Pittsburgh Steelers Change Defensive Philosophy

[Captain QB]

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Pittsburgh Steelers change defensive philosophy
By Gregg Rosenthal


An old defensive coordinator can still teach some new tricks.

Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers defensive leader Dick LeBeau is asking his defensive ends to rush the passer on the edge more than before.

"We definitely need to get more pressure up front," said Brett Keisel, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "There's been an emphasis more on [ends] getting on the edge rather than just pushing the pocket, getting on the edge and trying to make something happen."

This is a dramatic change in philosophy for LeBeau from recent seasons. The Steelers have traditionally been 3-4 team that asks their defensive ends to occupy blockers, do the dirty work, and let the outside linebackers grab the glory. The change is perhaps a recognition that the Steelers have more questions at outside linebacker than usual and solid depth at defensive end.

Keisel, Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward will be asked to push upfield more. This goes along with NFL trends where many 3-4 teams have "one gap" ends, whereas Lebeau has always asked his ends to occupy two gaps. Players like J.J. Watt and Corey Liuget are changing the way we look at 3-4 defensive ends.

"We've kind of changed our techniques [from] years past until now," said Keisel, who led the Steelers by a wide margin with 41 pressures in 2012. "In years past, when we had James and LaMarr, it was mostly just push the pocket, try to collapse the pocket, make the quarterback flush and those guys would be there to clean him up. That's what we were taught."

This change shouldn't be a shock. LeBeau, 75 years young, has made a career out of adjusting to offenses and coming up with solutions when his "system" isn't working. That's how the zone blitz was born.

To get back to the old Pittsburgh Steelers defense, LeBeau knows some things needed to change.

[Oviedo]

Wow! Letting the DL, and especially the DEs, attack the QB versus occupying blockers. What a stroke of pure brillance on the part of LeBeau? Talk about "out of the box" thinking to allow your defensive linemen to go back to do the things they did in colege successfully enough to get them drafted.

Who else could have possibly suggested this approach to fix our pitiful pass rush?

[Captain Lemming]

Says something about how he feels about the LBers ability to rush the QB if you ask me.

[Captain QB]

Says something about how he feels about the LBers ability to rush the QB if you ask me.

LeBeau may also be realizing Ziggy Hood isn't Aaron Smith and Steve McClendon isn't Casey Hampton. Different players have different strengths.

[Steelhere10]

I never understood why not from the start.

[Oviedo]

I never understood why not from the start.

Exactly! Why not use your DL like that all the time. Don't have to rush every play but should be involved much more.

[steelz09]

Should definitely help with the pass rush. Not sure how well that is going to work in stoppping teams with a strong rushing game.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Should definitely help with the pass rush. Not sure how well that is going to work in stoppping teams with a strong rushing game.

Exactly...when you one gap, it is much easier for a RB to take a sprint draw for a big gain through the vacated opening. With Ray Rice, Trent Richardson, and Giovani Bernard in our division, I don't necessarily think that this is a positive development. I'd prefer to see us two-gapping on early downs, and unleashing the hounds in nickel and dime specialty defenses.

[Oviedo]

Can the 4-3 be far behind? Is this step #1?

[Oviedo]

Exactly...when you one gap, it is much easier for a RB to take a sprint draw for a big gain through the vacated opening. With Ray Rice, Trent Richardson, and Giovani Bernard in our division, I don't necessarily think that this is a positive development. I'd prefer to see us two-gapping on early downs, and unleashing the hounds in nickel and dime specialty defenses.

Understand but in the league now 1st down is also a passing down so its just a matter of pick your poison. We will lose more games because of not being able to stop the opponents passing game than not being able to stop their running game.

The meaningless honor of #1 defense may be lost because it is based on yards allowed but I'll trade that for 15-20 more sacks and 10 more INTs anyday.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Understand but in the league now 1st down is also a passing down so its just a matter of pick your poison. We will lose more games because of not being able to stop the opponents passing game than not being able to stop their running game.

The meaningless honor of #1 defense may be lost because it is based on yards allowed but I'll trade that for 15-20 more sacks and 10 more INTs anyday.

But what if that also comes with 15-20 more plays of 20+ yards given up and 10 more 40+ yard TD's allowed as well?

[Captain Lemming]

Exactly! Why not use your DL like that all the time. Don't have to rush every play but should be involved much more.

Because our defense has been better than any other.
Concerns at OLBer may force change, but we did not do it routinely because NOBODY was better than us for so long.

Note the quotes from Keisel:
"We've kind of changed our techniques [from] years past until now," said Keisel, who led the Steelers by a wide margin with 41 pressures in 2012. "In years past, when we had James and LaMarr, it was mostly just push the pocket, try to collapse the pocket"

Based on that quote, DL might have TOLD THEM this is why the D-Line needs to do more pass rushing.

[phillyesq]

But what if that also comes with 15-20 more plays of 20+ yards given up and 10 more 40+ yard TD's allowed as well?

The formula of preventing big plays has worked well for a number of years. If the OLBs do their jobs and get pressure, the turnovers will return.

The death of the running game is also greatly overstated. I'm certainly not willing to concede well in excess of 40% of the snaps. The Steelers defense has always been about results, not fantasy football stats for the defensive line.

[Captain QB]

But what if that also comes with 15-20 more plays of 20+ yards given up and 10 more 40+ yard TD's allowed as well?

For the last two years the Steelers defense has been #1 in yards allowed, but otherwise very stale and non-intimidating. It couldn't get to the QB and it couldn't generate turnovers. The base philosophy of the defense was "tackle the catch" and hope the other team's offense made a mistake. That doesn't work. Defenses need to force the issue. Also keep in mind the Steelers were #2 in the NFL in time of possession, so the defense wasn't on the field as often, thus it didn't give up as many yards.

If this defense can generate pressure on opposing QBs and force turnovers, then it doesn't need to be #1 in yards allowed.

[Slapstick]

One gap teams are able to consistently stop the rush year in and year out...

As well as the Steelers? No...

But, if LeBeau thinks that changing the upfront DEs from one gap to two fits these players better, I'm happy to go along with it...it is not a change that was made lightly, by any means...