Wade Phillips: Is it a 3-4, a 4-3 hybrid, or a 50?

What Exactly is It?
There has been much talk locally and nationally about the system that Wade Phillips runs. Some say it’s more of a 4-3 hybrid than a 3-4. Others have said it’s not a traditional 2-gap 3-4 similar to what the Texans ran under Fangio. There has been much debate about whether a guy like Mario can play OLB, or whether Cushing can move inside, or whether Mitchell can play the nose. As always, there is some truth and some myth to what the ‘experts’ have bandied about over the off-season (lockout!). His system is definitely unique and, I might add, effective. I’ll try to give you a simple look at the basics of his front. Obviously, I am not a Wade Phillips insider, so all of this is based on what I have studied watching his fronts and system over the years. Alignment, techniques, and gap responsibilities are apparent to the naked eye, but I can’t comment about coaching points or the nuances of his strategy.

A Word About the Magical 3-4... It's Still a Front 7
First of all, here is a real quick look at the generic 3-4. Writers and fans seem to talk about the 3-4 and 4-3 as if they are vastly different. Add them up and you get 7. In both cases you are accounting for the natural gaps of the offense with 7 guys. The difference between the fronts is really just alignment and semantics. For instance, a typical 3-4 WOLB lines up as the end man on the line of scrimmage. He has contain against the run and he pressures the QB against the pass. Occasionally, he may have to pick up a back out in coverage or buzz the weak side flats. Sounds a lot like the job of a 4-3 DE to me. If you go back and watch every snap of the Texans, you’ll see Mario occasional cover the flats due to a zone blitz or some other scheme they were running. Yes, due to alignment differences your personnel needs may be a little different in the 3-4 than in the 4-3, but it is not monumentally different like some suggest. It’s 7 guys working together to cover gaps, stop the run, and get after the QB. When bombarded by reporters about the possibility of Williams playing WOLB, Phillips himself said it’s really a 5-2 not a 3-4. I would argue that most 3-4’s are hybrids of the 5-2 or the old 50 or Okie front that many of us played in high school. It’s way more flexible and complicated, but it handles gaps and the run in much the same way.

2 Gap? Reading? Charging?
As I stated earlier, the front seven is responsible for the natural gaps in the offensive formation. This can be a problem, because often there are 8 natural gaps. Defenses account for this by making some players gap responsibility tied to the flow of the offense. A base 4-3 Mike backer, for instance, may have the B gap to flow or a 3-4 NT may have the A Gap to flow. Often a traditional 3-4 NT will read the centers block, control him, and play off of him to the ball. This is where the term 2-gap player comes from. Phillips doesn’t ask this of his NT. He plays a charging front as opposed to a reading front. His down players all have a specific assignment each play and they hit it with violence and speed on the snap. This is why a guy like Jay Ratliff (and hopefully Earl Mitchell) can flourish in his system. Wade’s NT’s are not asked to dominate and control the center like Wilfork is in New England. They are asked to penetrate an assigned gap using quickness and agility.

What I Have Seen From Phillips
This is the most common look Wade Phillips lead defenses have lined up in the past, and it is a hybrid of the 3-4 and a 4-3 over front.

<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMTI1OTkzODU2NTMmcHQ9MTMxMjU5OTQwMDIxMSZwPTEyNTIxJmQ9Jmc9MSZvPTY4OTg4YmM1MTdmOTRjZDFhYTZj/Y2U4YmJiYzg2ZWZlJm9mPTA=.gif" /><center><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/" target="_top"><img src="http://media9.dropshots.com/photos/782895/20110805/184359.jpg" width="425" style="-ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic;" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial; font-size:8pt;"><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Photo Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Video Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.qualityphotoprints.com/">Photo Printing</a></span></center>

WOLB-Plays anywhere from a ghost to foot technique (tight 5). 95% of the time he follows the same rules as a DE. Can Mario do this? Well... He already does (even the occasional drop in coverage part). Actually the added down player will make life easier for him especially when they are in the under front which I will discuss in a second.

WDE-Plays a charging 3 technique (outside shade of the guard). Watt and Smith should excel at this.

NT-Plays a nose shade strong or a tight 1 technique. Again, he will be charging. I don't know enough about Mitchell. I'll trust Wade's insistence that he can do it until it's proven otherwise.

SDE-Plays a charging 5 technique. Again, Watts and Smith will be fine.

SOLB-Here is the guy with the most on his plate. His assignment will change quite a bit based on the coverage call. On a run read, he plays like a traditional DE. On pass reads, he will be asked to do a variety of things. Again, I do not know the specifics of their scheme, but here are some basic common sense assignments

Cov-0(Straight Man)-Most likely bringing the wood. May have to man the TE if a safety blitz is on.
Cov-1(Man Free)-Most likely will man the TE
Cov-2-Chip the TE and drop to the hook/curl zone
Cov-2Man-Man the TE
Cov-3(3-Deep)-Cover the strong side flats

Although the WOLB is a sexier position due to sacks, it is often this guy, because he is the key player to the fronts flexibility, that makes or breaks the defense. Barwin and Reed are major unknowns. I like their abilities, but I liked Babin's abilities too and he couldn't handle this position.

Both ILB-Both have changing gap assignments to flow. In pass coverage they will cover backs out, flats, hook/curl, or underneath zones based on coverage. I'm not too worried about Ryans or Cushing other than their health.

The Wade Phillips Under Front

<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMTI2MDA4Mzk4NjMmcHQ9MTMxMjYwMDg*MTc5MCZwPTEyNTIxJmQ9Jmc9MSZvPTY4OTg4YmM1MTdmOTRjZDFhYTZj/Y2U4YmJiYzg2ZWZlJm9mPTA=.gif" /><center><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/" target="_top"><img src="http://media10.dropshots.com/photos/782895/20110805/185443.jpg" width="425" style="-ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic;" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial; font-size:8pt;"><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Photo Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Video Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.qualityphotoprints.com/">Photo Printing</a></span></center>

The under front is similar to his over look. The techniques are now shaded more to the weak side of the formation. It's all played the same way, it's just some gaps have been exchanged. Here is where Mario could become a terror. When he can line up on the open side with Watt or Smith playing a 5 technique (outside shade of the tackle), the offense doesn't have many good options. You cannot count on picking Mario up with a back. I hope teams try this. This alignment may in fact dictate what formations the offense can employ. When that is happening, the defense is usually winning the battle.

They Aren't Just Going to Sit There
Once again, I can't go into specific strategies, but you do not have to watch much of a Wade Phillips coached D to see that he likes line stunts. He likes lining up in one look and playing another on the the snap. For example, easily you can line up in the under look and slant to the over look on the snap.

<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMTI2MDE*NDg5MzImcHQ9MTMxMjYwMTQ1MDg*NSZwPTEyNTIxJmQ9Jmc9MSZvPTY4OTg4YmM1MTdmOTRjZDFhYTZj/Y2U4YmJiYzg2ZWZlJm9mPTA=.gif" /><center><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/" target="_top"><img src="http://media11.dropshots.com/photos/782895/20110805/185450.jpg" width="425" style="-ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic;" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial; font-size:8pt;"><a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Photo Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.dropshots.com/">Video Sharing</a> - <a href="http://www.qualityphotoprints.com/">Photo Printing</a></span></center>

This is just one example. He will get the backers firing through gaps and linemen twisting. If he coaches the Texans like he has coached in the past, then we should expect a fun defense to watch with a lot of stunts in the front. And unlike under Bush, it will be disguised and will catch the offense off-guard. Once again, that SOLB is the wildcard. The offense will never be sure what gaps the down guys are taking and they will have to guess what the SOLB's assignment is each play.

All in all the defense will be much improved due to a scheme that makes sense and is tricky. I heard Joseph talk the other day about making every snap look like cover 2. Under Bush they never disguised the back end and they usually showed blitzes early in pre-snap. The D will be a lot smarter. How good remains to be seen. The main questions are Mitchell, Barwin/Reed, and, of course, Jackson.

It should be fun to watch it unfold.

 

No, I didn't. Thanks for the link. I'll check that out when I get a chance tonight.

 

I think they are just stressing the competition aspect of camp. I think it is Barwin's job to lose, but, as you said, everyone seems to be impressed with Reed as well. Reed may actually have a little more experience playing in space than Barwin. Remember Barwin was a TE for most of his college career. I agree, having two young athletic options is a good problem.

Yeah, initially when I heard Phillips was coming on board I assumed Cushing would be one of the OLBs. Of course, I also assumed Mario would move inside. With Mario at OLB I agree that we can maximize our talent be playing Cush at ILB. He is, when healthy, an excellent blitzer, and I think we will see him bringing the heat quite a bit. Generally, a Wade Phillips coached defense brings 5 quite often. That 5th guy will probably be a split between the SOLB and Cushing. This will keep the offense guessing. I also think, on occasion, Cush will be the 4th guy coming on a standard pressure and the OLBs will have a coverage responsibility.