# Can someone explain why Haynesworth says he "can't" play well in a 3-4 D? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727 "2010-10-29T02:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/1 "2010-10-29T02:26:13Z")
> **[Haynesworth hopes to prove he's 'not a bust'](https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5737360)** > > Albert Haynesworth still thinks he can become the greatest lineman to play the game as long as he's not playing nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. What is it about 3-4 that is so different from4-3 that makes it so hard for him to play? Hes a defensive lineman. His position is not that mentally challenging. Rush the passer or stuff the run. As far as I can tell his ability to play shouldn’t be driven by the type of D they are running. I’m sure there are nuances i don’t understand though. What are they? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/2 "2010-10-29T02:35:46Z")
In a 3-4, at nose tackle, he’s going to eat a lot of double teams. The job there is mostly to be big, and occupy blockers so the linebackers are free to make the tackles. More taking hits. In the 4-3, he’s got a little more freedom to rush the pass or stuff the run. Not as likely to be double-teamed. More giving hits. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/3 "2010-10-29T02:38:34Z")
Hmm makes sense I guess but I don’t understand why he can’t adjust to that. Is he not big enough? ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/4 "2010-10-29T02:40:30Z")
I’m sure he’s exaggerating in saying that he “can’t” play well in a 3-4. He would be quite well suited to playing end in a 3-4 more than nose tackle I think. His run blocking would be good enough but I think he sees himself as a guy who will push the gaps and penetrate. 3-4 linemen simply don’t do a lot of penetrating. At times they will but more often their job is to occupy blockers. A lot of people think it’s hyperbole when they hear that guys like Casey Hampton are double-teamed all day but they really are on running plays. On passing plays it’s more confusing, the offense has a lot more tricks they can use to take them away from the play. There’s no doubt that his numbers won’t look as good in a 3-4. It’s the linebackers who benefit most from good d-linemen. Really the ends in a 3-4 are like defensive tackles and the Nose is like a fire hydrant in the middle that the other team is forced to run around because they can’t go through it. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/5 "2010-10-29T02:44:05Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Hmm makes sense I guess but I don’t understand why he can’t adjust to that. Is he not big enough? He’s plenty big, he just doesn’t want to play that role. Think it’s a ego/lazyness thing. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-why-haynesworth-says-he-cant-play-well-in-a-3-4-d/558727/6 "2010-10-29T02:45:43Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > He’s plenty big, he just doesn’t want to play that role. Think it’s a ego/lazyness thing. And numbers, which count for a lot at contract time.