Great article on Lebeau defense and why it no longer works!!!!!

[feltdizz]

and so do our statistics from last year

Please stop making sense...

[RobinCole]

DOS, I agree. The writer is pretty clearly saying that LeBeau, the guy who is too old to change, in fact did change his approach, and he has to get back to his stodgy old ways.

[Flasteel]

Glad to see others are beginning to see it isn't working anymore and it won't because as I said many times there is no margin for error in talent replacement fro what LeBeau wants to do. Hoping and praying for the next great Nose Tackle is foolish because there aren't enough with all the teams playing the 3-4. Waiting years to get the right combination of players isn't the answer. Not sure you sell out against the run, but how about putting four on the DL versus three to better control the LOS? On other points:

1. Agree with giving McCullers a chance. He is disruptive.
2. Jones isn't working, but pretty sure Harrison isn't the answer
3. Keep the safeties back since you will have to tackle the catch with the new contact rules and you can't have Troy out of position 50% of the time

It's not about 3-4 vs 4-3 and I'm pretty sure stout NTs are not unicorns. That said, your points mostly resonate with me.


I agree that McCullers might be the best option we have on our roster now. McClendon and Thomas are not impressive when it comes to eating blockers and pushing the pocket. In his brief appearances (albeit against mostly inferior competition), McCullers has been able to keep a low pad level and excel in both of those areas.


I'm also starting to have my doubts with Jones. The lack of pass rush is the number one problem with this defense. Period. Jones has not been able to generate anything in this department and the way he gets swallowed up by LTs has me worried that he may never pan out. It's way too early to consider going a different long-term direction, but it's not too early to go get an insurance policy. Harrison may not be the answer for the long-term, but I dare you to find a better insurance policy at ROLB than him. Personally, I would feel better knowing the possibility of generating pressure was at least there if Jones continues to flounder.


The best way we can help our corners is generate a pass rush. However, I would also like to see them play tighter coverage and have the safeties in a better position to cover over the top or make the tackle. I love the wild card with Troy lining up all over the place and he generally has the speed to recover, but too many times he is out of position and can't make the play. Mitchell has yet to show me he is anything other than a head hunter. The middle of the field and seams were the domain of the Eagles TEs, backs, and receivers last week. While much of that depends on LBs dropping back in coverage, a great deal of it should be pinned on the safties. It was simply fugly.

[steelsnis]

This article sums up why the internet is good and bad. It's good because of the sheer amount of info it puts out there. It's bad because any schmo off the street can put info out there and pose as an expert.

The writer of this article, telling everyone that he knows more about defensive schemes than of one of the great defensive minds of all time, is an Irish author who writes Christian novels.

Thats right, he's a novelist. Sure he's a Steelers fan, but so what? So am I, so are you, so are most people here. Doesn't make us experts. But put a byline up top and people immediately lend credibility to someone with zero NFL credentials.

The internet makes everyone an expert (in their own minds) these days. Let's just discount the real experts who've been studying NFL schemes, players, and concepts for years and years. Instead let's listen to a fan!!! Woo hooo!!!!

[Shawn]

Sure, let's sell out to stop the run in a league where the rules favor passing (this year more than ever before)!

I actually seen much logic in his reasoning. What we are doing now isn't slowing down the pass. With the current rules, teams will pass on you. It's about getting that one set of downs to roll in your favor...that long 3rd. By beefing up the front 7, you not only are better able to stop the run...setting up more 3rd and longs but you are also able to bring better pressure. I will say this again...you won't stop pass D's without a pass rush. The front 7 must be fierce. You must bump the WRs...disrupt timing and get in a QBs face. You must play nasty.

[Shawn]

This article sums up why the internet is good and bad. It's good because of the sheer amount of info it puts out there. It's bad because any schmo off the street can put info out there and pose as an expert.

The writer of this article, telling everyone that he knows more about defensive schemes than of one of the great defensive minds of all time, is an Irish author who writes Christian novels.

Thats right, he's a novelist. Sure he's a Steelers fan, but so what? So am I, so are you, so are most people here. Doesn't make us experts. But put a byline up top and people immediately lend credibility to someone with zero NFL credentials.

The internet makes everyone an expert (in their own minds) these days. Let's just discount the real experts who've been studying NFL schemes, players, and concepts for years and years. Instead let's listen to a fan!!! Woo hooo!!!!

At this point, I'm not sure the author of this article could do much worse.

[steelz09]

80% of that article is garbage. I swear I think idiocracy is really happening.

[Slapstick]

12 years ago, when Brady's Patriots* chewed up the Steelers with 63 pass attempts, people on a previous board went ballistic...

Since then, the Steelers brought back LeBeau, appeared in three Super Bowls, winning two of them...

Point of fact: In the NFL, talent is king...

Every coach is smart...some more than others...but every coach is smart...

Raiders' defensive coordinator Jason Tarver is considered an innovative defensive mind...how did that help the Raiders last season?

Chip Kelly, who's offense put on a show during the preseason struggled two thirds of the way through last season...

Pete Carroll's defense isn't especially innovative, based off of ideas gleaned from Monte Kiffin and George Seifert, but he has found the talent that fit his defense and it paid off...

The Steelers did not do an especially good job of replenishing talent in 2008 and 2009 with the draft, leading us to hold onto aging vets for too long and setting us up for salary cap failure in an attempt for "one more run"...

Those setbacks may take more time to work through...Cowher had three non-playoff seasons (including actual losing seasons, a feat that Tomlin has not yet duplicated), so I am willing to give a guy with a SB ring another season to right the ship before I start advocating wholesale changes in the defensive schemes...

The Steelers need their talent on both sides of the ball to play better...period...

Preseason means diddly squat...Steve Spurrier had a perfect preseason record, IIRC...how did that serve him?

I want to see how the team performs with proverbial live ammunition before I freak out and take the word of an alleged Irish romance novelist...

But, that's just me...

[Shawn]

That is just you. Because while he might be an "alleged" Irish romance novelist...his observations are sound. Now, your point on talent is well taken and we will not cure this with 2 rookies. I get that. But, IMO there is something inherently broken in a defensive scheme when you can't stop run or pass against a good O. The Steelers have traditionally prided themselves on making a team one sided. Now? Nothing...they can't stop a mild case of the sniffles. And we have seen this team perform with live ammo for two seasons...and seeing the same thing in the third. Nothing different. I guess a case could be made that we are "rebuilding".

[pfelix73]

Y'all please do me a favor and just relax. I'm not gonna go and proclaim that the D is broken over watching a preseason loss after, what? 3 1/2 weeks of football practice.. No game plans installed etc.... Let's see how September fares before we 'throw in the towel' on the 2014 season.. geesh....