Playbooks

Base 3-4

1 Set1 Formation

Defensive Front

2 EDGEDTSAMMIKE2 WILL2 CBFSSS

Overview

Base 3-4 puts three down linemen (two DEs and a nose/DT), four linebackers (two outside rushers and two inside backers), and four defensive backs (two CBs, a free safety, and a strong safety) on the field. It is your standard early down defensive personnel, built to defend 21 and 12 personnel offenses without sacrificing gap integrity, and it gives you eight defenders capable of playing the run while still fielding two true cover corners. Offenses have to identify the Mike and slide protection before the snap because either OLB can rush or drop, which forces the quarterback to guess where pressure is coming from and often bleeds a back or tight end into protection instead of the route concept.

Strengths

  • Four linebackers mean four run fits plus a free hitter, so you can spill and cap outside zone and stretch runs without asking a safety to be the primary force defender.
  • Either outside linebacker can rush or bail into the flat, which lets you show a six man look and drop into Cover 3 or Tampa 2 for free coverage disguise against QBs reading pressure pre-snap.
  • Overload blitzes and cross blitzes from the second level are natural here since the nose occupies the center and both ILBs can time delayed shoots through the A gaps.
  • Using an inside linebacker gives you a defender with range to sit in the hole, cut off crossers and drags, and jump the middle of the field on hot routes.
  • Base personnel keeps two true CBs on the field, so you still have man coverage options against 12 and 21 personnel without burning a nickel package.

Weaknesses

  • Only four defensive backs means any 11 or 10 personnel look pulls a linebacker onto a slot receiver, which is a losing speed mismatch on option routes and slot fades.
  • Three down linemen rarely generate pressure on their own, so you are dependent on blitzing to get home and that leaves voids behind vacated hook zones.
  • Empty formations and bunch sets stress the matchup rules and can leave an outside linebacker manned up on a back or a fast tight end running a wheel or seam.
  • Opponents who read your base personnel will check into spread pass concepts and four verticals, forcing your linebackers to carry deep routes they are not built to run with.
  • If you get tendency heavy with the same fire zone out of this look, opponents will hot route a slant or slide protection to the pressure and take the free access throw.

Sets (1)

Set· 3-4

Predator

3 Plays