LeBeau facing critical year in 2012

[feltdizz]

Unthinkable late TD by Baltimore? That's the second year in a row Baltimore has won with a late drive on our D. I think those drives are a primary example of how predictable we've become on D.

The worst part was McFadden starting that first game after showing nothing in preseason. It was another case of a guy starting just because he "knows" our D even though he sucked and was coming off of injury.

I would love to see our O ranked #1 but let's be realistic. You have to draft O early and often if you want to get the O where the D is...

[birtikidis]

I honestly think that outside of 2 spots on offense our problems on Offense have always been schematic (think bubble screen or reverse on 4th and long). And anyone on here can tell you that DJ is not an adequate lead blocker.

[squidkid]

Let Steelers FO start spending money on Offense till then i will give Steelers offense a pass.

A team without LT and RT for past 2 years..nuff said.

actually, using the salaries from 2011, the top 20 salaries paid to steeler players last season ........11 were on defense, 9 on offense. when totalled up, the offense and defense were only a million or so apart...........hmmmmm

[grotonsteel]

I'd love to see us use premium picks on the OL from now on. But think about it like this... How many pro-bowlers did we lose at various times the last 2 years on defense? Troy, Hampton, Deebo, Woodley, Smith (I know, not a pro-bowler but maybe the best 3-4 end ever). How many pro-bowlers did we lose on offense? Pouncey. I wouldn't say losing Colon was a big deal. he's not a big deal. he's adequate. Max played admirably last year, but not at a pro bowl level. I'd have no complaints if we went OG and then OT in this draft (actually I'd prefer it and NT in the third).

Injuries played a big part no doubt about it. If Kiesel and Hampton were not injured against Dnever i have no doubt Steelers would have won that game easily. But the thing is Steeler Nation treat Offense like a step child. Injuries on offensive side of the ball are always neglected.

Your OC and best O-lineman is injured or playing injured. QB is playing injured. Starting RB is injured. Your O-line keeping changing almost every week.

[grotonsteel]

actually, using the salaries from 2011, the top 20 salaries paid to steeler players last season ........11 were on defense, 9 on offense. when totalled up, the offense and defense were only a million or so apart...........hmmmmm

What were the Top-10 players salary on Steelers team?

Steelers FO made some poor desicion on J Scott and Kemo. Waste of money.

[squidkid]

What were the Top-10 players salary on Steelers team?

Steelers FO made some poor desicion on J Scott and Kemo. Waste of money.

well, what do you know. using the exact same site the top 10 salaries of the 2011 season went to 5 offensive players and 5 defensive players with the OFFENSIVE players making roughly 3 million than the defense.

[birtikidis]

Injuries played a big part no doubt about it. If Kiesel and Hampton were not injured against Dnever i have no doubt Steelers would have won that game easily. But the thing is Steeler Nation treat Offense like a step child. Injuries on offensive side of the ball are always neglected.

Your OC and best O-lineman is injured or playing injured. QB is playing injured. Starting RB is injured. Your O-line keeping changing almost every week.

ahhh if only or OC HAD been injured.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I would love to see our O ranked #1 but let's be realistic. You have to draft O early and often if you want to get the O where the D is...

First round picks under Colbert: Seven on offense (Burress, Simmons, Roethlisberger, Miller, Holmes, Mendenhall, Pouncey) and five on defense (Hampton, Polamalu, Timmons, Hood, Heyward).

Second round picks under Colbert: Four on offense (Smith, Randle El, Sweed, Gilbert) and six on defense (Bell, Jackson, Colclough, McFadden, Woodley, Worilds).

Third round picks under Colbert: Seven on offense (Starks, Essex, Reid, Spaeth, Urbik, Wallace, Sanders) and seven on defense (Clancy, Poteat, Hope, Smith, Davis, Lewis, Brown).

My math skills may not be top notch, but that would appear to be exactly 18 picks on offense and 18 picks on defense in the top three premium rounds of the draft.

[Crash]

This writer better be careful or he may be flogged.

[Oviedo]

Unthinkable late TD by Baltimore? That's the second year in a row Baltimore has won with a late drive on our D. I think those drives are a primary example of how predictable we've become on D.

The worst part was McFadden starting that first game after showing nothing in preseason. It was another case of a guy starting just because he "knows" our D even though he sucked and was coming off of injury.

I would love to see our O ranked #1 but let's be realistic. You have to draft O early and often if you want to get the O where the D is...

The predictability is the problem. Be honest. Those of us who watch ecvery game can't watch and know with an 80% accuracy when Woodley and/or Harrison are going to blitz. You don't think the opponents know too and that is why we have been susceptible to the short passes that eat us up year after year. Quote stats but how did we do against play off teams versus padding our stats against non-playoffs teams?

The problem is exactly as the article pointed out. We quit using inside blitzes from the ILBs so the oppoents know it is coming from the outside and they adjust their blocking scheemes. CB blitzes are forgotten way too often. The 3-4 depends on pressure and we don't get enough when it is just Woodley and Harrison over and over with the three DL "occupying" the OL.