Bear Defense

a 4-3 VARIATION that covers the Center & both Guards. Makes it hard to give the Center help on pass pro. 8 in the box vs. run. Base coverage = Cover 1.

Description

The 46 was an innovative defense with a unique defensive front, designed to confuse the opposing offense, especially their quarterback. A hyper-aggressive variant of the 4-3 base set, the 46 dramatically shifted the defensive line to the weak side (the opposite end from the offense's tight end), with both guards and the center "covered" by the left defensive end and both defensive tackles. This front forced offenses to immediately account for the defenders lined up directly in front of them, making it considerably harder to execute blocking assignments such as pulling, trapping and pass protection in general. Moreover, the weak side defensive end would be aligned outside the left offensive tackle by at least one yard distance, leaving opposing tackle 'on an island' when trying to block the pass rush.

Another key feature of the 46 is that both outside linebackers tend to play on the strong side of the formation. To avoid confusion, the strong and weak side linebackers (who are no longer lined up on opposite sides) are often renamed the 'Jack' and 'Charlie' linebackers, respectively. The linebackers line up behind the linemen two or three yards from the line of scrimmage. The primary tactic is to rush between five and eight players on each play, either to get to the quarterback quickly or disrupt running plays, although dropping some players back into pass coverage after seemingly indicating that they will blitz is another method of creating confusion. Another major key to the 46 is the ability of the cornerbacks to play bump-and-run coverage. Bump-and-run can allow the defense to take away the quarterback's immediate decision making ability, by disrupting the timing of short routes needed to make a quick throw to beat the 46 defense.[3]

The formation was very effective in the 1980s NFL because it often eliminated a team's running game and forced them to throw the ball. This was difficult for many teams at the time because most offensive passing games centered around the play action pass.

Currently, the 46 is rarely used in professional and college football (with the exception of the New York Jets, who are coached by Rex Ryan, Buddy's son). This is largely because of the popularity of the West Coast Offense, used successfully by San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh, and other offensive schemes that rely on short, timed passes from formations with multiple receivers.

A major weakness of the 46 is that too many defensive players line up near the line of scrimmage to blitz, leaving areas wide open for receivers to catch passes. Also short, timed passes can be thrown before the players blitzing have a chance to reach the quarterback. Another problem is that most teams do not have enough impact players to run the 46 as effectively as the 1980s Bears did. Those teams fielded some of the best front-seven defenses ever, and included such players as Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, and Wilber Marshall.

The ideas of the 46 defense are more often used in today's game by bringing a fourth defensive back (usually the strong safety) up closer to the line of scrimmage, as an eighth man in "the box" to help stop the run. Defenses today may also run safety blitzes and corner blitzes at crucial moments without committing wholly to the "46" defense. Up front, teams still use the concept of the "T-N-T" front, where defensive linemen are lined up over the center and the two guards. This makes it difficult for the interior linemen to reach any of the linebackers on the second level.

This is where defensive players would line up against a normal I formation offense.

* Defensive ends: The weak side defensive end lines up 2 yards outside the tackle. The strong side defensive end lines up directly in front of the strong side guard. The object of the weak side defensive end against the run is to protect against reversals and counters. Otherwise on pass plays he goes after the quarterback. The strong side defensive end is to make sure the offensive guard in front of him does not push him inside and does not get released to block the linebacker.

* Defensive tackles: The weak side defensive tackle lines up in front of the guard. The other defensive tackle essentially becomes a nose guard and lines up in front of the center. The main objective for the weak side guard is the same as the strong side defensive end - to avoid being pinched inside or let the guard release to block the linebacker.

* Linebackers: The jack linebacker lines up on the outside shoulder of the strong tight end and, like a defensive lineman, lines up on the line of scrimmage. He ensures nothing gets outside of him on the run. He can do multiple coverages on the pass or he can blitz. The weak linebacker will line up on the line of scrimmage and on the inside shoulder of the tight end, making it difficult for the tight end to release easily. The middle linebacker will line up about 2 off the line of scrimmage and directly in front of the strong offensive tackle.

* Safeties: The strong safety lines up a couple yards off the line of scrimmage and will stand directly in front of the weak side tackle. The free safety will stand about twelve yards away from the line of scrimmage and will stand directly in front of the weak side guard.

* Cornerbacks: Corners will line up in front of their receivers.

When three or more receivers are used by the offense, the defense is altered. The weak side linebacker will step back to where the middle linebacker was. The middle linebacker will move to where the strong safety was and the strong safety will move in a cornerback stance in front of one of the new receivers. If a fourth receiver plays, the middle linebacker lines up in front of the center and the weak side linebacker would cover the fourth receiver.