X’s and O’s: The 46 Defense, What it Was and Where it Went

August 11, 2010   ·   Hardy Evans   ·   Jump to comments


"Some say the 46 defense is just an eight-man front. That's like saying Marilyn Monroe's just a girl."- Buddy Ryan, Chicago Bears former defensive coordinator and creator of the 46.
The 1985 Bears were arguably the greatest team of all time. But what made the 15-1 Bears so dominant? The pass game was average. The run game was sweetness. The defense, most importantly, was monstrous. 
The Bears' defense coordinator, Buddy Ryan, designed the 46 defense when he arrived in Chicago in 1978. Ryan inherited a team that was atrocious at stopping the run and rushing the passer. He designed the 46 to essentially be an ultra-aggressive version of the 4-3 defense. 
The defense started off as a simple blitz package, but by 1981, it was Chicago's base defense. By 1985, Ryan had finished tweaking and perfecting his brainchild, and by then it was nearly unstoppable.
The personnel is the same as in a 4-3 defense, possessing four down lineman, three linebackers, two co...

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