A-Gap. Three-Technique. Gap responsibility. Surely you’ve heard all of these phrases in assorted football circles, with varying degrees of recognition. For the Detroit Lions, these phrases played a major role in their defensive line’s turnaround towards the end of the 2019 season.
As the Lions continue to shape their defensive roster around head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn’s preferred flexible 3-4 base defense, these terms come into focus. Defensive linemen typically align themselves based on the positioning of the other team’s offensive linemen.
In a 3-4, d-linemen take responsibility for the gaps created by the opposing line.