# Who had the dirtier, more vicious defense? Buddy Ryan or Gregg Williams? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 7, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-had-the-dirtier-more-vicious-defense-buddy-ryan-or-gregg-williams/618071 "2012-04-07T10:20:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-had-the-dirtier-more-vicious-defense-buddy-ryan-or-gregg-williams/618071/1 "2012-04-07T10:20:29Z")
Buddy Ryan is known for the 46 defense.Buddy had one of the more feared defenses in their time. I don’t know if he paid bounties, but I do recall a lot of vicious hits. It’s a good thing Buddy Ryan coached his last game in 1995. I’m sure he’d have trouble fitting into the new, kinder, gentler NFL that Roger Goodell wants to create. > **[46 defense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/46_defense)** > > The 46 defense is an American football defensive formation, an eight men in the box defense, with six players along the line of scrimmage. There are two players at linebacker depth playing linebacker technique, and then three defensive backs. The 46 defense was originally developed and popularized with the Chicago Bears by their defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who later became head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. > Unlike most defensive formations that take their names fr... If you were to compare Gregg Williams 4–3 defense to Buddy’s 46 defense. > **[4–3 defense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4%E2%80%933_defense)** > > In American football, a 4–3 defense is a defensive alignment consisting of four down linemen and three linebackers. It is called a "base defense" because it is the default defensive alignment used on "base downs" (1st and 2nd downs). However, defenses will readily switch to other defensive alignments (such as a nickel defense or a dime defense) as circumstances change. Alternatively, some defenses use a 3–4 defense. > The Giants employed a 6–1–4 basic formation when they shut out the Browns in 1... Who was more vicious? Which one was more effective at stopping the offense? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-had-the-dirtier-more-vicious-defense-buddy-ryan-or-gregg-williams/618071/2 "2012-04-07T10:37:24Z")
Almost forgot to mention Buddy’s son Rex Ryan. Jets head coach and he still uses the 46 defense. Rob Ryan used the 46 when he coached the Browns defense in 2010.