Interior Vs. Exterior Pass Rush

[TimD]

Well it changes for 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, but it seems like people are talking about the 4-3 more in here. I'd take Warren Sapp over a Michael Strahan any day. Interior pass rushers not only get to the QB but they cause a lot of chaos for the o line. Exterior rushers may draw double teams but at most its from a G and T which means that the rest of the line is basically unaffected. Interior rushers affect the entire o line more than the outside guys. Plus interior rushers are always in the QBs face making them nervous and causing quicker, less accurate releases.

interior rushers it is!

[doingthisinsteadofwork]

I'll take an interior rush myself.It seems easy to find a 3rd down pass rusher like Chris Clemons.

[NY+Giants=NYG]

You need both features and implement it in a good system for it to actually matter. That's like saying what do you want more a QB with a stronger arm, or QB with great accuracy? Both kinds can win, just has to be in a system that fits them. Same with the rush... Remember there are 5 o-line vs 4 Dline, assuming 4-3, so you can always double team someone on the inside, and have a rollout or sprint pass protection called. So basically you need both kinds of pass rush ability, and have a good system for it.

[scottyboy]

Although you need both, I'm gonna say interior.

Giants had an outstanding rush with Osi and Strahan, BUT, when Tuck came around with the rush in the middle it made our D dominant.

[etk]

An exterior pass rush. In one sentence, the interior pass rushers just have to push the pocket, but the exterior rushers actually have to beat their man.

[Shahin]

Interior all day, for reasons that folks have already stated.

[Jakey]

Seems im a fan of the 3-4 im gonna say outside. 3-4 teams hardly ever get pressure from there front three, and they arent supposed to. Some of the most successfull D's in the league, bring almost exclusively outside pressure...Steelers, Pats, Ravens, Chargers etc...

To be honest i wouldnt know for a 4-3, but i would probably say outside...the giants DT's werent the main reason for all of there sacks last year, it was there talented DE's.

[senormysterioso]

It kind of depends on what kind of quarterback you're facing. If you're playing a quarterback that is more comfortable outside the pocket, it would better serve you to have good pass rushers keeping outside contain. If you have a quarterback that's more comfortable stepping up in the pocket, then a good interior rush would be better. But still even if you do have a great interior rush, if you don't have a guy coming off the edge forcing the qb to step up, it's kind of a moot point.

[bigbluedefense]

ideally you want the interior guy. but its very very difficult finding that caliber player on the inside.

we are able to somewhat sidestep this problem by putting out 4 DEs on the dline in our nickel, and using various stunt combinations to generate both an interior and exterior push. and Tuck is beastly enough to play UT even in our base 4-3.

i expect to see this become a new trend, where teams will invest in 3 quality pass rushers up front in some shape or form after seeing what the Giants were able to do. its a copy cat league, so it wouldn't shock me to see that become a new trend. i think its a good idea anyway, every defense needs 3 quality pass rushers.

EDIT: For clarification, 3-4 teams do want interior push. In a 3-4, your interior push either comes from the NT or a 3-4 DE. Thats why guys like Castillo are gold, because they provide the "interior push" that every 3-4 defense desires.

Guys like Leonard Marshall, Richard Seymour in his prime, they are priceless for any 3-4. They provide an interior push or even an exterior one opposite the rushbacker when sending 4. And you can move them around, and move them to the same side as the rushbacker, and have the rushbacker provide the outside edge rush, with the DE providing the interior push on the same side.

[BamaFalcon59]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

ideally you want the interior guy. but its very very difficult finding that caliber player on the inside.

we are able to somewhat sidestep this problem by putting out 4 DEs on the dline in our nickel, and using various stunt combinations to generate both an interior and exterior push. and Tuck is beastly enough to play UT even in our base 4-3.

i expect to see this become a new trend, where teams will invest in 3 quality pass rushers up front in some shape or form after seeing what the Giants were able to do. its a copy cat league, so it wouldn't shock me to see that become a new trend. i think its a good idea anyway, every defense needs 3 quality pass rushers.

EDIT: For clarification, 3-4 teams do want interior push. In a 3-4, your interior push either comes from the NT or a 3-4 DE. Thats why guys like Castillo are gold, because they provide the "interior push" that every 3-4 defense desires.

Guys like Leonard Marshall, Richard Seymour in his prime, they are priceless for any 3-4. They provide an interior push or even an exterior one opposite the rushbacker when sending 4. And you can move them around, and move them to the same side as the rushbacker, and have the rushbacker provide the outside edge rush, with the DE providing the interior push on the same side.

Good post. You want a Warren Sapp, but I can count on one hand how many interior pass rushers have been as good as him. But I will take an elite pass rushing defensive end over a very good pass rushing defensive tackle anyday, I prefer the defensive tackle but the difference is not very substantial.

[MichaelJordanEberle (sabf)]

The thing is, an interior rush is far less consistent than an exterior rush. On the inside, a player can get double teamed much easier(and by better players. C+G>T+TE/RB). An outside rusher will generally turn the corner on his man. Also, seeing as the DTs are generally bigger than DEs, and are forced to outmuscle their way through two offensive linemen, they're more likely to tire by the end of the game. People will bring up Justin Tuck, but as dominant as he is, he's still that line's 3rd most dangerous pass rusher. Teams can't double him, or Osi and Strahan will wreak havoc. Realistically, you need both to a degree. If not, here is what happens.

Terrible DE, amazing DT: QB free to drop back as far as he wants, roll out when or wherever, and even step around the pressure.

Terrible DT, amazing DE: QB can step up to avoid the rush, which renders it completely obsolete unless he actually disengages his tackle to the inside(very difficult).

Good DE, Good pass rushing DT: If the QB steps up, he runs into the DT. If he doesn't step up, he runs the risk of the DE turning the corner and planting him.

[brat316]

I like the bull rush DE like Patrick Allen or A. Smith from the Steelers, even though they are diffrent DEs. But DE with the ability to Bull rush.

[SenorGato]

Originally Posted by BeerBaron

ill agree with ya there but try telling me that having 2 tommie harris's inside wont hurt your run d. even ill admit to that.....

you get up against a tough oline, have to pull your safeties into the box to stop the run, and suddenly even your pass d is weakeend

Yea, but having two John Henderson's, Kevin Williams', Casey Hampton's, Jamal's Williams', Vince Wilforks', Albert Haynesworths', or similar players would make your D sick all around. It's worked fine for the Jaguars and Vikings in the 4-3, and 3-4 teams pretty much live and die on their DL playing like elite 4-3 DT's.

[BamaFalcon59]

Originally Posted by SenorGato

Yea, but having two John Henderson's, Kevin Williams', Casey Hampton's, Jamal's Williams', Vince Wilforks', Albert Haynesworths', or similar players would make your D sick all around. It's worked fine for the Jaguars and Vikings in the 4-3, and 3-4 teams pretty much live and die on their DL playing like elite 4-3 DT's.

The Vikings probably have the best defensive tackle in the duo now that Marcus Stroud was traded from Jacksonville to Buffalo, and their defense gets passed on constantly and they still are searching for a pass rushing defensive end.

[Jughead10]

I like the exterior pass rush better. You don't necceasrily need guys in the middle to collapse the pocket. You just need guy to stand ground and the point of attack. As long as your DTs aren't pushed back off the ball it will be difficult for a QB to step up to avoid a pass rush from the DE positions. A lot of DTs gets cheaps sacks becaus of pressure on the outside. Also when you get that pass rush up the middle, a lot of times you are doing it at the cost of a weakened run defense. The exterior rush is also more likely to cause a turnover.

[PACKmanN]

Having an interior rush allows your defense to do so many things then a exterior rush. You allow your MIKE to make plays behind the line, and allow your DB to make plays.

[bigbluedefense]

they both need to work together. you look at great pressure teams, they usually have a guy who can bring it on the outside along with interior pressure.

the thing is, its sooo hard finding a guy on teh inside that can consistently bring it. you can probably count them on your finger. Page, Sapp, Randle, is there anyone else?

The Giants dline didn't become dominant until we had Tuck bring inside pressure this year. And as was pointed out however, he doesn't do what he does if there wasn't 2 guys on the edge that both demand double teams. So they have to work together.

I think a better question is: Speed rushers or bullrushers?

I like bullrushers, I think that ultimately a bullrushing DE can provide you the medium that you ideally want. A guy like Strahan, or Kampman, they can provide exterior pressure but also interior pressure by the standard bullrush into the qb.

Speed rushers are often more easily neutralized.

[Splat]

It all starts in the middle on D IMO.

[BamaFalcon59]

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

they both need to work together. you look at great pressure teams, they usually have a guy who can bring it on the outside along with interior pressure.

the thing is, its sooo hard finding a guy on teh inside that can consistently bring it. you can probably count them on your finger. Page, Sapp, Randle, is there anyone else?

The Giants dline didn't become dominant until we had Tuck bring inside pressure this year. And as was pointed out however, he doesn't do what he does if there wasn't 2 guys on the edge that both demand double teams. So they have to work together.

I think a better question is: Speed rushers or bullrushers?

I like bullrushers, I think that ultimately a bullrushing DE can provide you the medium that you ideally want. A guy like Strahan, or Kampman, they can provide exterior pressure but also interior pressure by the standard bullrush into the qb.

Speed rushers are often more easily neutralized.

I think Bryant Young deserves to be on that list of great interior pass rushers. Maybe not where the other three were or are, but very good none the less.

[bigbluedefense]

Originally Posted by BamaFalcon59

I think Bryant Young deserves to be on that list of great interior pass rushers. Maybe not where the other three were or are, but very good none the less.

Tommie Harris might deserve a shout out too if he keeps it up throughout his career.

[JT Jag]

The ideal situation is to have a pair of interior guys who are quick enough to force O-lines to respect their pass-rushing ability and big enough for double-teams to be nessecary. Take the Jaguars defensive tackle duo before Stroud was traded.

To take advantage of this situation, you NEED a good edge rusher. Having the advantage of putting edge rushers against tackles one-on-one without any TE or RB help puts you over the top.

Unfortunately, we've not had that guy for 8 years.

[eaglesalltheway]

This is one of the reasons I like what the Eagles are doing with the D-line. We have a rusher in Patterson, who is underrated against the run IMO, and a clogger in Bunkley. He will never have the stats of Patterson, but will have just as much of an impact on the D-line. We also have a pass rushing DE in Trent Cole, also underrated against the run IMO, and a new starter in Abiamiri wh is solid at the POA. The D-line is a very balanced one and is set to be great for the Eagles if you ask me.

[Bengals1690]

You need DTs that collapse the line to make it easier for your DEs.

[ChezPower4]

Interior, QBs can step with guys coming off the egde but guys up the middle there is no way if they go back they are gonna lose tons of yards, if they try to go left of right they get ran straight into the DEs.

[nobodyinparticular]

I'll take a double dose of Reggie White please! (brings it inside and out)