All Your 4-3 Base Belong To Us!

by Alpha on Feb 18, 2012 4:10 PM CST

The Dallas Cowboys have always been a 4-3. It belongs to us.

We Invented it.

It is as much a part of us as you and me. Before good ol' Bill came in and took a swipe at destroying a legacy we had a pretty good defense under Mike Zimmer, a 4-3 defense at the time.

Coincidentally, those Giants that Big Bill will be forever linked to, have just won their 2nd World Championship in 4 years and guess what base defense they run...? A 4-3 defense. They did it with excellent pressure up front.

Now there has been talk of the Cowboys migrating back to a 4-3 scheme as a base defense.

In my opinion it is long overdue.

Maybe it is because DeMarcus Ware can dominate as a DE or OLB? Maybe because it seems harder an harder to find quality 3-4 scheme players, because the number of NFL teams who run a 3-4 are expanding, and thus, vying for services of FA's and prospects to a greater degree. When the Cowboys made the switch to a 3-4 there were a handful of teams exclusively running it. Maybe it is because Jay Ratliff would be a dominant 4-3 DT, with Lissemore, Hatcher and Spears manning the other DT position internally...Maybe its because Anthony Spencer is actually a 4-3 DE...?

Whatever the case may be, it is time to move back to our heritage.

I would highly consider drafting Luke Kuechly with the 14th pick. Signing a CB such as Terrell Thomas and drafting a CB in the 3rd round such as Casey Hayward. If we could go into the Season with Kuechly/Lee/Carter as our LB core, we would, in my opinion have top 5 LB core for a 7-8 years.

If we inserted Ware in our DL we could have a top 5 DL in the NFL. Ware/Hatcher/Ratliff/Spencer. With Lissemore and Spears to rotate at DT. Two Pro Bowl players would head that unit. In this scenario I could see Spencer staying.

There is an image of Glamour with the 3-4. For whatever reason it has not stuck here. We have never had the true personnel to run it effectively. It has always looked like a square peg fit into a round hole.

Some think we are getting close to a true 3-4 Front 7, minus a DT and OLB. I can understand the thinking.But in a 4-3, I honestly believe we have less holes to fill, and will produce more effectively than years past.

Obviously Rex Ryan loves to change fronts throughout a game. But the 4-3 is who we are, and I think it really is who we should be.

All of this depends if you can get the LB's, and there should be a quality one sitting there when we pick at #14.

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Comments

Another LB with a high pick, I just don't see that happening.

RR uses many fronts, but a 4-3 as a base? JJ says he’s still committed to a base 3-4, and JG has no vested interest in switching gears. I long for the days when Zimmer and his predecessors treated us to continually improving Ds as the season progressed. I just don’t see this happening.

Wish you were here and comfortably numb.

by pfloyd1 on Feb 18, 2012 4:42 PM CST reply actions

I liked Zimmer alot. He shoudl have had a HC gig already.

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 9:30 AM CST up reply actions

We are on the same page

Alpha I agree with you I think we become a better defense if we switch to the 4-3. I think we would have a solid rotation at DT and we would have a solid linbacking corp( with the Kuechly pick) But we would need more 4-3 DE because all of the good 4-3 teams have a strong rotation of pass ruchers and we have maybe three for that position.

by cowboy17 on Feb 18, 2012 5:46 PM CST reply actions

Manny Lawson or that type of player are becoming easier to draft than 3-4 OLB's for whatever reason... But I agree

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 9:31 AM CST up reply actions

I always liked the 4-3. It is not easy to find the tall athletic DEs to make it work the way you want though.

You want to have guys who are 6-5 / 6-6 270 and who run a 4.7. There just aren’t that many dudes like that out there.

by Jonathan Stern on Feb 18, 2012 6:19 PM CST reply actions

It is a painless fix.

be real nice in a trade down

by Becho on Feb 18, 2012 7:38 PM CST reply actions

For the first time in a long time

I might actually be pro 4-3shop switch, but I honestly if we did switch Lissy would start before hatcher… missy would be a great 43 St.

by stegosaurus! on Feb 18, 2012 7:56 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Lissy*

by stegosaurus! on Feb 18, 2012 7:56 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

I think Lissy could be a solid DT as well. I honestly feel like that is his natural position. As well as Rats

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 9:32 AM CST up reply actions

i'll keep saying this team should try to run both fronts

the 3-4 would be still the primary one but a lot more of 4-3 if the situation asks for it, and i say the personnel already on the team can do it

by ratware on Feb 18, 2012 7:57 PM CST reply actions

Why constrain yourself to only one or the other

Combining tenets of both philosophies is a viable option. Having a HOF DE/OLB like ware who can rush, contain AND drop back in pass coverage adds quite a few interesting options as far as trick blitzes and flexing out off the line. We could go either way, but I would rather buy into RR’s multi-fronts than commit fully to one system or the other.

Each week, play whoever is standing across the field from you, whenever and wherever. If you match up well, exploit it and win. If you don’t, then get very crafty in your game play and try to "steal" a win anyway. Repeat process until no more games remain, and confetti rains down from a retractable roof and Roger Goodell is handing out hardware. - hookerhome

in aeternum amicus meus vivit sua musica non morietur
A Friend of mine lives forever, his music will never die.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1FHzJruAg
RIP Chuck Shuldiner - Father of Death Metal

by Nick Castillo on Feb 18, 2012 9:04 PM CST reply actions

I should add that I would be happy with any system as long as it works

in aeternum amicus meus vivit sua musica non morietur
A Friend of mine lives forever, his music will never die.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1FHzJruAg
RIP Chuck Shuldiner - Father of Death Metal

by Nick Castillo on Feb 18, 2012 9:05 PM CST up reply actions

If we do switch to the 43

And that’s a huge if…I’d like to see what Butler could do at the SOLB spot instead of drafting Kuechly at 14. I think Butler has really good size for that position and would excel both in coverage and as an extra rusher. I would really hate to see us pass over a DB or DeCastro for yet another LB.

by inwittenitrust on Feb 19, 2012 12:32 AM CST reply actions

Butler could be good there. I wonder if he could actually transition?

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 9:38 AM CST up reply actions

there are 2 CB prospects who warrant beig taken that high. Kirkpatrick and Jenknins.

With Jerry’s emphasis on character guys, I am not so sure the Cowboys are sold on either of them. They also each have their flaws. Decastro on the other hand is a plug and play LG. But I think we fill the OG position via FA.

If We are truly talking about BPA, then I think Kuechly would fit that mold. And if that is the case not only do we stick it to the Eagles, but could have a terrific chance at a special LB core.

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

What happens if it does not work

seems a few think if we switch to 4-3, we will be all fixed on the defence, NYG won 2 SB with a 4-3, the Steelers won 2 with a 3-4 Pats won 3 with a 3-4. What happens if we switch to a 4-3 and it does not work, should we then go 5-2-4?

by LeedsCowboys on Feb 19, 2012 2:10 AM CST reply actions

Bring back the Flex defense!!!

I say that in jest (a little).
I wouldn’t mind going back to the 4-3, but what I don’t want to see is the same boring way that the Cowboys of the late 90’s and early 2000’s were running it. You would rarely see a stunt or twist and they didn’t confuse the opponent. It was very frustrating to watch and I remember many of us wishing we would switch to the 3-4 on past cowboys blogs.
What I would like to see is a D-line like the 70s, a backfield like the mid-90’s, and a LB core (well, we’ve never had a LB core that was dominant), so we’ll have to create our own dominant group. Lee’s provides a good start.
I’d love to see this type of draft transpire.
1st Round – One of the top DL prospects (Brockers, Coples, Still, Poe in that order)
2nd Round – Minnefield CB
3rd Round – Martin, Iloka, or Harrison – S
4th Round – Trumain Johnson – CB
5th Round – Jarius Wright – WR (Not a defensive player but fast return man)
6th Round – Best TE or FB available
7th Round – QB with good measureables who can be coached up.

by FanSince72 on Feb 19, 2012 8:37 AM CST up reply actions

Dallas has never had pure 3-4 personnel.

Never had a pure nt. Never had a pass rusher opposite of Ware. The de’s are better suited for a 4-3. The 3-4 just hasn’t worked. It’s been long over due to switch to a 4-3.

If DeCastro and Dre are gone at 14 I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jerry trade down and draft Poe. He would help a d line in either front.

Jerry is the end all in Dallas.

by football mensa on Feb 19, 2012 9:28 AM CST up reply actions

that is why I would support drafting Kuechly

our LB’s would be amazing, arguably the best in the league

Anthony Spencer is not the Egg McMuffin of 3-4 OLB's

by Archie Barberio on Feb 19, 2012 6:55 PM CST reply actions

I think everyone thinks we are going to solve the secondary problem this year. Rome was not built in a day.

In all actuality, unless for some miraculous reason Barry Church comes around, we are not going to fix the Safety problem this year. Especially with a weak Safety class of prospects and FA’s…

Although we need a CB desperately, we should be able to address CB in a deep CB draft, I think the real value lies in rounds 2-3. The value in round #1 is suspect at the CB position. IMO

If we think about building this thing in layers, solidifying a position that IMO is one of the hardest to solidify, LB, we should run to the podium if Kuechly is there at #14. While blowing a goodbye kiss to the Eagles…

Thus laying a firm foundation for a future Doomsday V.2

by Alpha on Feb 19, 2012 7:26 PM CST up reply actions

That pick would be better spent elsewhere

I think yet another high pick on a LB would be a major mistake. We have way too many other needs in the secondary, OL, and DL. So many people think that Butler would be a better SOLB then Spencer, yet when it comes to moving to a 43, he doesn’t even get mentioned. At 6’2, 247, he’s built more like a LB then a DL. I would much rather see him take over at SOLB in a 43 then draft a LB in the 1st round.

by inwittenitrust on Feb 20, 2012 8:41 AM CST up reply actions

because the number of NFL teams who run a 3-4 are expanding

Actually I think there are a couple of teams going back to a 4-3 this year, Miami and another that escapes me, but I would not be surprised if we run a hybrid

He who laughs last, thinks slowest
The Weather is here, I wish you were beautiful"
Indecision, may or may not be my problem

by BigBad Joe on Feb 20, 2012 8:10 AM CST reply actions