J.J. Watt retired from the NFL after 12 seasons, the final two with the Arizona Cardinals. He had a fantastic final season, logging 12.5 sacks, his highest total since 2018.
In doing so, he proved to be the league’s best pass rusher from one particular spot, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Greg Cosell in a recent podcast episode.
He was tops in 4-tech/4i.
4-tech and 4i pass-rushers — here, you’re working right over the tackle, or to the tackle’s inside shoulder — must encompass a hybrid phase to win. You’re ideally as quick as an edge-defender to a point, but you also need actual strength as opposed to just speed-to-power stuff.
“Now, you’re getting into whether you’re head-up on someone, or whether you’re in a gap,” Greg said of 4 and 4i. “In a gap is different than being head-up, because if you’re head-up on someone, unless you’re slanting or part of a stunt, there are two different elements. If you’re a gap player, you can shoot into what is essentially a little bit of an opening. If you’re head-up over an offensive lineman, you’re going right into another human being. Those are two different ways to rush the quarterback, and two different thought processes in attacking those guys.”
Nobody was more productive last season in working those two thought processes than J.J. Watt, who has apparently taken a job with CBS Sports after his retirement. Full marks to Mr. Watt in the post-football transition, but you almost wonder about at least one more season, because the future first-ballot Hall of Famer was ridiculous in these alignments. Watt had eight solo sacks from either 4 or 4i — Fletcher Cox and Milton Williams of the Eagles, and Morgan Fox of the Chargers, tied for second with four. Watt also had one assisted sack, 14 quarterback hits, and 13 quarterback hurries from these alignments.
One of the problems in blocking Watt from a 4i alignment? He could start on your tackle’s inside shoulder, and burn it all the way inside to the center’s left shoulder for the sack. The Broncos experienced this phenomenon in Week 15, to Brett Rypien’s great detriment.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals no long have Watt on the team. They will need to find more production from every part of the defensive line to get the disruption they need defensively moving forward.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
