Introducing the Inside the Pylon Football Glossary

mwonow

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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Great series! And it's incredible (climbing the pocket) how Edelman got whacked but kept churning forward
 
MalzoneExpress

MalzoneExpress

Thanks, gramps.
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Jul 22, 2005
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I have a quick question on the 5 Technique article. The description, which jibes with the D-Line Technique Designation chart states:
 
A 5 technique player is commonly a defensive end in a 3-4 front, and aligns directly across from the offensive tackle. The player is responsible for the two gaps (B & C) on either side of the offensive tackle.
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Yet the example shows and states:
 
Here, Washington Football Club second round pick Preston Smith is aligned as a 5 technique defensive lineman on the outside shoulder of left tackle.
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Wouldn't "outside shoulder of left tackle" indicate 6 Technique? Also, Preston Smith does not appear to be in position to cover the B Gap either. How is this a 5 Technique? What am I missing here?
 
nazz45

nazz45

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Hey MalzoneExpress,

I think the confusion is over the charts being used. I go by Bear Bryant's numbering system. On mobile so can't link but if you do a search it will come up. But under that numbering:

A 5 technique is aligned across from tackle but on the outside shoulder. A 4 technique is head up over tackle (4i is on inside shoulder of tackle) and a 6 technique is head up over a tight end if there is one (even number techniques are head up while odd number techniques are shaded to a shoulder - although zero techs will shade the center to one side as well).

Five techs are traditionally two gap players particularly as defensive ends in a hybrid 3-4 scheme. But not all fronts are the same so responsibilities will vary from play to play.
 
MalzoneExpress

MalzoneExpress

Thanks, gramps.
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Jul 22, 2005
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Although ITP could define the system being used for each article, it really should settle on ONE system for describing defensive technique alignments. That way the different articles are speaking the same language.
 
To bring this back to the 5 Technique, it would appear that there are two different 5 Techniques (1. directly across from the tackle or 2. on the outside shoulder of the tackle) defending on the system being used. In addition, it would also appear that the 5 Technique in the first system is the same the 4 Technique in the Bear Bryant numbering system. When we hear 5 Technique how are we to know what is meant unless the speaker identifies the system he/she is using? When a pundit claims a defensive tackle is a 5 Technique, how do I know if that defensive tackle is a 2 gap player or a one gap, edge player?
 
nazz45

nazz45

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MalzoneExpress said:
When we hear 5 Technique how are we to know what is meant unless the speaker identifies the system he/she is using? When a pundit claims a defensive tackle is a 5 Technique, how do I know if that defensive tackle is a 2 gap player or a one gap, edge player?
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I think when pundits say so-and-so is a strict 5-technique, they are describing a pure 3-4 defensive end. Basically saying this player is probably not a three down player, i.e., not quick or explosiveness enough to kick inside as an interior pass rusher or further outside of tackle as a pure edge rusher out of a team's non-base defense. It also means he may not be big or stout enough against the run to play defensive tackle in a typical 4-3 scheme (and certainly not nose tackle in a 3-4).
 
While being familiar with the terminology can be helpful, football lingo is extremely fluid. One coach's 12 personnel is another coach's ace personal. Forget the designated techniques when watching a game - generally, you just need to look at a defender’s alignment with the offensive line to figure out gap assignments. If aligned head up with the offensive lineman, he’s likely responsible for the gaps to both sides. If aligned more in the gap / shaded toward the shoulder of the offensive lineman, he’s likely responsible for that single gap.
 
 
It also helps to pay attention to the linebackers pre-snap. Even though they often play off the line of scrimmage, linebackers (and safeties that drop into the box) have gap assignments against the run. For instance, here’s a 3-4 defense against the run:
 
                   LILB*                        RILB*
LOLB   LDE             NT     RDE            ROLB 
      D     C     B      A     A       B     C     D
         TE  OT   OG   OC   OG   OT   TE
 
Here, there are 8 gaps to cover but only 7 defenders:
 
LOLB = D Gap
LDE ("5-tech") = C Gap
LILB = B Gap
NT (head up alignment with center) = Both A Gaps
RDE = B Gap
RILB = C Gap
ROLB = D Gap
 
So in the above defensive front, the 5-tech LDE is likely playing one gap (the C gap) against the run while the LILB fills the B gap. Where it gets tricky is that one team’s 3-4 defense can be different than another team’s 3-4 defense. Moving a defensive lineman or linebacker just a few inches can change the philosophy of a defense entirely. I think that is when watching the middle linebackers can help a lot. If that LILB is aligned to the inside shoulder of the offensive guard instead of directly in the B gap, it's more likely that the LDE is responsible for both gaps against the run even if shaded on the outside shoulder of the tackle pre-snap.
 
amarshal2

amarshal2

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Oct 25, 2005
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Darnell said:
Whle you're awaiting news about Brady, check out today's entry in ITP's football glossary: 3 technique defensive linemen.
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In the last example Malcom Brown is used as a 3 technique. Is this likely to be his role the majority of the time on the Pats D? My impression is that he was brought in to replace VW and that he would be used more as a 1 technique (because I hear people say things like "there are almost no true 0's anymore" and because the Pats don't predominantly run a 3-4 anymore I'm making the assumption that he'll be more of a 1 than a 0) who draws a double. When he's on the field with Easley it sounds to me from your description that he would be playing the 3 instead of Brown. I can certainly see how Siliga would occupy the 0/1 when he's on the field with Brown and enable Brown to play more as a 3.

Side question: Who, if anybody, will regularly have 2 gap responsibilities on running downs this year? Would it be fair to say VW had that last year (I know he certainly did earlier on his career)?

But really I don't know what I'm talking about so all forms of clarification are welcome.

I can also just move this to the ask thread if that's better.

Edit: I swear I wasn't trying to set you guys up but it seems this conveniently went live around when I asked the question:

http://insidethepylon.com/nfl/teams-nfl/afc-east/new-england-patriots/2015/09/01/the-patriots-versatile-defensive-line/

Short answer: brown indeed played predominantly 1 and actually played more snaps (6) at the 0 than 3 (5 snaps). Easley played predominantly as an end but saw time at the 3 along with half the roster.

As for my two gap question, I didn't see any even numbers up there aside from Brown's brief time at the zero (presumably the few times they ran 3-4) so perhaps two gapping will be going out of style a bit in NE?
 
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