Moved to 4-3?

[Khyber53]

Did I miss something or in opening lineup announcements at this past Sunday's game, did they have us showing a 4-3 (really a 4-2-5) alignment as our base set?

It also seemed like we moved to that for much of the game, but maybe I wasn't seeing what I thought I was.

I've been hoping we'd leave behind the 3-4 defense for years now as it just doesn't match the team or pair up well against the builds of the opposing teams in the NFCSouth.

 

[Moose Hoover]

No, surely not. He's at least 4-9 if not 5-0!

[csx]

The nfl.com gamebook shows starters for the 3-4.

Our roster would not translate well to the 4-3 given all of our edge rushers are 3-4 and our lack of traditional linebackers.

 

Edited October 8, 2025 by csx

[scpanther22]

Never did understand why we had(at the time) a great UT and decided to make him a 3-4 end 

[LinvilleGorge]

Nickel has become everyone's base D in the modern NFL. Standard nickel is a 4-2-5 alignment but you can also run it as a 3-3-5 stack. The Vikings and Patriots jump to mind as teams that run a lot of 3-3-5.

[csx]

2 minutes ago, scpanther22 said:

Never did understand why we had(at the time) a great UT and decided to make him a 3-4 end 

Hes more than excelled in that role. His best play has come there.

[ForJimmy]

14 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Nickel has become everyone's base D in the modern NFL. Standard nickel is a 4-2-5 alignment but you can also run it as a 3-3-5 stack. The Vikings and Patriots jump to mind as teams that run a lot of 3-3-5.

Yeah few teams are running 3-4 and 4-3 most of the time.  I feel like we use nickel and I know we used a lot of big dime against Atl.  The 4-3/3-4 argument isn't much of a thing anymore. 

[ProcessBlue2]

Not sure but the last few weeks they have been doing what Rhule and Snow used to do.

Rhule ran a 3-3-5 but would show different fronts: 3-4, 4-4, 4-3, 4-2 Big Nickel, etc.

It looks like they have been showing 4-4 and 4-2BN packages since Atlanta.

Wash ran a 3-4/4-3 hybrid when he was the with Jags, so imagine he’s doing something similar on the front 7.

[LinvilleGorge]

35 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

Yeah few teams are running 3-4 and 4-3 most of the time.  I feel like we use nickel and I know we used a lot of big dime against Atl.  The 4-3/3-4 argument isn't much of a thing anymore. 

Yeah, even vs. odd front is probably the more accurate modern nomenclature because you're gonna have five DBs in the field the majority of defensive snaps.

[carpanfan96]

We ran a lot of three safety big nickel looks against Miami. Still a 3-4 base but you won't see base very often at all. 

[BritishPanther]

2 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Did I miss something or in opening lineup announcements at this past Sunday's game, did they have us showing a 4-3 (really a 4-2-5) alignment as our base set?

It also seemed like we moved to that for much of the game, but maybe I wasn't seeing what I thought I was.

I've been hoping we'd leave behind the 3-4 defense for years now as it just doesn't match the team or pair up well against the builds of the opposing teams in the NFCSouth.

 

Yeah, the broadcast announced we were set up in a 4-3 (4-2-5 in the graphic) in the opening.

We looked a lot better with 4 up front and I hope it long continues that way.

[carpanfan96]

4 minutes ago, BritishPanther said:

Yeah, the broadcast announced we were set up in a 4-3 (4-2-5 in the graphic) in the opening.

We looked a lot better with 4 up front and I hope it long continues that way.

First play from scrimmage was a base 3-4 look.

[BritishPanther]

1 minute ago, carpanfan96 said:

First play from scrimmage was a base 3-4 look.

I was just refering to the broadcast. I couldn't tell you for the life of me what we actually ran that play.

 

 

[Donald LaFell]

Starters were the big nickel with 3 safeties. Seemed like it got the best talent on the field at one time.