Converting to a 3-4.

[sbailey020]

I haven't really seen too many of these threads/posts on here, and if there are some, I apologize.

I'm starting two CCM's ( I make a copy of the CCM and Sim one of them & play the other) and I'm interested in switching the Bills to a 3-4 D. I know the nuances of a 3-4 D (ok, a working knowledge) and am just interested to hear if anyone has any input on a conversion. Maybe who to sign/trade for in the offseason? Maybe changing current Bills players positions around?

I'm going to start the switch in the first offseason, so the CCM I play won't be 3-4 for a while, but the Sim one will be ready for some tinkering.

Just really looking for any input/discussion.

Thanks.

[live to die54]

Defensively just with what the team has here is the setup i would go with

LE Marcel Dareus
RE Kyle Williams(could also put Alex Carrington here and Keep Williams at DT)
DT Alan Branch
LOLB Mario Williams
MLB1 Kiko Alonso
MLB2 Nigel Bradham
ROLB Manny Lawson/Jerry Hughes
CB1 Stephon Gilmore
CB2 Leodis McKelvin
FS Byrd
SS I'd say Duke Williams

[JulioTheBeast]

Without looking at the roster just off my head

3-4 NT you want a big strong space eater. STR, BSH, POW, TAK, PMV. Options here are either Dareus or Williams. It's not a great move for these players though as Dareus can be a great NT but it limits his impact as a pass rusher, while Williams might not fit anywhere than NT and I don't know how strong he is.

3-4 DE you can go space eaters like Dareus, Williams, or Branch if he's on the roster. Or you can take a guy with size, strength AND speed like Mario Williams and put him here to be your JJ Watt type playmaker. He's got to be 6-4+ and 280+ and Williams can be that guy if you want. He can also be used to play both. Maybe in run situations you stand him up as a run stopper and in pass rush situations you can play him either at LB or DE if you have other guys to put in at LB.

3-4 OLB you want explosive pass rushers, Hughes and Lawson have the athletecism although they're both like slow development I think, Williams can be your guy to move around here.

3-4 MLB you want guys who can tackle, speed, BSH, hands and pass rush moves are a plus

CB I'd go for speed so you can blitz but you can also go for press, and ball skills.

S You got Byrd to be your playmaker to ball hawk behind the pass rush, and like the other guy said Duke Williams is a rookie with like 90 spd, 80 zone, 80 pow, 80 purs

[JulioTheBeast]

Here's how I would run it

NT - The Patriots are likely the biggest threat in your division, so stick Dareus here. He can anchor against the run beating up center's commanding double teams, and keeping Alonso clean at MLB. And push the C into Brady, forcing hurried throws, which you need.

DE - I would set one as versatile and one as run stopper. Put Kyle Williams at the run stopper one and Mario Williams at the versatile one. For example set RE as 3-4 run stuffer and LE as 3-4 versatile. Kyle Williams will stuff the run vs Logan Mankins and Mario Williams can abuse RGs as a pass rusher.

OLB - Set as 3-4 pass rusher. Have Lawson and Hughes here but on run downs manually sub Branch in at DE (push RB on xbox at the formation screen) and move Mario Williams to OLB on the side of the other teams best run blocking OT. Then on pass downs you can move Williams to match up against either the worst OT or the worst OG. You can match up Huges and Lawson against slow OT's, and Mario against weak ones. The WRs move around based on playcall but the OL always stay in the same place so negate the good ones on run plays and attack the weak ones on pass plays.

CB - Like I said I'd go for speed but you can go for press, ideally go for both. Ball skills are a neccessity. Corners who drop interceptions are worse than useless.

S - Like I said Byrd is your playmaker and the rookie Williams can be a good player

Your scheme should be built around denying the run on early downs so that you can use Dareus, Mario, Hughes and others to pressure early throws so that Byrd, Alonso and co can make plays on hurried throws.

Also hit the FA pile for DE R. Lewis to play at OLB as well as OLBs Kindle and Maybin. Kenny Phillips was also a FA as well as FS C. Sentef and J. McMillan

[sbailey020]

Quote: Originally Posted by JulioTheBeast

Here's how I would run it NT - The Patriots are likely the biggest threat in your division, so stick Dareus here. He can anchor against the run beating up center's commanding double teams, and keeping Alonso clean at MLB. And push the C into Brady, forcing hurried throws, which you need. DE - I would set one as versatile and one as run stopper. Put Kyle Williams at the run stopper one and Mario Williams at the versatile one. For example set RE as 3-4 run stuffer and LE as 3-4 versatile. Kyle Williams will stuff the run vs Logan Mankins and Mario Williams can abuse RGs as a pass rusher. OLB - Set as 3-4 pass rusher. Have Lawson and Hughes here but on run downs manually sub Branch in at DE (push RB on xbox at the formation screen) and move Mario Williams to OLB on the side of the other teams best run blocking OT. Then on pass downs you can move Williams to match up against either the worst OT or the worst OG. You can match up Huges and Lawson against slow OT's, and Mario against weak ones. The WRs move around based on playcall but the OL always stay in the same place so negate the good ones on run plays and attack the weak ones on pass plays. CB - Like I said I'd go for speed but you can go for press, ideally go for both. Ball skills are a neccessity. Corners who drop interceptions are worse than useless. S - Like I said Byrd is your playmaker and the rookie Williams can be a good player Your scheme should be built around denying the run on early downs so that you can use Dareus, Mario, Hughes and others to pressure early throws so that Byrd, Alonso and co can make plays on hurried throws. Also hit the FA pile for DE R. Lewis to play at OLB as well as OLBs Kindle and Maybin. Kenny Phillips was also a FA as well as FS C. Sentef and J. McMillan

That lineup is exactly what I was looking for. That's how imagined I would run the D. I love Maybin since we drafted him (even though he was a bust) I'm just worried he's too small and not strong enough to play on the outside of a 3-4. I was looking at Ronnell Lewis when I was going through FA in preseason and signed him with this in mind. Thanks alot for the input, this helps a lot.

[sbailey020]

Thanks for the input guys, this helps. I just needed to hear some outside input (hence why I seem to think out loud most of the time). Like Julio said, I'm just figuring out formation subs and plug & playing subs on certain downs/situations.

[sbailey020]

Quote: Originally Posted by live to die54

Defensively just with what the team has here is the setup i would go with LE Marcel Dareus RE Kyle Williams(could also put Alex Carrington here and Keep Williams at DT) DT Alan Branch LOLB Mario Williams MLB1 Kiko Alonso MLB2 Nigel Bradham ROLB Manny Lawson/Jerry Hughes CB1 Stephon Gilmore CB2 Leodis McKelvin FS Byrd SS I'd say Duke Williams

This is exactly the lineup I had in mind. I'm still debating between Aaron or Duke starting at SS. What was your reasoning behind playing Dareus at DE and leaving Kyle Williams at NT?

[live to die54]

Quote: Originally Posted by sbailey020

This is exactly the lineup I had in mind. I'm still debating between Aaron or Duke starting at SS. What was your reasoning behind playing Dareus at DE and leaving Kyle Williams at NT?

Dareus was faster while Williams was slower. Either way works honestly but the idea behind it is that both are obviously starting because they are both too good to have one sit the bench, so since both will be in put the faster guy on the outside because he will have a better chance of stopping the runs to the outside and forcing the RB to cut back inside to the backside LB's

It's what i do with my 3-4 Ravens CFM(Art Jones RE, Ngata DT, McPhee LE)

or my 3-4 Fantasy Draft CFM(Suh RE, Star Lotlulelei DT, Watt LE)