is, on a shoulder or in a gap) of the offensive lineman. Their goal is to maintain that relative position (that is, their position in relation to the offensive lineman). By doing this, they control the "gap" they are aligned in. A slant/angle defense slants into a gap (or, a single player will attempt to control two gaps). This thread will be used to explain and discuss a gap control defense. Why gap control, two simple reasons? 1) I know this style of the defense the best and it is far and away the most common defense in the NFL and NCAA.