Carolina dabbled using a 3-4 defense during Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. It sounds like Carolina will be using three man fronts more the rest of the season.
“I know [Ron Rivera] feels very confident in the 3-4 and what it brings to the table. And knows its strengths and weaknesses. And he has shared them with me,” Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said via the Charlotte Observer.
The Panthers should try something; they are 28th in points allowed. Really, it seems like any defense that isn’t multiple in this era is playing catchup. Rivera ran a 3-4 defense last year in San Diego, while McDermott ran a 4-3 in Philadelphia.
“That’s part of the reason, quite frankly, that I came down here – so we could get together and merge our systems together,” McDermott said.
Bill Belichick said he began this season with a 4-3 base defense because he thought it would be simpler following the lockout. But the Patriots still line up in a variety of looks each week.
The new look will force Panthers to do some extra studying. Big free agent splurge Charles Johnson -- who has five sacks this year--lined up as an outside linebacker three times Sunday.