Wade Phillips is bringing the Phillips 3-4 back to Texas, the state where he helped introduce the 3-4 defense to the NFL while coaching the Houston Oilers under his father, Bum.

The Phillips 3-4 is an attacking defense designed for making big plays. It is a ‘one gap’ defense, meaning that defenders have one area they are responsible for filling as opposed to a ‘two gap’ scheme where defenders must read the offense to determine their responsibility. This frees the player up to concentrate on their assignment and make plays.

This big-play ability cuts both ways. While the defense should produce big plays on defense, it will also allow big plays on offense. The more aggressive you get, the more likely you are to be burnt. But, in the end, the big plays on defense should outweigh the big plays on offense — or, at least, that is the hope.

Think on this: If the offense beats an all-out blitz by completing a 30-yard pass downfield they may or may not score any points. But, if a defense sacks a quarterback and puts the offense in a second or third and long situation, the chances are high that they will be unable to get a first down.

So, the occasional big play given up should be outweighed by the aggressive scheme so long as the Cowboys are able to successfully apply pressure and put opposing quarterbacks on their backside.

The Phillips 3-4 seems an especially good fit for the Dallas Cowboys. Love him or hate him, Bill Parcells brought in some outstanding talent on defense. A scheme that frees up DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, and Roy Williams to be more aggressive should pay off in big rewards.

Another key component of the scheme is the cornerbacks lining up on the outside of the receivers instead of on the inside. This helps take away sideline routes and allows the cornerback to get a better view of the quarterback, which should lead to more plays on the ball and (hopefully) more interceptions. It also forces the receivers toward the middle of the field, which is another advantage considering that is where Roy Williams roams looking for opportunities to unleash the big hit.

The combination of the aggressive blitzing scheme that fits the talent of some of our best players, and the new stance of the corners, should produce the perfect scheme to match Dallas’s talent.

If nothing else, it should be fun to watch.