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SteelCrazy
04-11-2011, 11:28 PM
With the reigning AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers thin at cornerback and Ike Taylor about to hit free agency, we have more statistical evidence why it's vital for Pittsburgh to address this need in the offseason.

According to ESPN's Stats and Information, NFL offenses are increasingly using three or more receivers, which dictates personnel on defense. In 2010 teams lined up three or more receivers on offense 48.2 percent of the time, up from 46.1 percent in 2009 and 45.7 percent in 2008.

As a result, defenses needed to use three or more cornerbacks on 48.5 percent of snaps last season. For Pittsburgh, that means some combination of backups William Gay, Anthony Madison and Crezdon Butler would need to see the field on nearly half of the defense's plays.

The Green Bay Packers, who run a West Coast offense, won Super Bowl XLV in February primarily by utilizing multiple-receiver sets to take advantage of Pittsburgh's lack of secondary depth. Passing teams like the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots also were able to expose this weakness last season.

Thanks to various rule changes the past several years, it's harder than ever to defend the pass, and it's up to the Steelers to adjust. Pittsburgh rarely uses first-round picks on cornerbacks because its primary focus is dominating the line of scrimmage. But statistical evidence suggests the Steelers might want to reconsider and invest more resources into pass defense.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_ ... ed-cb-help (http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/26366/more-evidence-steelers-need-cb-help)

hawaiiansteel
04-12-2011, 03:24 AM
I don't need any more evidence, I watched our games against the Pats*, Saints and Packers.

Oviedo
04-12-2011, 07:56 AM
I don't need any more evidence, I watched our games against the Pats*, Saints and Packers.

It's obvious to anyone who wants to see it versus blindly defending whatever LeBeau throws out their and whatever scheme he calls.

We have not developed a decent CB since Ike. That is a condemnation on the entire system. If it is because the defense is too complex then freaking modify it!!!

Chadman
04-12-2011, 09:49 AM
There are a number of factors that go into the need for CB. It's not like they've had terrible CB play for years & haven't developed anyone. B-Mac struggled last season, but was a 2nd round draft pick that became at worst, a decent starter before last season. William Gay was a 5th round pick, that showed he can't be a starter. But as a Nickle- he isn't the worst player ever used. Keenan Lewis was close to taking the starting CB role before his head exploded in pre-season. This is why Lewis stayed over Burnett- Lewis has the talent to start, and might not be as far away as we all think.

Now, our pass D problems are not all CB. Lets face it- Ryan Clark is a good hitter, but he's behind Gay & McFadden for pass coverage. Not surprising that the guy covering for B-Mac most of the time is Clark when you see how often B-Mac gets beaten. Not saying Clark is done for or bad- just that he doesn't help against spread offenses or much in man coverage. Better coverage from the FS spot might make our CB's look a little better.

Also, despite always having a good amount of sacks to our name- maybe Chadman's eyes decieve him, but the pass rush is not quite as good as it has been. It's not necessarily Harrison or Woodley or Timmons or Farrior at fault- although they are not blameless, but perhaps Smith, Keisel & Hampton are slowing more than we noticed? Against the run- they are good, but can they collapse a pocket enough to generate enough pressure to force a QB off his game? Not as often as you'd hope. It would be interesting to see at what point McFadden's struggles got amplified- was it after Aaron Smith went down?

And then there's the 'system'. More than the lack of any ability- if a CB stands 10 yards off a WR, and the QB takes a 2 step drop & throws- that WR is going to be underneath the CB coverage almost every time. Short throws don't give the CB enough time to close on the WR from that distance- meaning the Steelers can get dinked & dunked easily.

So, to 'fix' the Steelers pass defense, better penetration from the front 3 will allow the LB's to generate pressure themselves- forcing the QB into more pressured decisions. This might give the CB's more chance to stick to the WR on longer pass plays- but it also should make the shorter pass plays more...erratic- possibly forcing turnovers. And if Clark/FS could just give better help over the top- we might find the CB situation to be not as bad as advertised.

StarSpangledSteeler
04-12-2011, 01:15 PM
And then there's the 'system'. More than the lack of any ability- if a CB stands 10 yards off a WR, and the QB takes a 2 step drop & throws- that WR is going to be underneath the CB coverage almost every time. Short throws don't give the CB enough time to close on the WR from that distance- meaning the Steelers can get dinked & dunked easily.



Very solid evaluation. As I was reading, this was the part that stuck out to me the most. The really good passing teams will beat us with short-short-short-short-short. Why is this the case? Primarily because LeBeau's fear of getting beat deep has gone to new extremes. Even the players (who revere him) had to step in last year and say "Coach, if we're gonna get beat, at least let us do it with blitzes and tight coverage. LeBeau conceded, and we made it to the Super Bowl. Against poor teams the ten yards cushion strategy works because they can't execute 55 pass plays without making some huge mistakes. Brady, Manning, Brees, and now apparently Rodgers can throw it 70 times a game and maintain their accuracy so you have to play them differently and LeBeau is honestly very stubborn in this regard. Remember the Rams (greatest show on turf) an the early Colts? The only way to stop them was to beat the hell out of their WR's coming off the line. That's what the Pats did (along with some performance enhancing scouting) and it worked consistently. We actually do have some physical CB's, LeBeau just won't let them jam for fear of giving up a quick 7. We could have Revis and Asomuogh and I swear he would still play them 8 yards off. (Also we have nobody who can cover a legit TE but that's a different story.)

steelz09
04-12-2011, 02:27 PM
Good observation Chadman.

One thing I've noticed is the Steelers have a real hard time generating a pass rush with 3-4 or even 5 people. They're normally having to bring the house to get pressure.

The problem is that leaves our CB's exposed and especially are very easily picked apart in the short passing game. The QB's that have a quick release can pick apart our defense.

The Giants a few years ago were the perfect example. The Giants being able to provide serious pressure using only their front 4 in the SB is what beat the Pats that year.

NJ-STEELER
04-12-2011, 10:11 PM
to boot

kiper is predicting cincy and clownland picking green and jones with their 1st round picks


yikes!!!!

hawaiiansteel
04-12-2011, 10:27 PM
to boot

kiper is predicting cincy and clownland picking green and jones with their 1st round picks

yikes!!!!


Green, Jones best of WRs

By Bob Labriola - Steelers Digest

(A series looking at the top players at various positions leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft, set for April 28-30.)

http://www.steelers.com/assets/images/imported/PIT/photos/article/AJ_Green_Wide_Receiver_article.jpg

They were Parade All-Americans at the same time, they entered the Southeastern Conference at the same time, they tortured SEC defenses at the same time, and now Georgia’s A.J. Green and Alabama’s Julio Jones will enter the NFL at the same time, literally, as likely first-round picks in the 2011 draft.

It’s expected that Green (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) will be the first wide receiver selected on April 28, and there have been various versions of the draft forecast where he is the first overall pick. Green was an All-SEC player as a freshman, and he finished his three-year college career with 23 receiving touchdowns. He is said to be a quarterback’s dream.

Jones had his stock rise considerably after running a 4.39 at the Combine, and the fact he did it two days after the diagnosis of a stress fracture in his left foot simply added to the achievement. Jones also has had the experience of being a go-to receiver for a team involved in pressure situations, a team playing games that ended with trophy presentations, and so the NFL won’t be too big for him. Probably would fit best with a team employing a West Coast-style offense.

After Green and Jones are drafted, and they will go in that order, the way the wide receivers come off the board could be based upon what a particular team prefers.

For teams that like size, there is Pitt’s Jon Baldwin (6-4, 230) or Miami’s Lance Hankerson (6-2, 210). If a team is looking for a receiver who can be effective in the slot, there are three popular choices – Troy’s Jerrel Jernigan, Kentucky’s Randall Cobb and Indiana’s Tandon Doss. For teams most interested in players capable of forcing opponents to respect their speed, there are Titus Young from Boise State and Edmond Gates of Abilene Christian.

Cobb started four games at quarterback during his freshman season at Kentucky, and his versatile skill set could have made him a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2011 had he stayed for his senior season. As it was, as a team captain in 2010 Cobb scored seven touchdowns receiving and five more rushing, he threw three touchdown passes and returned a punt for a touchdown; he also returned kickoffs and served as the team’s holder for placekicks.

Young ran a 4.43 at the Combine, but in addition to his straight-line speed he also is elusive and tough to get on the ground, and it’s going to be important for him to maintain that elusiveness if he plans on playing at 174 pounds in the NFL. Gates ran a 4.31 at the Combine.

THE 2010 NFL DRAFT, WR STATISTICS

Number drafted: 28

Picks by round: 2 in the first; 2 in the second; 8 in the third; 4 in the fourth; 3 in the fifth; 5 in the sixth; 4 in the seventh

Highest pick: Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech, Round 1, 22nd overall, by Denver
Biggest impact: Mike Williams, Syracuse, picked in the fourth round, 101st overall by Tampa Bay, started 16 games and had 65 catches for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/ ... 492b40672c (http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Green-Jones-best-of-WRs/23a27ef4-a75b-43b9-af4c-b5492b40672c)