Is this The Time For The Steelers to Consider Moving To 4-3 Cover 2 team ?

[Slapstick]

Our current system worked well for many years, however is the personel that we have or will have be better suited to play the 4-3?

I really don't know, but it appears our two #1 picks Hood & Heyward might have better results in that type of defense, and we might not have the LB core like in the past to stay with the 3-4.

There is a possibility we might lose James Harrison, and we'll need a ILB at some point especially if Foote retires, so I was wondering if there might be a change looming in the coming months.

If there was consideration to do this, it might change who we draft too, Safety is a position we talked about for the future as Troy and Clark are aging, but will a change make Safety even more relevant?

Personally, I'm not proposing we do this but I would be open to any change that can make us better with the personel we have.
Besides Heyward,Hood, Mclendon might thrive in 4-3 all younger playrer who are expected to be here for awhile.

I do know Mike Tomlin ran the Tampa Two in Minnesota, but when he came here he kept LeBeau's system intact but that was when we had Farrior a younger Foote and Harrison. To be succesful in a 3-4 you need really good LBers that we enjoyed for years but I wonder if thats coming to an end.
We would have our Starters in place@ LB if Harrison leaves with Woodley Timmons, and Worlids playing in the 4-3 spense as a back-up, Carter, and sylvester.

Your thoughts?

1) Dick LeBeau is coming back next year. He prefers the 3-4...

2) The defense was #1 in yards and, more importantly, #6 in scoring defense...

Despite what you may read in some people's posts, things are not broken, so they don't require fixing...

Now, after LeBeau leaves? Then, Tomlin and the DC (whether Butler or someone else) can run whatever defense they want...

[hawaiiansteel]

1) Dick LeBeau is coming back next year. He prefers the 3-4...

Now, after LeBeau leaves? Then, Tomlin and the DC (whether Butler or someone else) can run whatever defense they want...

this pretty much answers the question, no need to discuss this topic any further until Dick retires...

[Starlifter]

1) Dick LeBeau is coming back next year. He prefers the 3-4...

2) The defense was #1 in yards and, more importantly, #6 in scoring defense...

Despite what you may read in some people's posts, things are not broken, so they don't require fixing...

Now, after LeBeau leaves? Then, Tomlin and the DC (whether Butler or someone else) can run whatever defense they want...

do they keep a stat of blown leads and last minute drive success?

Peyton manning is awesome for stats - except when it's crunch time in the playoffs. Over the last few years our defense has mellowed into something that's built on scheme and not overpowering physical. do we control the line of scrimmage anymore? how are our sacks and turnovers? those are things that go beyond the stats and tell the true story of how dominating a defense is. I don't care if our defense only allows 7 points a game. if it's the last drive of the game they give it up on so we lose 7-6 it's a failure in my book. we lost more than a handful of games this year by less than one score that was achieved in the last minute. if only they had been #5 in scoring defense we probably would have made the playoffs!