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| (Photo: Rich Schultz/Getty Images) |
With a new mastermind on the Eagles sideline since Donovan McNabb was a young man, questions are being asked that have not been asked for a significant amount of time; questions that will determine the direction of the team in the win/loss department and philosophically. Maybe, the most important question is whether a schematic philosophical change could produce a positive outcome in the number of wins the Eagles can muster in the upcoming season. Offensively, Chip Kelly created a scoring machine in Oregonwhere he lost a whopping 7 games in 4 years. However, averaging 40+ points-per-game is not likely to occur in a league where two defensive-minded teams will square off in the Super Bowl this year. A stout defense is not WANTED in this league; it is REQUIRED to win games. So, if the Eagles do lean toward switching to a 3-4 front, will the philosophical switch create havoc or confusion?
A Case for the 4-3
The 4-3 defense has been a model of consistency in the Eagles past for many years, including its lone Super Bowl appearance during the Andy Reid era in the 2004 post-season. Seven teams in the top 10 in defense ran the 4-3 scheme, although very distinct in their differences and variations. The most successful years of the 4-3 front, for the Eagles, came from an aggressive blitz heavy scheme that featured Eagles legend Brian Dawkins as the emotional leader and the late great Jim Johnson as the evil genius behind the play calling. However, Brian Dawkins is only a memory in the fans minds and Jim Johnson is no longer with us. Today’s Eagles team consists of a ton of young players mixed with a plethora of veteran leaders. Today’s Eagles team is tailored to fit the 4-3 style defense, which means that a switch now would call for significant roster changes; changes that could create question marks for veterans like DeMeco Ryans, Trent Cole, and Cullen Jenkins. DeMeco Ryans left the Texans after a switch to the 3-4 scheme made him expendable. Trent Cole has not played in a 3-4 scheme since his college days over 8 years ago and Cullen Jenkins is not projected to have the ability to play as a dominant Nose tackle in today’s game. A switch to the 3-4 defense may seem like a fresh new start, but we may not receive the benefits for years to come. In the case of staying in the 4-3 scheme, better play-calling and stronger play from the players might create the result the fans are looking for.
A Case for the 3-4
Change isn’t always good, but it could be. Switching to a 3-4 scheme would get the Eagles back to something Eagles’ fans haven’t seen for a while, blitzing. Since the Eagles began running the Wide-9 front 2 years ago, blitzing has not occurred nearly as often as the fans are used to seeing (Mainly because of those gaping holes left for the LB’s to cover). The 3-4 brings that level of uncertainty that some defenses strive for and also provide different coverages for an opposing Quarterback to dissect. So, although the Eagles may not have the necessary pieces for the 3-4 defense to be successful today, who is to say that these young players will not grow into the scheme over time under a hand-picked Chip Kelly instructor. Trent Cole may be planted in space as an OLB in a 3-4 Eagles scheme while DeMeco Ryans may man the middle anyway, proving his previous injury is in the past. Switching to the 3-4 is not a good idea unless the linebacker position on the team to strong and deep though, which is something the Eagles aren’t exactly known for. Manti Te’o anyone?
In Conclusion
There is a variety of reasons for the Eagles to go in either direction. Fans may have their opinion, while Chip Kelly may think something completely different. At the end of the day, die-hard Eagles fans will not care even if Kelly decides to run a 4-4-3 defense. The only thing fans want to see is improvement. Whichever defense provides that is the defense that the Eagles need to run.
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