Please explain how this hybrid defense that we'll be running works

Warden of the Northeast

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I'm totally clueless about it and would like to know how it works. What are the nuances of it? Who else besides the Seahawks run it? Is it a fad? Where do people line up opposed to our Tampa 2? Thanks guys.
 
Alterego

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it's the wildcat on defense.....I honestly have no clue but I know a few bloggers who will enlighten you in 3.....2.....1.....
 

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Requires less gas because the mileage is so great.
 
Giant Panda

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It allows Sheamus to be useful on defense
 
modo

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It is sort of like a 4-3 under. It combines one and two gap fronts so the offensive lines have an unpredictable time of blocking.
 
botfly10

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Personally, not buying that the bears are going to run a true hybrid. Emery certainly has sounded pretty committed to a 1 gap front.

I think they will maybe try to use hybrid concepts for their over or under fronts.

But to be clear, the whole "bears are going to run a hybrid" thing came from a couple posters here that tend to fall in love with their own ideas.
 
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WCL

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I don't know whether the Beears will be running it, but since you asked...

Here's the 4-3 Under front that our front-seven has been using for the past ten years or so:

grant_diag3_sy_57611.jpg


It's the same front that most 4-3 teams run as their base. The linemen all line up in a gap, and everyone in the front seven is responsible for one gap. The job of the linemen is to penetrate the gap first and then diagnose the play.


Here's a two-gap (or Bullough-Fairbanks) 3-4:

Bullough-Fairbanks_30_Front_medium.jpg


The three linemen are lined up directly in front of an offensive lineman, and they're each responsible for the gaps on either side of those lineman. The three linemen are able to cover 6 gaps, leaving the linebackers the freedom to roam and make plays.


Now, here's a hybrid front:

grant_diag1_sy_57611.jpg


The right end and 3-tech tackle are lined up exactly like they are in the 4-3 Under above. The difference is that the left side of the line is playing like a two-gap 3-4. The nose tackle is shifted in front of the center and the left end is shifted in front of the right tackle.

Because the weak side "a" gap is now being controlled by the nose tackle, the Will linebacker is able to chase down plays without worrying about a gap. The same thing goes for the middle linebacker. He's no longer responsible for the strong side "b" gap.

This is the same hybrid front that the Seahawks, Ravens and Patriots use. It's essentially a 4-3 front with two lineman two-gapping.
 
botfly10

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Just to reiterate... the bears aren't going to run a hybrid D.
 
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botfly10 said:
Just to reiterate... the bears aren't going to run a hybrid D.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think we would have seen a 2-gap nose tackle get signed in free agency if that was the plan.
 
Tjodalv

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As far as who runs it: Seattle, Buffalo, NE, and a few others I'm forgetting. Edit: Broncos and Ravens do as well.
 

JP Hochbaum

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Without being too technical the whole idea is to become more confusing on the quarterback and the offensive line.
 
Kazu2324

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There's very little proof that the Bears will run anything like what Seattle runs. We don't have the personnel for it and the Bears wouldn't change everything JUST to salvage Shea. If the Bears end up drafting someone like Nix in the draft, then I can MAYBE see us running something closer, but our secondary and linebackers aren't anything alike. I think the Bears want to be versatile in the sense that the players are capable of doing other things. Having a DE drop into coverage while LBs rush the QB, stuff like that. I think Emery's just trying to find players who are capable of doing more than just one specialized thing, and give Tucker flexibility in who he sends at the QB and who he can drop into coverage. I don't think we can really run these quasi-3-4 type schemes without a 2-gap NT, and we don't have anyone suited for that. This is all just an opinion though so I have no idea what will actually come to play in season.
 
PolarBear

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I actually think the Bears could run it...The only piece missing would be a big, athletic DL. Similar to say Red Bryant, Haloti Ngata, Marcell Dareus and guys like that. Obviously, finding a guy like that is difficult and getting one who is as good as say Ngata or Dareus would be extremely difficult but that's the only real piece missing when you look at the versatility the Bears now have in the front 7.

If the Bears drafted a Louis Nix...then we could talk.
 

BearsFan51

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It will be a hybrid defense because at one point in his career a very long time ago by football standards Mel Tucker ran a 3-4 defense. So suddenly Tucker is going to suddenly combine everything he knows about a 3-4 and a 4-3 into one defense and make that his hybrid defense in Chicago. He's never ran a 3-4 since that one single year, but with Shea McClellin moving to linebacker Phil Emery has mandated the Bears do something to save his career...
 
Bear Pride

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I get a kick out of the guys that say "the Bears won't run a hybrid/3-4 defense" like they're fuckin Nostradamus or something. :smh: I'm not sure why it's so dumb since, afterall, Emery did say he wanted to become a more hybrid type defense like Seattle, we did sign a DL and LB coaches that worked primarily in the 3-4 sets.

Ratlif did play quite a few years in a 3-4 in Dallas. The Bears did just add a load of interchangeable DL players in FA'cy. We still also have the draft to add a big DT if we want. I'm not why people are so certain what we'll play yet???
 
WCL

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Bear Pride said:
I get a kick out of the guys that say "the Bears won't run a hybrid/3-4 defense" like they're fuckin Nostradamus or something. :smh: I'm not sure why it's so dumb since, afterall, Emery did say he wanted to become a more hybrid type defense like Seattle, we did sign a DL and LB coaches that worked primarily in the 3-4 sets.

Ratlif did play quite a few years in a 3-4 in Dallas. The Bears did just add a load of interchangeable DL players in FA'cy. We still also have the draft to add a big DT if we want. I'm not why people are so certain what we'll play yet???
Click to expand...

Ratliff played in a one-gap 3-4 in Dallas. It's the exact same nose tackle position that the Bears have used for a decade. It's a 300-315lb. tackle who lines up in the "a" gap. Ratliff was never a two-gap nose tackle.

And adding a LB coach who's coached a 3-4 tells you nothing, since the only time Herring coached a 3-4 was under Wade Philips. Again, that was a one-gap 3-4. The linebacker responsibilities in that defense are the same as what the Bears have been running for a decade.

It's still possible the Bears could play a hybrid front next season, but nothing you listed would help them move in that direction.
 
botfly10

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Bear Pride said:
I get a kick out of the guys that say "the Bears won't run a hybrid/3-4 defense" like they're fuckin Nostradamus or something. :smh: I'm not sure why it's so dumb since, afterall, Emery did say he wanted to become a more hybrid type defense like Seattle, we did sign a DL and LB coaches that worked primarily in the 3-4 sets.

Ratlif did play quite a few years in a 3-4 in Dallas. The Bears did just add a load of interchangeable DL players in FA'cy. We still also have the draft to add a big DT if we want. I'm not why people are so certain what we'll play yet???
Click to expand...

Emery did not say that.
 
Bear Pride

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WCL said:
Ratliff played in a one-gap 3-4 in Dallas. It's the exact same nose tackle position that the Bears have used for a decade. It's a 300-315lb. tackle who lines up in the "a" gap. Ratliff was never a two-gap nose tackle.

And adding a LB coach who's coached a 3-4 tells you nothing, since the only time Herring coached a 3-4 was under Wade Philips. Again, that was a one-gap 3-4. The linebacker responsibilities in that defense are the same as what the Bears have been running for a decade.

It's still possible the Bears could play a hybrid front next season, but nothing you listed would help them move in that direction.
Click to expand...

Thanks for reiterating my point, and certainly, nothing you list makes me think that they won't.
 
WCL

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Bear Pride said:
Thanks for reiterating my point, and certainly, nothing you list makes me think that they won't.
Click to expand...

No. Your point was "They brought in guys who have played/coached in the 3-4, so that means they might play a hybrid defense."

That was completely wrong. Bringing in people who have coached and played under Wade Philips means nothing when you're talking about a team incorporating some 3-4 philosophies into their defense. The Philips 3-4 is based on the exact same philosophies as the 4-3 that the Bears have been running for a decade. The only difference is the right end takes his hand out of the dirt.

If they had brought in someone that had coached the hybrid for the Seahawks, Bills, Patriots or Ravens, that would have told us something. If they had brought in a two-gap nose tackle, that would have told us something.

The only thing they've done is bring in Lamarr Houston who can play the 5-tech on the left side.

Like I said, it's still possible, but your reasoning is completely off.
 
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