Switch to 3-4?

[macbranson]

I have a bit of a dilemma and would like some input. I have two backup defensive ends who are both rated 90 and both commanding considerable cap space. I usually just run a 4 Defensive End package on passing downs and get them a good amount of playing time that way. But at the end of this season, my LOLB Jon Beason and ROLB Bruce Carter are at the end of their contracts. I have these two defensive ends who also happen to have the skill set to make good OLBs. These players are Cornelius Washington and Jahred Muhammad (CPU generated player). They're both fast, strong and have respectable coverage capabilities. I also have Dontarie Poe on my roster, who doesn't really play much, but he is a Nosetackle. Given that I have the personnel for it, should I switch to a 3-4 defense next season? I could keep Greg Hardy at LE, move Star Lotulelei to RE, put Poe at Nosetackle and I would just need to find an ILB to play next to Luke Kuechly. I have never used the 3-4 on Madden and I'd like to know if it's an effective defense. Will I still get a ton of sacks from my LE? Will I get a better pass rush, worse or will it stay about the same as a 4-3? How about my run defense? I would appreciate any input. Thanks.

[SamIam13]

I haven't exactly tested it myself, but I have heard you don't generate as much pressure from 3-4 as you do from 4-3.

That said, I have a fantasy draft roster where I essentially went D first so I have Hardy, Poe, Watt, Wagner, Daryl Smith, Brooks, and some random other OLB as my front 7. I generate great pressure (as I should be).

Hardy should be fine at LE, Poe is great at DT/NT, and Star should be fine at RE. I think the major thing is that you need a stud OLB to stop outside runs. I'm talking Von Miller, Suggs, Aldon Smith caliber or else I find that you get destroyed.

[macbranson]

I don't really have any stud 3-4 OLBs. I do have Cornelius Washington and Jahred Muhammad who put up 10 sacks in his rookie season with limited playing time. Both of these guys are very good at DE, they're rated 90, but they'll probably drop to like 84 or 83 at OLB. Their tackling, PRC and Pursuit aren't really developed because they've been playing defensive end. Washington is kind of like a poor man's Terrell Suggs and Muhammad is like a poor man's Julius Peppers. I might do a couple of training sessions during preseason to get their attributes up to par.

[SamIam13]

If you're not playing on all-madden it shouldn't matter too much. Also, from a gameplay perspective, even if the ball carrier breaks a tackle due to low tackle rating, it'll provide your other players enough time to make the play. The play recognition is cheap to upgrade and pursuit isn't too bad either.

[cream6]

Make Hardy a standup OLB. Depending if the QB is LH or RH. I put my best pass rusher to his blindside. I have a custom playbook where I use 3-4 and 46 (Bear) Defense. I have one traditional 4-3 DE that I put on the Right side in my 46 formation and I get major pressure when I sub him in.

[macbranson]

Quote: Originally Posted by cream6

Make Hardy a standup OLB. Depending if the QB is LH or RH. I put my best pass rusher to his blindside. I have a custom playbook where I use 3-4 and 46 (Bear) Defense. I have one traditional 4-3 DE that I put on the Right side in my 46 formation and I get major pressure when I sub him in.

I don't want to move Hardy. He's stellar at LE. He's also better suited to stay at that position instead of putting anyone else there. He's great against the run and the pass and lacks the pure speed and agility to play OLB. I'm really just looking to give my backup defensive ends more playing and the only way possible is to put them at OLB unless I just run a 4 defensive end front all game long. That may not be a bad idea as Hardy gets a lot of pressure and sacks even when I move him inside to Defensive tackle. I wonder if I would get run over a lot if I played with four defensive ends all game. IRL I probably would, but I might be able to get away with it in Madden.

[Robrain]

Quote: Originally Posted by macbranson

I don't want to move Hardy. He's stellar at LE. He's also better suited to stay at that position instead of putting anyone else there. He's great against the run and the pass and lacks the pure speed and agility to play OLB. I'm really just looking to give my backup defensive ends more playing and the only way possible is to put them at OLB unless I just run a 4 defensive end front all game long. That may not be a bad idea as Hardy gets a lot of pressure and sacks even when I move him inside to Defensive tackle. I wonder if I would get run over a lot if I played with four defensive ends all game. IRL I probably would, but I might be able to get away with it in Madden.

I run my base defense as Nickel Wide-9 because it's extremely effective at stopping the run if you have a good front-4.

The LB's I usually use are highly athletic, converted DE's because I want them to have the STR to rush the passer and stop the run (BSH + high STR means they come off blocks easier). High SPD/ACC also allows them to cover the pass reasonably well, or at least close / catch up and make the tackle if they screw up the coverage.

They're also typically taller than your standard LB, which can be helpful in some rare instances.

There's also a sub-package where the starting LB's replace the DE's. You can use this to immediately sub your DE's out of the game if they get fatigued, and this way the stat drop off from your starting DE's to your backups isn't significant since your LB's are also converted DE's. Keeps a constant, Elite pass rushing presence on the field at all times this way.

[wwhickok]

Personally I prefer the 4-3. No matter what defense you run it requires a serious secondary. The Passing Defense seems to have been seriously nerfed in this game to exemplify the level of passing offense that actually exists in the NFL.I don't feel like I can get to the QB in the 3-4. Even in a 4-3 Defense I sometimes run a play out of the 3-4 or Nickel and it just doesn't allow me to get to the QB and heaven forbid if I run a play the requires zone coverages... not too many of them work...especially on 3rd down. Although 2 Man Under which has a mix of man and zone in it, seems to work like a gem.I think if you're going to run a 3-4 you need the best secondary money can buy. I say this because I am thinking that you're going to have to be able to force the QB to hang onto the ball for a long period of time in order to get to him.But the down side to this is that you have to be able to protect against the QB running for 20 yards, I've seen even the slowest QBs do it..it's frustrating.I don't think there is a perfect Defense in this game but I prefer the 4-3 and every time I've done a Franchise on Madden 25 (offline) I have signed DE Greg Hardy before anyone else in free agency. I'm not a big free agency spender, I tend to keep it to the draft but I have delved into free agency a little bit, for guys like Josh Gordon, Dez Bryant, KJ Wright, Aquib Talib, and Sean Weatherspoon. The only guy on that list that didn't end up getting traded is KJ Wright, (yet). What I do is I tend to sign guys who I can get on the relative cheap and use them for a few years until I get a draft pick that I feel comfortable replacing them with. Talib, Bryant, & Gordon I got AFTER the draft in free agency, I had no competition for them. All of them got turned elsewhere into at least a 3rd round pick (in most cases a 3rd & 5th, but in Dez' case I got a 1st from Houston).