Here's why Butler WONT be fired...

[Ernie]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense

[Starlifter]

we weren't #6 when it mattered. if fans can see it, so can the people running the show.

if there isn't some sort of change on defense - this city may have a meltdown.

[Buzz]

Butler sucked in situational football -- when it mattered, we couldn't stop opponents, and he couldn't come up with anything to help in that regard.

[Steel Maniac]

Butler sucked in situational football -- when it mattered, we couldn't stop opponents, and he couldn't come up with anything to help in that regard.

Butler's defense couldn't stop the Raiders on their final drive. Nuff said. Now go look how a satistically worse defense of the Chiefs manhandled the Raiders yesterday. :rolleyes:

[NorthCoast]

Butler's defense couldn't stop the Raiders on their final drive. Nuff said. Now go look how a satistically worse defense of the Chiefs manhandled the Raiders yesterday. :rolleyes:It's a divisional game good grief. So MIA beats NE in MIA, doesn't make them any better than what their record says.

[brothervad]

It's a divisional game good grief. So MIA beats NE in MIA, doesn't make them any better than what their record says.

Not sure what your point is here NC. When a lesser team plays lights out against a dominant team within the same division...that phrase is often applied.

When a non-divisional superior opponent gets "lights outed" by a inferior team...it's considered problematic.

Look we won yesterday and to most it's all about the W...but there is something beyond the W & L here that has to be looked at and addressed.

New England faced an inferior opponent in the NYJ and needed to win to secure a bye/2nd seed. They went out and conducted business and thumped the Jets.

The Steelers were playing a mortally wounded Bengals team (18 players on IR, keep that in mind btw thinking about how the Steelers have been pretty injury free over the last 2 seasons) and their backs were to the wall.

And they looked lousy and played in a death struggle.

This is not about the Patriot way really. There is something missing from the Steelers. It's not tangible either. The Steelers D is no great shakes, but neither are the Rams or Chiefs which are one of the top 2 seeds in their respective conferences.

You can chalk it up to bad luck, football gods, and all the excuse making you want. The fact is that the team did not execute with a sense of purpose in almost every single loss they had this year.

That comes down to leadership or lack thereof. And that starts at the top - the head coach.

brothervad

[Steel Maniac]

Well said.

[squidkid]

didnt read the link but i think #6 was yards. i believe we were #16 points allowed.
and lets be honest, when you are number 16 in defense and number 6 in offense, you should be able to make the playoffs

[Ghost]

These stats are meaningless without context.
Up 21-7 in 4th vs Browns. Couldn’t hold.
Largest lost 2nd half lead at home ever vs Chargers
Lost lead vs Raiders in 4th (drives of 75 and 78 yards)
Lost lead vs Saints in 4th
Tied for 29th in league in takeaways (horrendous)

Saying this D was good is the equivalent of saying the season was a success because the record was above .500. This season was an abject failure.

[squidkid]

These stats are meaningless without context.
Up 21-7 in 4th vs Browns. Couldn’t hold.
Largest lost 2nd half lead at home ever vs Chargers
Lost lead vs Raiders in 4th (drives of 75 and 78 yards)
Lost lead vs Saints in 4th
Tied for 29th in league in takeaways (horrendous)

Saying this D was good is the equivalent of saying the season was a success because the record was above .500. This season was an abject failure.


not to some tomlin fans

[BURGH86STEEL]

Not sure what your point is here NC. When a lesser team plays lights out against a dominant team within the same division...that phrase is often applied.

When a non-divisional superior opponent gets "lights outed" by a inferior team...it's considered problematic.

Look we won yesterday and to most it's all about the W...but there is something beyond the W & L here that has to be looked at and addressed.

New England faced an inferior opponent in the NYJ and needed to win to secure a bye/2nd seed. They went out and conducted business and thumped the Jets.

The Steelers were playing a mortally wounded Bengals team (18 players on IR, keep that in mind btw thinking about how the Steelers have been pretty injury free over the last 2 seasons) and their backs were to the wall.

And they looked lousy and played in a death struggle.

This is not about the Patriot way really. There is something missing from the Steelers. It's not tangible either. The Steelers D is no great shakes, but neither are the Rams or Chiefs which are one of the top 2 seeds in their respective conferences.

You can chalk it up to bad luck, football gods, and all the excuse making you want. The fact is that the team did not execute with a sense of purpose in almost every single loss they had this year.

That comes down to leadership or lack thereof. And that starts at the top - the head coach.

brothervad
Well it started with the way Ben played vs Cincy. When the QB struggles it looks bad. Ben has the clunkers in him. Maybe the Steelers flaw is they rely to heavily on Ben? Maybe they need to run the ball more? That would mean a change in philosophy of taking the ball out of Ben's hands. They will need RB's that can stay healthy or the plan fails. Up grade the RB position in FA or the draft. Draft linemen that are more adept at run blocking than pass blocking. As constructed I don't believe the Steelers Oline is one that's going to blow teams off the ball.

If AB is becoming a problem what should the Steelers do with him? Trade him? Cut him? That decision will be an organizational decision.

[winwithd]

Draft linemen that are more adept at run blocking than pass blocking. As constructed I don't believe the Steelers Oline is one that's going to blow teams off the ball.

I thought for several years now that Pouncey was soft as an offensive lineman. I started thinking that because its seems we've never been able to run up the middle vs the Ravens with him as center. If this OL is possibly the best in football as I've been hearing as the season has gone on, why could we not run the ball in Oakland. We suck in running in short yardage situations. It seems the only big runs come up the sideline. So DeCastro and Pouncey can run, pull, and bounce it outside but are not roadgraders. Why are the Ravens able to rack up so many rushing yards when everyone knows they are going to run. Seems to me that maybe the Ravens have the best Oline in football.

While we are at it, can we get a defensive coach that can teach players to punch the ball out? Is there technique there that can be taught? Seems easy for other teams but not us.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Draft linemen that are more adept at run blocking than pass blocking. As constructed I don't believe the Steelers Oline is one that's going to blow teams off the ball.

I thought for several years now that Pouncey was soft as an offensive lineman. I started thinking that because its seems we've never been able to run up the middle vs the Ravens with him as center. If this OL is possibly the best in football as I've been hearing as the season has gone on, why could we not run the ball in Oakland. We suck in running in short yardage situations. It seems the only big runs come up the sideline. So DeCastro and Pouncey can run, pull, and bounce it outside but are not roadgraders. Why are the Ravens able to rack up so many rushing yards when everyone knows they are going to run. Seems to me that maybe the Ravens have the best Oline in football.

While we are at it, can we get a defensive coach that can teach players to punch the ball out? Is there technique there that can be taught? Seems easy for other teams but not us.
Pouncy has his strengths and weaknesses. Injuries probably took some of his lower body strength away. He sill moves, pulls, and gets the 2nd level well for a big man. The Steelers Oline is one of the better pass blocking units. Most teams favor the passing games now. It's easier to pass the ball then it is to run the ball. I am not 100 percent sure but some of the success the Steelers had in the run game came off the threat of their ability to pass the ball.

The Ravens continue to run their QB the way that they do he is going to get injured.

I believe the Steelers teach it. Being in position to create those turnovers can be random events at times.

[Steelhere10]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense

When you draft defense heavy over the last 5 years, that is exactly what stats should be. A good to decent coach will have them playing at a SB level.

[hawaiiansteel]

Kozora: Keith Butler Must Be Fired

By Alex Kozora
Posted on December 31, 2018


https://steelersdepot.com/2018/12/kozora-keith-butler-must-be-fired/

[Iron City Inc.]

Just from a schematic look Butler needs to be questioned when we have "dime " in on our own goal line and they have 6 O linemen and not an empty set and we do not shoot gaps we play off. Off. Even on an empty set any qb will check to a qb draw and walk in. Needless to say the back walked in against us on that play.
Too we often tried to cover slot receivers with 4.8 lb's. This is a tall task to order. Yeah if a monster rush offsets the play sure. When it doesn't a performance like the one against Chargers occurs and you get smoked. At camp we saw a bunch of big nicklel n even some 2-2-7 a few times yet during the year it was a lot of base. Our base D just gave up way to much to 11 personal and often because we do not have the players to play the schemes we employ.
Change the thinking or change the players but change is coming. Perhaps to coach Butler and others.
I'm going to wait a few days and kind of give the dust a chance to settle before I sum up the season. It's never as bad as it seems so step back from the ledge if u r out there.

[Steel Maniac]

Scheme change.. okay. Then is it time we seriously consider going back to a for real 4-3 defense then? Considering our struggles at finding decent linebackers it would help.

[Iron City Inc.]

Scheme change.. okay. Then is it time we seriously consider going back to a for real 4-3 defense then? Considering our struggles at finding decent linebackers it would help.

Well I believe the hybrids are the way to go. And a Mike hybrid is not a bad thing imho. In fact that type of player forces the O to guess a bit if u have someone who can play in the box yet not get swallowed up inside. Look how an amoeba D causes uncertain blocking schemes the hybrids create the same questions. Allows you to get mismatches in rushing situations and that is a formula to pressure n turnovers. Baltimore used this a bunch this year causing blocking scheme issues.

[pittpete]

Butler defenses DO NOT get takeaways
15 takeaways doesnt cut it
tied for 3rd worst in the league
Yards allowed is a skewed stat and always has been.

[NorthCoast]

Butler defenses DO NOT get takeaways
15 takeaways doesnt cut it
tied for 3rd worst in the league
Yards allowed is a skewed stat and always has been.

A few of us have been saying the same. Giving the ball away, but not taking it away = Formula for losses.

[winwithd]

we weren't #6 when it mattered. if fans can see it, so can the people running the show.

if there isn't some sort of change on defense - this city may have a meltdown.

It would be interesting to know where the pass defense ranked when playing man and where they ranked when playing zone. It seems like I read on here some people think whenever the defense played zone we got torched.

[papillon]

didnt read the link but i think #6 was yards. i believe we were #16 points allowed.
and lets be honest, when you are number 16 in defense and number 6 in offense, you should be able to make the playoffs

That is true but just as much as that is true, you don't throw the baby out with the bath water because of one disappointing season, at least I wouldn't.

Pappy