Defense, defense, defense...

[steelsnis]

For those who don't click the link, here's London Fletcher talking about his career:

The greatest football mind was Dick LeBeau. He came to Buffalo in 2003 for one year before he went to Pittsburgh. He is far and away the greatest football mind I’ve ever been around, and it’s not even close. There’s no close second. You realize it right away, in the first three minutes of him doing the first install of a fire zone. Anybody who’s been around him, played for him, spent a moment with him—you know, that’s football royalty. It doesn’t get any better.

[Discipline of Steel]

For those who don't click the link, here's London Fletcher talking about his career:

Ah he had a down year, dump him. Even though Ive never met Saint LeBeau, Im sure hes lost it mentally and the game has passed him by.

[papillon]

No reason for anyone to hate that...

Hating the truth is just silly...

Just keep watching and lets see what types of comments we get about Lebeau.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

LeBeau's genius and legacy was never questioned...

we have been slipping the last 3 years in sacks, pressure, rush D, INTs, etc...

If it continues for the next year or 2 then what? Do we keep repeating his genius while waiting for the perfect combo of talent with a guy pushing 80?

[papillon]

LeBeau's genius and legacy was never questioned...

we have been slipping the last 3 years in sacks, pressure, rush D, INTs, etc...

If it continues for the next year or 2 then what? Do we keep repeating his genius while waiting for the perfect combo of talent with a guy pushing 80?

If it continues for the next 2 or 3 years then maybe a change will be in order, but there is absolutely no indication that Lebeau's mental capacity, drive, ability to put in the necessary hours, etc is being hindered by his age, absolutely none. As a matter of fact, quite the contrary, most comments that are being made are that the young guys have to keep up with him (I don't have a link, but this seems to be something I recall hearing.).

Pappy

[Slapstick]

LeBeau's genius and legacy was never questioned...

we have been slipping the last 3 years in sacks, pressure, rush D, INTs, etc...

If it continues for the next year or 2 then what? Do we keep repeating his genius while waiting for the perfect combo of talent with a guy pushing 80?

Yep. Seattle did that and it paid off...

[feltdizz]

If it continues for the next 2 or 3 years then maybe a change will be in order, but there is absolutely no indication that Lebeau's mental capacity, drive, ability to put in the necessary hours, etc is being hindered by his age, absolutely none. As a matter of fact, quite the contrary, most comments that are being made are that the young guys have to keep up with him (I don't have a link, but this seems to be something I recall hearing.).

Pappy

You may see that as a compliment but I see it as a problem. I doubt these kids will kewp up with DL and all the info he puts on them. The guy is a genius but the average foorball player isn't a scholar. Simplify, simplify, simplify...its the only way we will get these kids up to speed before DL hits 100.

[feltdizz]

Yep. Seattle did that and it paid off...

Seattle found late rounders and FA's and simplified their D

[pfelix73]

You may see that as a compliment but I see it as a problem. I doubt these kids will kewp up with DL and all the info he puts on them. The guy is a genius but the average foorball player isn't a scholar. Simplify, simplify, simplify...its the only way we will get these kids up to speed before DL hits 100.

LOL. Spoken by someone who has NEVER played a down of football on any level in his life..

It's x's and o's. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the stuff... Also, why do you think they draft the players they draft? They go through a process which is getting ready to start at the combine.

Sorry Feltdizz.. I don't ever think we've disagreed before, or maybe we have, but these comments you just made, you may want to delete them....

How do you know Seattle 'simplified' their D?

They execute and they have some play-makers. That's what we are presently lacking.

[phillyesq]

LeBeau's genius and legacy was never questioned...

we have been slipping the last 3 years in sacks, pressure, rush D, INTs, etc...

If it continues for the next year or 2 then what? Do we keep repeating his genius while waiting for the perfect combo of talent with a guy pushing 80?

And the talent has fallen off significantly over the past 2-3 years. Aside from Cam Heyward, there is not one position on the defensive side of the ball that is better off now than it was 2-3 years ago.

[squidkid]

LeBeau's genius and legacy was never questioned...

we have been slipping the last 3 years in sacks, pressure, rush D, INTs, etc...

If it continues for the next year or 2 then what? Do we keep repeating his genius while waiting for the perfect combo of talent with a guy pushing 80?

you're head coach continues to decline the past 4 years, yet you are all in favor of keeping him. and he is the one responsible for not giving DL any talent
of course you also want to have a DC (after leading the league in defense for 3 years) run out of town after those 3 years.

[feltdizz]

LOL. Spoken by someone who has NEVER played a down of football on any level in his life..

It's x's and o's. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the stuff... Also, why do you think they draft the players they draft? They go through a process which is getting ready to start at the combine.

Sorry Feltdizz.. I don't ever think we've disagreed before, or maybe we have, but these comments you just made, you may want to delete them....

How do you know Seattle 'simplified' their D?

They execute and they have some play-makers. That's what we are presently lacking.

LOL... pop warner to HS. WPIAL AA football. Jim Haslett's brothers were my assistant coaches in HS.

Now that we got that out the way. Richard Sherman went on record saying Seattle called a simplified D in the SB. If you watched Seattle this year they didnt do anything exotic, it was mostly man on man, line up and beat your man football.

As far as our D is concerned... its the amount of X and O combinations and variations.

[phillyesq]

Seattle found late rounders and FA's and simplified their D

The Steelers once thrived with mid-late rounders as well. James Harrison, Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, Larry Foote, Aaron Smith, KVO, Keisel - none were picked before the third round.

Seattle had a very unique situation this year - they had a ton of young, talented guys, none of whom they've had to pay yet. And they also don't have to pay a QB. Lets see how they keep things together.

And since you hold Seattle out as the model for all defenses, how many players on the Steelers right now could start for Seattle? Do you see Seattle trotting out guys like Ziggy Hood, Steve McClendon, Vince Williams and Terrance Garvin?

[Slapstick]

Seattle may have called simplified coverages, but that does not equal a simple defense...

Pete Carroll has used the same defense for years...he learned the basics from Monte Kiffin...he learned more from George Seifert...he used it as head coach with the Jets, as HC with the Patriots, at USC and now at Seattle...

This is why the Seahawks won:

The Seahawks' defense figured out Peyton Manning's audible calls and hand signals, knowing where receivers would go and whom Manning would throw to. The Broncos didn't uncover any Seahawks secrets.

And:

The Broncos' No. 1-ranked offensive line stunk. Seattle's defensive ends turned Orlando Franklin and Chris Clark into chew toys. Manning was sacked only once, but he was under intense pressure throughout; the pocket was squeezed, he threw early, and his arm was hit by Cliff Avril on the second interception.

And:

Near perfect in anticipation and scheme changes, Seattle had seven defenders blanketing five receivers. It didn't need to blitz to pressure Manning. The single deep ball from Manning to Demaryius Thomas was open, but overthrown. The Seahawks were in sync, and fervent.

Finally:

Peyton played his worst game in his two seasons as a Bronco.

Oh, and PS:

After the game, Sherman added insult to injury by intimating the Broncos were giving away even more than they originally thought.
“All we did was play situational football,” he told [URL="http://nfl.si.com/2014/02/07/seattle-seahawks-super-bowl-defense/we%20did%20was%20play%20situational%20football,%E2 %80%9D%20Sherman%20says.%20%E2%80%9CWe%20knew%20wh at%20route%20concepts%20they%20liked%20on%20differ ent%20downs,%20so%20we%20jumped%20all%20the%20rout es.%20Then%20we%20figured%20out%20the%20hand%20sig nals%20for%20a%20few%20of%20the%20route%20audibles %20in%20the%20first%20half.%E2%80%9D"]Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com[/URL]. “We knew what route concepts they liked on different downs, so we jumped all the routes. Then we figured out the hand signals for a few of the route audibles in the first half.”

[feltdizz]

The Steelers once thrived with mid-late rounders as well. James Harrison, Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, Larry Foote, Aaron Smith, KVO, Keisel - none were picked before the third round.

Seattle had a very unique situation this year - they had a ton of young, talented guys, none of whom they've had to pay yet. And they also don't have to pay a QB. Lets see how they keep things together.

And since you hold Seattle out as the model for all defenses, how many players on the Steelers right now could start for Seattle? Do you see Seattle trotting out guys like Ziggy Hood, Steve McClendon, Vince Williams and Terrance Garvin?

McClendon could definitely start for Seattle. If we get Nix I could see McClendon being a very good DE. Hood would also see time, he isn't as bad as people make him out to be IMO.

Seattle doesn't have 11 stars on D. It just looks that way because they play old school, punch you in the mouth D.

As far as JH, Ike, etc... that was a different NFL. One also has to wonder if JH should have been on the field a few years earlier. We don't have time to coach guys up and hope they show out in their 5th year. The same thing that made us great makes us look like azz right now. Smith was here too long... Ike isn't worth the money... JH was worth the money IMO but we got him on the back end of his career.