Butler Says Woodley is "Where We Need to Have Him"

[ikestops85]

He didn't rush the QB as much last year because when he did he never even got close to said QB. We should have rubbed the footballs with some steak then maybe he would have found the quarterback.

[hawaiiansteel]

LaMarr Woodley: Steelers scheme kept my sacks down in 2012

Posted by Josh Alper on August 1, 2013

After some criticism that his offseason conditioning work wasn’t up to snuff early in the offseason, the Steelers feel linebacker LaMarr Woodley is “where we need to have him” in training camp.

Those complaints came with the implication that Woodley’s injury issues and paltry sack totals last season were because he wasn’t in good enough shape and that a more diligent offseason will eliminate those issues. Woodley thinks there’s another reason in addition to injuries why his pass rushing production dropped, however, and that’s the role he was asked to play in the Steelers defense.

In defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s zone-blitz heavy scheme, Woodley is sometimes asked to drop into pass coverage rather than get after the quarterback. Woodley feels he was asked to do that too often in 2012 and hopes that won’t be the case again this season.

“I’d definitely like to get back to doing more rushing than dropping back in coverage because my game is predicated on sacks and this defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback, making quarterbacks make bad decisions and allowing our secondary to make plays,” Woodley said, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

With James Harrison gone and a battle on to replace him at the other outside linebacker spot, the Steelers will be leaning more heavily on Woodley in 2012 however they choose to use him. Letting him loose to do what he does best would seem to be the best thing for both him and the team, so we’ll see if LeBeau heeds Woodley’s call once the season gets underway.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/01/lamarr-woodley-steelers-scheme-kept-sacks-down-in-2012/[/URL]

[Oviedo]

LaMarr Woodley: Steelers scheme kept my sacks down in 2012

Posted by Josh Alper on August 1, 2013

After some criticism that his offseason conditioning work wasn’t up to snuff early in the offseason, the Steelers feel linebacker LaMarr Woodley is “where we need to have him” in training camp.

Those complaints came with the implication that Woodley’s injury issues and paltry sack totals last season were because he wasn’t in good enough shape and that a more diligent offseason will eliminate those issues. Woodley thinks there’s another reason in addition to injuries why his pass rushing production dropped, however, and that’s the role he was asked to play in the Steelers defense.

In defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s zone-blitz heavy scheme, Woodley is sometimes asked to drop into pass coverage rather than get after the quarterback. Woodley feels he was asked to do that too often in 2012 and hopes that won’t be the case again this season.

“I’d definitely like to get back to doing more rushing than dropping back in coverage because my game is predicated on sacks and this defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback, making quarterbacks make bad decisions and allowing our secondary to make plays,” Woodley said, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

With James Harrison gone and a battle on to replace him at the other outside linebacker spot, the Steelers will be leaning more heavily on Woodley in 2012 however they choose to use him. Letting him loose to do what he does best would seem to be the best thing for both him and the team, so we’ll see if LeBeau heeds Woodley’s call once the season gets underway.

[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/01/lamarr-woodley-steelers-scheme-kept-sacks-down-in-2012/[/URL]

Whoa! Careful now the scheme can't be questioned not even by a player who is part of it. Why give any credence to a player who wants to attack the QB when we can be 'occupying blockers" and "tackling the catch"

[Slapstick]

Whoa! Careful now the scheme can't be questioned not even by a player who is part of it. Why give any credence to a player who wants to attack the QB when we can be 'occupying blockers" and "tackling the catch"

Yeah! LeBeau's scheme is a waste and has never contributed to the Steelers' success!!!

[Captain QB]

Yeah! LeBeau's scheme is a waste and has never contributed to the Steelers' success!!!

No one is saying LeBeau never contributed to the Steelers success. It is a fair question to wonder why pass rushers are dropping into coverage more, especially when the defense had trouble getting sacks and forcing turnovers.

[steelfin]

It would be fair to check the statistics before questioning DL and scheme....Obviously you missed the thread from phillyesq.

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette[URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/EdBouchette/status/362982827014369281"]28m[/URL]“[URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/FBALL_Andrea"]@FBALL_Andrea[/URL]: [URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/EdBouchette"]@EdBouchette[/URL] According to [URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/PFF"]@PFF[/URL], Woodley had 135 coverage snaps last year, 104 in 2011 and 204 in 2010." ...Missed 1/2 of '11

Seems to me that Woodley had more coverage sacks in 2010...and slightly less in 2011...with below average production. Check sack totals in 2010....

Sounds like someone coming to work not in shape to do their job....man up...dont make excuses.

[NorthCoast]

Well, them dropping him into coverage is more a function of his pass-rushing prowess then it is the team's decision. You think we'd drop Aldon Smith the same amount? No. Because Smith gets to the QB. Woodley wasn't (because he got fat), and so they have to play more games with him (i.e. trying to fool them).

Agreed. Woodley's got it backwards. Wants more rushes to show what he can do, rather than making the most of those opportunities that he is given.

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed: Linebackers 'A Question Mark'

TUESDAY, 06 AUGUST 2013 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Good morning,

James Harrison left for Cincinnati, LaMarr Woodley is trying to overcome the past 1 ½ seasons of inadequate play, and James Farrior is two years removed.

What has become of the great Steelers linebacking corps, the position that produced the most Pro Bowl appearances in franchise history?

“It’s a question mark,’’ said Larry Foote, the greybeard and ironman of the group.

Linebacker has been the one position that has avoided question mark status for a long time, but that’s precisely what they are heading into 2013, especially on the outside.

Inside, Foote and Lawrence Timmons were rocks, the top two tacklers on the team, although Foote will dispute who finished first. Outside, they were disappointing the past two seasons. Woodley had four sacks the past 1 ½ seasons and Harrison’s injuries reduced his effectiveness at the same time.

“We need Woodley to go back to what he’s normally doing,’’ Foote said. “And we need whoever’s going to fill those shoes [of Harrison’s] – by committee whatever – we need an unknown guy to make his presence known, to emerge and be a force.”

It’s a committee of two at right outside linebacker at the moment and one of those did not practice since last Thursday. Jason Worilds, who has been a backup in his first three seasons since the Steelers drafted him in the second round, is getting the chance to start in Harrison’s spot, but he’s missed the past four practices. They also drafted Jarvis Jones on the first round and he’s been playing with the first team while Worild’s heals.

There is potential there. IF Woodley returns to form and IF Jones and/or Worilds make people forget Harrison.

“He looks good,’’ Foote said of Jones. “You always look at the first-round pick and he looks like he’s going to fit the bill.

“That position is easy. If I had it my way, I’d be an outside linebacker; you get 10 sacks and you’re the man. Whoever gets sacks is going to play.”

[URL]https://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/122212-ed-linebackers-a-question-mark[/URL]

[skyhawk]

Could this be like the first time in over 20 years where Pittsburgh is NOT know for it's LBs? Damn.

[skyhawk]

And let's remember folks, OTs are pretty much allowed to hold now. So Woodley will need to re-tune his technique if he wants to remain legitimate now.

[Snatch98]

Could this be like the first time in over 20 years where Pittsburgh is NOT know for it's LBs? Damn.

People are overreacting. Timmons is a monster, Woodley seems to be back to form and we have a couple "unknowns' on the other side but one is a highly touted first round talent and the other has shown flashes. It's not like things are DRASTICALLY different just because James went to the Bengals. Hell if both Worilds and Jones can play at a high level things are even more dangerous. Let's see what we have when the real games come around before we pass any real judgement. Bouchette has never been Mr. Sunshine which I can appreciate but it's way to early to be joining chicken little.

[Captain Lemming]

Whoa! Careful now the scheme can't be questioned not even by a player who is part of it. Why give any credence to a player who wants to attack the QB when we can be 'occupying blockers"

Oh this is toooo funny.
That IS attacking the QB OV.
Lamar just LOOKS LIKE his job is to occupy blockers because he was too fat and slow to beat them.

[Oviedo]

Let Timmons get after the QB more!

[ramblinjim]

^ - This! Agreed, Timmons should be allowed to blitz more.

[phillyesq]

Let Timmons get after the QB more!

In other words, I'm wrong again, so I'll change the conversation!