The Rex Ryan 3-4/4-3/46 Hybrid

By Scott Carasik

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Teams that use this defense: Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets

Overview

Rex Ryan's defense isn't really a 4-3, nor is it really a 3-4. He runs a 46 hybrid like his father. The main difference in his 46 hybrid and his father's is the coverage responsibilities, and the amount of blitzing. Ryan's 46 package is one of the most complex schemes in the NFL. So this is a very simplified version of it.

The alignment is basically the same as the LeBeau 3-4 the entire way. The defensive line is in a traditional 2-gap alignment with the Nose Tackle in a 0-tech over the center, and the DE's in 5-techs over the OT's. The OLB's are on the LOS just outside of the OT's on each side. The WILB is shaded over the weakside OG. The SILB is shaded over the strongside A gap. the SS is about 5 yards off the LOS shaded over the OT behind the DE. the FS is in a 10 yards deep spot shaded across from the A-gap on the weakside. The corners are lined up traditionally in their spots across from the CB's. This is the same alignment as the 46 used by the 85 Bears, only Lebeau and Ryan execute it completely differently.

Defensive Line Responsibilities

The Nose Tackle is playing your pure 0-technique and is in charge of the A-gaps, the DE's are in charge of the B and C gaps on the outside. In the passing game, their jobs are to control the line and draw double teams. The Ideal players for this scheme based on the roles in the 2011 draft:

Ryan Strongside DE - Marcell Dareus, played 3-4 DE at the University of Alabama

Ryan Nose Tackle - Stephen Paea, played 4-3 DT at Oregon State University

Ryan Weakside DE - Cameron Jordan, played 3-4 DE at the University of California

Linebacker Responsibilities

Much like the Lebeau scheme, the SS is in the box. Unlike the Lebeau scheme however the SS will drop back into deep coverage sometimes and will tend to blitz quite a bit as well. He will be in charge of cleaning up the strongside in the run game. The strongside OLB is in charge of the C-gap and the outside in the run game and is used in man coverage over 80% of the time on the TE. The other 20%, he will be either blitzing or playing a mid zone. The strongside ILB is in charge of the A and B gaps on the right side in the run game. In the passing game, he will be covering a mid zone and rarely blitzing. The WILB is in charge of the A and B gaps on his side and will be blitzing over 50% in the passing game. The other responsibility he will have is to play short to intermediate zones. The Weakside OLB will be blitzing over 75% regardless of the passing or running situation. When he isn't blitzing he will be playing a contain on the outside for the run game or will be playing a flat zone on the weak side. The scheme calls for a lot of overload blitzes to either side as opposed to the LeBeau scheme, which calls for balanced blitzes normally up the middle. The Ideal players for this scheme based on the roles in the 2011 draft:

Strongside OLB "Sam" - Justin Houston, played 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB at the University of Georgia

Strongside ILB "Ted" - Martez Wilson, played 4-3 MLB at the University of Illinois

Weakside ILB "Mike" - Quan Sturdivant, played 4-3 MLB at the University of North Carolina

Weakside OLB "Will" - Von Miller, played 4-3 OLB at Texas A&M University

Strong Safety - Rahim Moore, played FS at the University of California-Los Angeles

Secondary Responsibilities

Where in the Lebeau scheme, the corners play man with some zone, in the Ryan scheme, they will be in man coverage exclusively. And they will also be in a press-man. The FS will be patrolling the middle of the field in a deep zone exclusively. The Ideal players for this scheme based on the roles in the 2011 draft:

#1 CB - Patrick Peterson, played CB at Louisiana State University

#2 CB - Prince Amukamura, played CB at the University of Wisconsin

Free Safety - Aaron Williams, played CB at the University of Texas