3-4 Defense: Has it Helped or Hurt us?

I think the switch to a 3-4 Defense ended up biting Coach Rivera in the a$$.    The fact that it was clearly not (yet) completely worked out has shown in Luke Kuechly's numbers declining this season.  He excels in a 4-3 Defense, but not so much in the 3-4, especially when the starting lineup is on IR.

Do you think our new HC will switch back to a 4-3, or will it be someone who actually KNOWS how to implement a 3-4 Defense and make it work? 

My prediction is that we get an Offensive Coach, and hopefully pick up a SOLID Defensive Coordinator who can do his own job, and one the head coach doesn't have to do for him.

I was excited when it was announced we were switching to a 3-4 scheme, but it never got completely off the ground, and we had no Plan-B.

Also, on Offense, how is it that we have so stinking much talented WRs and Running backs on the team, but CMC has t carry 95% of the load?  He is great, and I am a solid fan, but like Cam Newton, that stuff is going to eventually wear him down.  A man can only take getting knocked to the ground so many times before it takes its toll on him.

In my opinion, we had half the personnel we needed for a 4-3 and half the personnel for a 3-4...it's okay to make twists but get the proper personnel for whichever base defense you are going to run.

Now Luke, he is not a 3-4 LB, yes he will have tackles but they will be 6-10 yards downfield...So new coach whomever you might be, if you intend to run a 3-4 PLEASE for the sake of Luke, trade him. He deserves to play in a system who will use his talents properly.

C'mon Guys.!!!

You're making a lot of rhetoric here, BUT---- Much ado about nothing (or very little anyway..).

We are in Base Defense less than 30% of the time. AND, that will stay the same (most probably..) because of the proliferation of the style of the offenses being developed. New QBs coming into the league are constantly being evaluated and discussed in terms of "makes plays with his legs', "good downfield vision", "gets rid of the ball quick", "can make all of the throws", etc, etc. Everything is about throwing the ball.
Given this situation, a 3-4 Base with strong, quick, outside pressure makes a LOT of sense. For evidence.....just look at the Panthers. Even with our poor overall showing, we still lead the league in sacks.!! We NEED that pressure even MORE.!

What we really need is a stronger Nose and interior line (DTs..) (We REALLY missed KK after his injury..) AND a couple more serious ball-hawking DBs.!!

I would rather us go back to the 4-3. I don't think we had the people to run a 3-4 defense.

We ran both last year. We just couldn't stop the run. That alone should b an emphasis. Don't care the front, stop the run please!

Defense needs to be STOUT in the middle of the field with effective contain on the outside. Add in a couple of solid cover CBs with speed and the defense will be just fine.
Now the exact makeup by individual player has not yet been determined.

If we get KK back, (and Poe...) the inside of our DL is solid. We proved this past year we can get pressure and sacks with our personnel., so DE and/or OLB is solid as well. ILB is still a ?? We'll see. I DON'T CARE what you think about Eric Reid, but he and Tre Boston can play Safety for me any day. CB is still a ?? I like Bradberry and Jackson, but neither of them really "sparkled" this past season. Ross Cockrell seems effective at times. Corny Elder is just a placeholder....he's too small and light to be effective against bigger #1 WRs.

Our Defense needs some massaging and manipulating, but overall we have a LOT of the pieces. Just a matter of getting them to play UP to their capabilities.