There is an ongoing debate about exactly what team has the best defensive line in football coming into the 2011 season. It’s been featured in columns on ESPN where blog writer Bill Williamson declared the Raiders are the best in the AFC West. I certainly agree with Williamson about that, but I wanted to dive deeper into the debate. I had to ask myself how the Raiders compare to teams outside of the AFC West and, more specifically, the teams that run the four down linemen fronts.
The bottom line in all of this is that more and more teams are moving toward the 3-4 defense nowadays. Right now, 16 teams consider themselves to be completely 3-4 defenses. I remember a few years ago when there were three of them in the NFL. Among the other 16 teams that don’t consider themselves a true 3-4, 10 of them have the personnel who are able to switch into a 3-4 at will. The Oakland Raiders could join the party if they had a true nose tackle, but as far as I can tell they don’t. What this means is that 26 of the 32 NFL teams are capable of executing some type of 3-4 defense in 2011. That ability to switch from 3-4 to 4-3 is an asset to defensive coordinators and makes it a lot harder on offensive coaches like Raiders Head Coach Hue Jackson.
But Jackson is pleased that he has defensive line coach Mike Waufle on his side: “We have the best defensive line coach in all of football in my opinion with Mike Waufle,” Jackson says. Having a coach who is as innovative as Waufle certainly helps the argument that the Raiders are the best group of linemen in the NFL this year. Perhaps they do not need tricks and gimmicks like swapping their base defensive personnel. However, their lack of depth — especially at end — along their front could become cause for concern if injuries should occur.
Let’s take a look at some of the other 4-3 units in the league to see how they stack up to the Raiders.
Detroit Lions
The Lions made a statement that they understand football games are won and lost in the trenches with their first round picks of the previous two drafts. Nick Fairly and Ndamukong Suh certainly make the Lions’ line one to be reckoned with. Suh had 66 tackles, 10 sacks, a Pro Bowl, and an Associated Press Rookie of the Year award in 2010. You can’t do much better than that. Adding Fairly only makes him that much more dangerous. You can build an entire defense around Suh alone, and when you add the crafty veteran Kyle Vaden Bosch along with fourth year man Cliff Avril (8.5 sacks in 2010) and Fairly, the Lions could be the best four man front in the league this year.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts probably have the best defensive end combination in the NFL with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. The trouble for them has been trying to find players to sandwich in between the two top caliber edge rushers. Plus, their line has always been undersized and more based on speed than power or dominating strength. But it has worked for them because Freeney and Mathis are constantly in Pro Bowls and the Colts are consistently in the playoffs year in and year out. Plus they’ve won a Super Bowl and played in another with their “not too shabby” defensive lines.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs are another team that is toying with a switch to the 3-4 defense, but Head Coach Raheem Morris says that for his team it’s more like a wildcat offense than a base defense. Still, the defense that made the Bucs infamous in their Super Bowl victory over the Silver and Black is still in full effect in Tampa, the cover 2. Their third overall draft choice of a year ago, Gerald McCoy, had a solid year for them and will have a chip on his shoulder after being shown up by the Lions’ playmaker Suh. But outside of McCoy, their line is really a toss up with some players that I’ve never even heard of. But the fact that their defense gave up only 19.9 points per game last year means they are doing something right.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are one of the most dominating defensive fronts in football, headed up by a guy who I’m so glad isn’t in the AFC West anymore, Jared Allen. Allen is one of the faces of the NFL and one of the most prolific sack masters in league history with his 83 sacks in just seven pro seasons. It seems that he is always able to make a big play when it matters the most. Joined by Kevin and Pat Williams in the middle and Ray Edwards on the other end, the Vikings are a run stuffing and pass rushing nightmare for opponents. They also have added some young and talented depth over the past couple of drafts.
New York Giants
The Giants line has not been the same since the departure of Mike Waufle two seasons ago. Injuries have plagued them and the retirement of Michael Strahan didn’t do anything to help them either. They drafted Jason Pierre-Paul in the 2010 draft and a lot of people think he could be a special player, as evidenced by his 4.5 sacks as a rookie, but the Giants have yet to figure out how to use him properly. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora are still hanging around in New York, but they haven’t been the same players they were during the Giants’ Super Bowl run a few years ago. This defensive front has really been decimated by injuries.
Sticking to the 4-3 could prove to be advantageous to the Raiders as more and more offenses become accustomed to playing against the 3-4 style of defense. Certainly you want to have the best players on the field and four of those players on the Raiders defense are Lamarr Houston, Matt Shaughnessy, Tommy Kelly, and Richard Seymour. Since they still don’t have a guy who can play a true nose tackle position, I wouldn’t expect anything more than experimenting with the 3-4 from them this year.
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