Has anyone ever tried a 5 man defensive front?

[WheresMyronBaker]

Im wondering if its ever been done. We have requisite playmaking ability along the line and it seems to me we could drop 1-2 guys into zone as needed...but really put the heat on pass rush and pound gaps in the run game.

 

What if our starting D line was Brown, Dvoracek, Harris, Ogun and Anderson. Leave Hunter and Urlacher at the second level...and try something different.

 

Just brainstorming. Flamesuit is on.

 

And where do I send my resume for the potentially available D Coordinator job?

[adam]

I have seen it before, but I cannot recall which team did it. They only did it on obvious run plays.

 

The biggest issue would be with matchups, and it would seem to leave some huge holes over the middle.

 

Most teams just blitz a LB to give the same effect.

[Controlled Chaos]

5-2

A 5-2 defense is a defense with 5 defensive lineman and 2 linebackers. The defensive lineman almost always line up to the strong side, with the backside lineman on the outside shoulder of the end man on the offensive LOS.

 

Because the extra defensive lineman makes this a strong defense against the run, it is more popular in leagues (or specific situations) that favor the running game. Thus, this defense is most often used in middle school and little league, and occasionally in different looks and variations in the NFL or college. However, the 5-2 used to be more popular in college football, when the running game was much more prevalent; for example, teams in the 1980s would often employ the 5-2 to combat the extremely run-oriented offenses of the time. From the mid-1950s until the early 1990s, The 5-2 was the base formation for most teams in the Big Eight Conference, due to the powerful rushing attacks of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Oklahoma Sooners, and later in the 1980s, the Colorado Buffaloes. Currently, the Arizona Cardinals use this defense regularly, in addition to their base 4-3.

 

The benefit of having a 5-2 is that it adds size to your defense by replacing a linebacker with a defensive lineman. This helps in short-yardage situations where you want to stall the line of scrimmage and not give up the inside run. The disadvantage is in pass coverage -- most 5-2 teams will rush all 5 defensive linemen leaving only 6 pass defenders. In some circumstances a 5-2 team will drop one of the linemen, typically an end, off into coverage. This is primarily a situational defense however, and not often used in situations where downfield pass coverage is a significant concern.

 

 

5-2-4

Is a variation of the 46 defense and the 3-3-5, often called "Bear Down". Takes away plays from the out side in. A line backer and a safety come down on the outside sides. the tackles line up in the C gap, they both read the last man on their side of the line of scrimage. Depending on that offensive players move (inside or outside) determines the defensive players role, if the outside man is getting kicked out he has outside containment and the DE comes down the line. If the outside man is let free then he comes down the line and the DE fights to get outside containment. It makes for two down the line of scrimage players two outside contain guys and three inside players. Bear is also man coverage.

[fenom283]

Didnt we use it against Atlanta 2 years ago when Rex came back?

[madlithuanian]

5-2

A 5-2 defense is a defense with 5 defensive lineman and 2 linebackers. The defensive lineman almost always line up to the strong side, with the backside lineman on the outside shoulder of the end man on the offensive LOS.

 

Because the extra defensive lineman makes this a strong defense against the run, it is more popular in leagues (or specific situations) that favor the running game. Thus, this defense is most often used in middle school and little league, and occasionally in different looks and variations in the NFL or college. However, the 5-2 used to be more popular in college football, when the running game was much more prevalent; for example, teams in the 1980s would often employ the 5-2 to combat the extremely run-oriented offenses of the time. From the mid-1950s until the early 1990s, The 5-2 was the base formation for most teams in the Big Eight Conference, due to the powerful rushing attacks of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Oklahoma Sooners, and later in the 1980s, the Colorado Buffaloes. Currently, the Arizona Cardinals use this defense regularly, in addition to their base 4-3.

 

The benefit of having a 5-2 is that it adds size to your defense by replacing a linebacker with a defensive lineman. This helps in short-yardage situations where you want to stall the line of scrimmage and not give up the inside run. The disadvantage is in pass coverage -- most 5-2 teams will rush all 5 defensive linemen leaving only 6 pass defenders. In some circumstances a 5-2 team will drop one of the linemen, typically an end, off into coverage. This is primarily a situational defense however, and not often used in situations where downfield pass coverage is a significant concern.

5-2-4

Is a variation of the 46 defense and the 3-3-5, often called "Bear Down". Takes away plays from the out side in. A line backer and a safety come down on the outside sides. the tackles line up in the C gap, they both read the last man on their side of the line of scrimage. Depending on that offensive players move (inside or outside) determines the defensive players role, if the outside man is getting kicked out he has outside containment and the DE comes down the line. If the outside man is let free then he comes down the line and the DE fights to get outside containment. It makes for two down the line of scrimage players two outside contain guys and three inside players. Bear is also man coverage.

 

Yeah...I was thinking version of the 46 incorporated that. Thanks for the details...

[bradjock]

Im wondering if its ever been done. We have requisite playmaking ability along the line and it seems to me we could drop 1-2 guys into zone as needed...but really put the heat on pass rush and pound gaps in the run game.

 

What if our starting D line was Brown, Dvoracek, Harris, Ogun and Anderson. Leave Hunter and Urlacher at the second level...and try something different.

 

Just brainstorming. Flamesuit is on.

 

And where do I send my resume for the potentially available D Coordinator job?

 

Fenom below was correct when the Bears did this on either Sunday Night Football Versus Atlanta as a counter to Vick. We started off with Wale, Tommie, Ian Scott, Alex Brown, and Idonije. I thoght it was a stroke of genius on Chico's part.

 

IMO, the thing that you are onto is starting 5 and dropping Mark Anderson back as a linebacker more. As a starter he's been torched against the run because he's not big enough.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I think if you have a hybrid like end it would be a very good thing to do on ocassions. It could create a nightmare for opposing offensive lines and QB's as they would have to worry a lot more about potential blitzes coming from other places with some of your hybrid guys sneaking back into coverage and vice versa.

 

I do agree with you that as a whole the Bears have a whole lot of athletes I like on the line and it would be nice to utilize them more. However, if they use them right it should give them a solid burst all game long which would give the Bears a better pass rush (something that while statistically has been strong for the Bears, but for large spans of the game I feel the pass rush has been non-existent).