Redditor does fantastic job of breaking down different 4-3 and 3-4 defensive fronts

Understanding the basics of football is easy. I mean, if you’re reading this, you certainly have at least a good base knowledge of the game, but I’m sure you’ve also been in plenty of situations where you were with somebody who did not understand the basics of football. Which is fine, understanding football is absolutely not important in life unless I guess you play it or coach it. I mean, there are definitely also players and coaches and owners who don’t know that much, sadly.

(*insert picture of Jed York, not so sadly.)

Even still, I’d say most football fans don’t have much of an understanding of many of the deeper nuances of the game. Still just as fine. If all you care about it “They moved the ball, they scored some points, they kicked the ball” and so on, that’s a great -- even enviable — way to watch the game. I mean, I don’t watch the games and think about playcalls and schemes and count defensive linemen all the time. It’s a lot to absorb, especially when you’re watching it live.

But if you’re interested in learning more about football, which I always am, a Redditor posted a very detailed, easy-to-follow, thorough breakdown of every 3-4 and 4-3 defensive scheme on Tuesday.

He goes over what teams use a 4-3 Miami, 4-3 Under, 4-3 Over, the 3-4, and the 3-4 Under. Here’s what he had to say about the 4-3 Under, which the Seattle Seahawks have used under Pete Carroll with great results.

The Under front is the most popular 4-3 front in the NFL because it makes it very difficult to double team the weakside 3 technique and the weakside defensive end leading to very effective pass rushing through only the front 4. This front has stood the test of time because it was the base defense of 3 of the greatest defenses of all time. The Steel Curtain, the 02 Bucs, and the 2013 Seahawks all used this as there base defense and swarmed opponents with it. Current teams to run this as there base are the Jaguars, Vikings, Seahawks, Falcons, Bucs, Panthers, Raiders, and nearly every other 4-3 team out there.

Now that Seattle’s offseason has begun, what sort of breakdowns and explanations would you like to see more of?