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

[supersteeler]

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?

[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...

[phillyesq]

I would be shocked if anybody on the coaching staff or in the f.o. has mentioned this even once.

[steelz09]

No.... I don't want to switch the defense, especially to the Tampa-2 when Tomlin could get fired if he and his team perform the way they did this past year.

[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...

[supersteeler]

Found this after reading up on the subject.




But now, is it time for a change? Time to switch back to the 4-3 for the very same reasons Widenhofer gave for switching 30 years ago: to suit their talent?
They had an abundance at linebacker for most of the past three decades. They no longer do. It began when they released James Farrior. James Harrison will be 35 next season and has a $10 million salary cap number on a team that again must make tough choices to get under it for 2013. The only other Pro Bowl linebacker on the team is LaMarr Woodley. Larry Foote will be 33 next season but is playing at a good level.

On the other hand, they have invested much more recently into their defensive line. They used two first-round draft choices on ends Ziggy Hood and Cam Heyward. Another former No. 1, nose tackle Casey Hampton, is 35 and took a pay cut to play in what looks to be his final season. They used a fourth-round draft choice to take what some thought was his successor in Alameda Ta'amu but his status remains questionable for reasons on and off the field. They also have two other linemen they like, tackle Steve McLendon and end Al Woods.

How would a 4-3 alignment look in 2013 if, say, Harrison, Hampton and Brett Keisel, who will be 34 next year, were no longer here?

Start with the two top picks. Hood would play defensive tackle next to, say, McLendon. Heyward would line up at an end. That leaves one more end on the line. Woodley played there at Michigan and is big enough to play the position. Woods could be an option. Or Jason Worilds. They also could draft or sign one.

They could move Lawrence Timmons to outside linebacker, which suits his talents in the 4-3, with Woodley more likely the other rather than moving to end. That leaves the middle linebacker to Foote or Sean Spence, who is spending his rookie season on injured reserve. Spence also could play outside linebacker.

Viable?

"We can do it," said Foote, who noted they have practiced the 4-3, especially last season when Harrison and Woodley were hurt. Just in case.

He also noted that coordinator Dick LeBeau, linebackers coach Keith Butler (coordinator in waiting) and coach Mike Tomlin all have worked with 4-3 defenses.

"We threw it in when our linebackers got hurt and we were down in numbers," Foote said. "... We had it to a point, we repped it and they were comfortable running it."

Woodley said he prefers to play linebacker in the 3-4 because his duties are more varied than when he played end at Michigan and mostly rushed the quarterback.

"Could we transition to it? Yeah, we can transition to it," Woodley said. "We have enough of everything to transition to it."

It's not far-fetched, again for the same reasons they switched 30 years ago to the 3-4: That's what the talent could dictate as their linebackers age.


Talent dicates what a Coach can do, LeBeau can't run the 3-4 with a drop off of talent @ LB and remain successful, unless we get help in the draft.

[lloydroid]

Oh, revisiting this subject again? How many times does it make the re-emergence of this thread? All we have to know is Dick is back, so this is 100% of a non-subject. Once he retires, we can re-visit. I also started a thread on this, so, I guess what's one more time matter?

[supersteeler]

Oh, revisiting this subject again? How many times does it make the re-emergence of this thread? All we have to know is Dick is back, so this is 100% of a non-subject. Once he retires, we can re-visit. I also started a thread on this, so, I guess what's one more time matter?

I wasn't aware that this was brought up before being a newer member here. Also as I pointed out I wasn't proposing a change, however there is validity to it > See the LB corps if Siverback retires or isn't signed.

I would think talent dictates what you can employ on defense or offense, we can't run the ball on offense because of it.

[Shawn]

As long as the father of the 3-4 is our DC, we will play 3-4. Lets discuss this again after he retires.

[lloydroid]

I wasn't aware that this was brought up before being a newer member here. Also as I pointed out I wasn't proposing a change, however there is validity to it > See the LB corps if Siverback retires or isn't signed.

I would think talent dictates what you can employ on defense or offense, we can't run the ball on offense because of it.

No worries. I started a thread on this same topic. I proposed going with a DL of Woodley (let him just stay too heavy for a LB and put him at DE), Hood, Heyward, McClendon, Keisel, Woods, and a rookie or two. Then go with Worilds, Timmons and Harrison at LB. Maybe Spense could be in the mix. We could do some kind of hybrid like NE has been doing. It just seems we could be getting more out of the players we have. IDK

[Slapstick]

I read the article...I think it's from back in October...

The Steelers did practice the 4-3...that in and of itself is interesting...

LeBeau has changed his defense from the 3-4 to the 4-3 before, when he was in Cincinnati...it was dictated by the talent available...

[url]http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67849481.html[/url]

Also (from the NY Times Fifth Down Blog):

Zone blitz concepts can be run from a 4-3 front as well, if you’ve got the athletes to do it. Capers used the zone blitz in a 4-3 in Jacksonville, but had the luxury of players like Tony Brackens and Bryce Paup off the edge.

Carnell Lake played for that Jacksonville team...

Now, I don't necessarily believe that the defense will change...but, I am saying that LeBeau would be willing to adjust to the talent...

[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!

[feltdizz]

ask Ovi.....

[supersteeler]

I read the article...I think it's from back in October...

The Steelers did practice the 4-3...that in and of itself is interesting...

LeBeau has changed his defense from the 3-4 to the 4-3 before, when he was in Cincinnati...it was dictated by the talent available...



Also (from the NY Times Fifth Down Blog):



Carnell Lake played for that Jacksonville team...

Now, I don't necessarily believe that the defense will change...but, I am saying that LeBeau would be willing to adjust to the talent...

Thats what I 'm saying, most likely he won't change it but we could morph into a 4-3, its not like they haven't practiced it due to injuries.
Looking back on the 2012 season if there was one paticular positions that underperformed on defense it was our OLB's. Harrison our best OLB when healthy might not be here next season unless they work out some deal with him.
Is Woodley going to regain his former high level play?

We had our lowest amount of sacks the last few years, and QB pressures, so that tells me the LB play declined as opposed to years past. Not just that, but I think the talent on our D-line is better suited to play in a 4-3, IMHO.
The players think they can do it, but Lamar prefers the 3-4 but also said it can be done, so it will be up to LeBeau. Do we still have the pieces to retain the 3-4 or is a change a possibility due to the talent we have.

[steelz09]

I think it has less to do with scheme and more to do with our players not winning their 1-on-1 matchups.