Based on Personnel, we should play a 4-3

[hardesthittinglbever]

The 3-4 scheme might be good for blitzing LB's off the corner, if you can find guys that can get there. But a 4-3 will help stop the run, collapse the pocket, hurry the qb, and still allow for a LB to blitz off the edge.

We have talented DL's, but they would be more effective in a 4-3. We have a couple talented LB's, but not so much that they can play the 4-3 scheme.

I think we would do well with Ziggy, McClendon, Fangupo, and Heyward as front four, with Jones, Worilds, and Timmons at LB.
I'd blitz Worilds and Jones off the edges, and use Timmons to spy the other teams RB.
If we can get a top CB in the draft, and the DB's continue to improve, we would be contenders.

A 3-4 works if you have a great edge rushing LB, and 3 goons who can collapse the pocket. Steelers don't have that personnel.

[Chadman]

Who told Ovi it was ok to have 2 accounts here?

[sick beats]

As far as I know, Dick Leboo is still our DC and he won't ever change and go to a 4-3. As long as he is our DC we are stuck with a 3-4, regardless of whether our personnel fits it or not. And even though the entire league has figured out DL "zone blitz" scheme, the Steelers seem unaware of that fact.

[flippy]

Who told Ovi it was ok to have 2 accounts here?

My first thought too

[RuthlessBurgher]

A 4-3 relies on pressure from the front four, and a front four of Hood, McLendon, Fangupo, and Heyward would not get that pressure. Heyward is the only one capable of that among your suggested starters. You are already talking about blitzing Worilds and Jones from their LB spots, and the whole point of running a 4-3 is that you are counting on getting pressure from the front four without needing to resort to the blitz. In a 4-3, Worilds wouldn't be a LB anyway...he'd be a DE. You could play Timmons and Jones at Sam and Will, but we have no legit Mike backer either.

[fordfixer]

My first thought too

I gotta admit I agree with flippy

[Slapstick]

A 4-3 relies on pressure from the front four, and a front four of Hood, McLendon, Fangupo, and Heyward would not get that pressure. Heyward is the only one capable of that among your suggested starters. You are already talking about blitzing Worilds and Jones from their LB spots, and the whole point of running a 4-3 is that you are counting on getting pressure from the front four without needing to resort to the blitz. In a 4-3, Worilds wouldn't be a LB anyway...he'd be a DE. You could play Timmons and Jones at Sam and Will, but we have no legit Mike backer either.

Your front four would have to be Fangupo (whom we are not certain can play) and McClendon at DT with Woodley and Heyward at DE...Hood is not under contract...

You would have to put Jones and Timmons at LB...I do think that Timmons could be a legit MLB...you would then have to play Vince Williams at the other OLB spot...

I suppose that could work, but would it be better than the 3-4 ZB? I don't think so...

[papillon]

The Steelers are talent deficient right now and until some of the younger guys really begin to play higher level football the scheme is irrelevant. Jarvis Jones was supposed to be plug and play in a 34 at OLB, not so much, Woodley had three good years, signs a big contract and then falls off the face of the earth, Heyward has taken 2-3 years to begin to look like a really good player, Hood hasn't materialized into what they hoped when he was drafted, Clark and Ike saw a precipitous drop in their play during the last 8 games of the season, Allen improved, the rest didn't get a whole lot of playing time.

The simple matter of fact, IMO, is that the Steelers need players to play better, maybe they're not capable, then its back to the drawing board, the Steelers have invested in defensive players, but the investments aren't paying off...yet.

No need to change the scheme, half the league plays a 34 and the other half plays a 43, both schemes have been figured out, the Steelers need better production and/or players.

Pappy

[hawaiiansteel]

I gotta admit I agree with flippy

you must be worried about that...

[SteelBucks]

Who told Ovi it was ok to have 2 accounts here?

I would have believed it was Ovi if the post included it was time to fire LeBeau.

[SteelBucks]

As far as I know, Dick Leboo is still our DC and he won't ever change and go to a 4-3. As long as he is our DC we are stuck with a 3-4, regardless of whether our personnel fits it or not. And even though the entire league has figured out DL "zone blitz" scheme, the Steelers seem unaware of that fact.

Now this sounds more like Ovi.

[BURGH86STEEL]

The Steelers are talent deficient right now and until some of the younger guys really begin to play higher level football the scheme is irrelevant. Jarvis Jones was supposed to be plug and play in a 34 at OLB, not so much, Woodley had three good years, signs a big contract and then falls off the face of the earth, Heyward has taken 2-3 years to begin to look like a really good player, Hood hasn't materialized into what they hoped when he was drafted, Clark and Ike saw a precipitous drop in their play during the last 8 games of the season, Allen improved, the rest didn't get a whole lot of playing time.

The simple matter of fact, IMO, is that the Steelers need players to play better, maybe they're not capable, then its back to the drawing board, the Steelers have invested in defensive players, but the investments aren't paying off...yet.

No need to change the scheme, half the league plays a 34 and the other half plays a 43, both schemes have been figured out, the Steelers need better production and/or players.

Pappy

I agree, it boils down to execution by the players.

[Oviedo]

Who told Ovi it was ok to have 2 accounts here?

There is only one OVI. This is obviously a brilliant poster who can see the obvious too.

[fordfixer]

you must be worried about that...

You will never know

[phillyesq]

The 3-4 scheme might be good for blitzing LB's off the corner, if you can find guys that can get there. But a 4-3 will help stop the run, collapse the pocket, hurry the qb, and still allow for a LB to blitz off the edge.

We have talented DL's, but they would be more effective in a 4-3. We have a couple talented LB's, but not so much that they can play the 4-3 scheme.

I think we would do well with Ziggy, McClendon, Fangupo, and Heyward as front four, with Jones, Worilds, and Timmons at LB.
I'd blitz Worilds and Jones off the edges, and use Timmons to spy the other teams RB.
If we can get a top CB in the draft, and the DB's continue to improve, we would be contenders.

A 3-4 works if you have a great edge rushing LB, and 3 goons who can collapse the pocket. Steelers don't have that personnel.

Sorry, but that lineup sounds terrible. You are taking Worilds, who would be an undersized DE, and putting him as a 4-3 OLB, where he doesn't fit at all. You have no depth behind that front four and no real defense end. There is also no pass rush from that group outside of Heyward.