This D is awful

[Oviedo]

Oviedo, you are aware that Coach Lebeau's system is a product of and a direct action response to "High flying" pass first and foremost offensive football right ? Give him even a decent measure of personnel and there remains very few systems that can match it in league history. Players whom have played for him and within the system will tell anyone as much.

Is it an error on his part for attempting to run it as he always has even in light of the fact that we no longer really have the players to do so ? Perhaps,...i will give you that,...but i do not agree that he is inept and or no longer "knows what to do" per say.

If you don't have the same players then you adjust to fit your players abilities. We were very lucky to have the perfect combination of players for the 3-4 for about 7-8 years, but their gone and we need to replace them faster rather than wait a year or two. Therefore adjust the defense to get contributions sooner from the young players who will be filling the roster over the next couple of years.

[Steelhere10]

It's ironic that great QB which is also considered a passing team always thrash a DL DEFENSE.. And now the league has become just that, and also make his philosophy obsolete.

[Töm87]

While the D yet again allowed some comical plays i am not ready to give the offense a pass. After all, we had all the opportunities in our hands with 8 minutes left. We had the ball we had the lead and the momentum. All we had to do is take of some time off the clock and get into field goal position? What did we deo? Absoluetly nothing!!!!!!!

Speaking of the defense what really annoyes me most are those third down struggles. It's simply not understandably why so often on 3rd downs opposing receivers are soooooooooooooo damn wide open.

[Steelhere10]

Because the QB is never pressured, only sending 3 OR 4 will get any wr open if that QB have 5sec to find him.

[Shawn]

Ummm... you talk like they've been mediocre for years. Guess the fact that they were 5th in scoring defense last season, and 1st in 2011 still doesnt do it for you? They lost two defensive leaders before the season, and it's that loss that is causing problems.

LeBeau's D hasn't been great for years despite the lofty numbers. They haven't been able to stop a good passing team for as long as I can remember, now they can't stop the run either.

[Sword]

We play scared on 3rd downs...to conservative .. this is part of the problem on top of the crazy cushion and some old players that need to go....

[feltdizz]

While the D yet again allowed some comical plays i am not ready to give the offense a pass. After all, we had all the opportunities in our hands with 8 minutes left. We had the ball we had the lead and the momentum. All we had to do is take of some time off the clock and get into field goal position? What did we deo? Absoluetly nothing!!!!!!!

Speaking of the defense what really annoyes me most are those third down struggles. It's simply not understandably why so often on 3rd downs opposing receivers are soooooooooooooo damn wide open.

The O flipped the field though and the D gives up a 55 yard run and made Clay look like Bettis on their last TD.

I don't think anyone is saying this O is without fault but this thread is about the woes on D.

[feltdizz]

Also remember this was MIAMI in the SNOW...

an O that never scored more than 27 points...

and a 2nd year QB who never played in the snow...

We are the cure for whatever sickness an offense has all year. We are the only team that makes Tebow look like Montana and makes every no name athlete look like a Hofer. It's a Pittsburgh thing.

[Starlifter]

Look, we've been seeing it for the last few years - but we don't want to believe it. the NFL is a PR machine - so they embrace 'statistics' to paint pictures of success. How many times over the last several years have we heard we have a #1 D with regards to one meaningless statistic? who cares if we're tops in points allowed when we're last in 3rd down completion? who cares if we rank high in pass defense when we surrender more 4th quarter leads than anyone else?

is it scheme? is it personnel? probably both.

We've been running this scheme for near two decades now. the only ones it confuses anymore are young QB's in their first few years. However when you lack the personnel to execute it, even they will have success. Does anyone think our zone blitz confuses brady, manning, brees etc?

So we need to stop thinking this is a one dimensional fix. This is a complete overhaul in every facet.

yes, the offense stinks too - but if you subscribe to the mantra that defense wins championships then you accept the fact we have a franchise QB who will win you games. So fix the other side of the ball first.

[fezziwig]

Every year we talk about our corners giving 10 yard cushions. Could it be we always have guys that are slow and need to keep everything in front of them ? I think our defense is more worried about stopping the run games and having strong corners that can come up and make a tackle. All this is just a guess on my part because these guys have also seemed to lose the ability to tackle. Our defense or Lebeaus defense only seemed to dominate when Harrison was at his peak. Yes, we were/had good defenses and all that but, a lot of the stats go back when a lot of running was still going on with the offenses. Even back in the day only to lose to teams when you had an opposing offense that could carve up a Lebeau secondary. Special teams, and an offense able to put up a lot of points seemed to be what our Steelers need because, our defense seldom gets to the quarterback or gets the turnovers. Aging players, Lebeau being predictable, draft picks, classes not stepping up, egos of playing guys that shouldn't be starters and taking years for guys to develop. Signing old players when they should be looking at free agents.... It goes on and on.