Switch to 4-3

by Vladd#27 on Sep 8, 2009 2:45 PM PDT Comment 15 comments

I dont post here much but i read all the time and I was think about next year if/when we resign or Franchise Merriman if we would switch to a 4-3

We could put Merriman at RE, Vaghn Martin at LE, and Williams and Castillo up the middle at DT. Then English could play ROLB, Cooper or Burnett at MLB, and Phillips at LOLB.

What do you guys think? Would this work?

sorry if this has already been discussed

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Doubtful

Putting Merriman in a 3-point stance should be considered a greater crime than false imprisionment! Let the guy free lance, and change up the gaps he’s shooting.

by Trendsearcher on Sep 8, 2009 2:53 PM PDT reply actions

doesn't make much sense this

by not humble enough on Sep 8, 2009 3:03 PM PDT reply actions

What do you have against the 3-4?

by sdpads24 on Sep 8, 2009 3:18 PM PDT reply actions

usually, there are some big personnel changes needed

to switch between a 3-4 and a 4-3. Theoretically, an OLB in a 3-4 moves to the DE in the 4-3. However, a 4-3 DE needs to provide more inside run support than guys like Merriman and Phillips provide.

I always think of Kevin Greene (Rams, Steelers, Panthers) as a Merriman type who was great as a 3-4 OLB, but really suffered in several 4-3 schemes (mainly with the Rams as I recall). I think Merriman could probably do the DE thing, but would not be as effective, especially on running downs, as he is in the 3-4

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Sep 8, 2009 3:38 PM PDT reply actions

He doesn’t have the wingspan to be a 4-3 DE, honestly. I know that seems pointless, but how many guys are built like Lorenzo Neal and play DE?

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Sep 9, 2009 5:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Having two guys as talented as Cooper and Burnett sharing the same position

seems like a waste to me. The jury’s still out on Burnett of course, but still.

by JollyWaffle on Sep 8, 2009 3:53 PM PDT reply actions

Even if Merriman leaves next season...

which seems somewhat likely as of now (but could change, I like to keep an open mind), I believe that we would remain at a 3-4. Our linebacking corps is already built around that defense. English and Phillips (hypothetically if Merriman leaves) on the outside, and Burnett/Cooper inside works too well and has too much talent to keep all of them off the field. 3-4 defensive ends are also very diferent from 4-3 ends, therefore the switch would be problematic because we already are prepared for the 3-4 from a personnel standpoint. Switching would mean a miserable transition year.

Formerly Blount#9...

by CaDuck on Sep 8, 2009 4:51 PM PDT reply actions

Agreed switching = bad

I think there are just more Linebacker body-type guys avalible in the talent pool.

Heck teh Chargers have ahd difficulty finding top level DT and Guards to back up Jamal Williams. It is easier to load up on talent at LB, than at DE. And right now the Chargers are absolutely loaded at Linebacker.

In the 4-3, we’d got from 9 to 6 linebackers. Who would you cut?

by Trendsearcher on Sep 8, 2009 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Siler, Dobbins and Tucker. However, I’d never switch. 4-3 defenses are bland unless you have 3-4 incredible defensive linemen.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Sep 9, 2009 5:25 AM PDT up reply actions

"3 or 4"

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John Gennaro on Sep 9, 2009 5:25 AM PDT up reply actions

We will be running some 4-3 this year

If preseason formations have anything to say about it. According to a couple Chargers, they ran more 4-3 than 3-4 in the first preseason game.

All this usually means is that Shaun Phillips is on the line and Castillo is technically a DT in the formation, but I suspect that they will also will run it on 3rd downs with Cooper coming off, Burnett at MLB, Phillips at OLB, Larry English at DE and Castillo at DT.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Sep 8, 2009 4:58 PM PDT reply actions

their 3rd down defense

is more of a 4-2, with Merriman and Philips as the DEs and Castillo and [insert uninjured DL here] at DT.

Cooper and Burnett stay on as ILBs and you have 5 DBs. Late in the games, Ellison played some ILB, which technically was probably their dime package with an in-the-box safety.

All the 4-3 I saw was still the 3-4 personnel with either merriman or Phillips (usually Phillips) off the line with the two ILBs. Not a real 4-3, more just a wrinkle on the existing 3-4

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Sep 8, 2009 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I just mean, that 4 players will start with their hand on the ground.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Sep 8, 2009 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that was just conservative scheming

If preseason formations have anything to say about it.

In the second halfs of some of the games & with the scrubs they were running more 3-4 and blitzing. I think they were doing the 4-3 to conceal the playbook at least until the regular season.

by Trendsearcher on Sep 8, 2009 5:02 PM PDT reply actions

as long as they have a healthy Jamal...

they will never switch. Solid NTs are near impossible to find, but if you have one, you ride him. It isn’t as easy to move a NT to a 4-3 DT as you’d think, and moving a 3-4 OLB to a hands on the ground DE is just as troublesome.
The Chargers have 3-4 personnel, and some All Pros at that. They can put some 4-3 twists into the gameplan, but this is built to be a 3-4 team, for now.

by Hoot1969 on Sep 10, 2009 3:52 PM PDT reply actions