PatsPropaganda

I can’t not answer 34/43 questions, but really it’s just semantics now. Sub is the new base defense and has been for at least the past four seasons. 

So what we’re talking about is that 30% of the snaps. The traditional 3-4 we saw 2002ish-2008ish is essentially dead except for specialty matchups when the Pats really just want to stop the run.

The problem with it? All three linemen are essentially just being asked to hold their ground while the linebackers make all the plays. There are too many athletes and the quarterbacks are too good now to have three players who aren’t getting pressure nor making plays in space.

At least with Wilfork, the Pats’ 4-3 was almost more of a 2-5 version of this in 2011-2013, although usually only one of the defensive linemen (Wilfork) would two-gap.

Will they have three guys with their hands in the dirt now? Sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s that old 3-4 defense and likely at least one or two of those defensive linemen will be playing only one gap. In the old 3-4, they all would’ve been playing two.

Now it’s a mix and match defense and the majority they’re in a 4-2-5 nickel.

There’s no question, Revis will bring a lot of flexibility to the rest of the defense. You look at how the Jets often used him and that’s where the term “Revis Island” came from… he’s on one side, while the entire secondary is over on the other side.

I think it’s part of the reason why Browner (pending) makes sense as well because they need that physical presence in the middle of the field, even in a hybrid corner/strong safety role. Or go McCourty/Harmon deep, Browner underneath, Revis on the best threat and then some combination of Arrington/Ryan/Dennard on the other threats.

I just don’t worry about the run anymore. Maybe that’s foolish and maybe teams will load up and try to run more on the Pats as they see Wilfork (maybe) and Spikes (definitely) depart. But even from the part the Pats have left they’re all pretty stout – Hightower, Ninkovich, Chandler, Tommy Kelly (assuming). If a team wants to come in, cycle two-three backs and run 50 times on us, I’d love to see how it works out for them.