Can we finally place some blame on Lebeau's D?

[Shawn]

I watched our Defense closely last night. I havent played organized football since High School, so I'm no expert. WTS, NT is not our only concern. Heyward doesnt look like the guy from last year, although he is still our best lineman. Cam Thomas is a joke 95% of the time he plays. Tuitt is lost in the trenches. Keisel is ok, but his age is showing. Jason Worilds....His play thus far has me sick to my stomach. He was pancaked by a TE (81). Jarvis is a little better than last year, but it's mostly just knowing his assignments, making a play is still wishful thinking. Timmons is obviously struggling because everyone else is and Shazier looks overwhelmed at times.

This is a huge problem and thinking they will start to gel is also wishful thinking. To be competitive, this D will have to do a 180 performance wise and I'm not very hopeful that will happen any time soon.

Jones is making plays...so is Heyward.

[SteelCrazy]

Jones is making plays...so is Heyward.

Hell, Worilds is making plays too, but he sucks most of the time. No one on this Defense is stepping up. The entire D looks overwhelmed.

[fezziwig]

The defensive line stinks and that is where it starts at. Put the blame on the coaches for not being able to bring in talented guys or developing talented guys. Starts up front and whom on the d-line or the entire defense do you feel other teams fear or would love to have playing for their teams ? Answer: No one. This is an untalented bunch of newbies and oldbies. Plan, scheme all you want and it doesn't matter........ They are just not that good and again, it starts with the inability to apply pressure on the front line. Our guys look pathetic or like children playing against big kids. Watch the games and watch one on one our d-linemen being shoved back, jumping like school girls trying to apply pressure.

[papillon]

Some of us have already been talking about it for about 3 years now. LeBeau has to go. And I don't want to hear any excuses for him. The Steelers can't stop the run...and they have 3 first rounders and a second rounder at linebacker. They have another first rounder at DE. Other teams do MUCH more with MUCH less. And as bad as our secondary is right now...it's not being helped by the fact they have to be frozen on PA. When a team is gashing you...it handcuffs the secondary...making a weak spot even weaker. How could do so little with so much?

The score at halftime was 10-3, the Steelers defense forces a punt to start the third and its returned to the 48 yard line, the offense moves the ball a few yards (6 plays) and kicks a FG, 10-6. The defense then gives up the long drive for TD, the offense gets the ball and goes 3 and out (defense back on the field after a long drive by Baltimore and a 3 and out by the Steeler offense). The defense holds at the 5 and forces a FG (20-6, still a game).

Oh wait, the offense now runs one play and fumbles back to Ravens, the defense gives up a FG on a short field, 23 - 6. The Steelers run 6 plays and punt, the Ravens kick another FG, 26-6 game over. The Steelers offense runs 15 plays (not counting punts) when the game is in the balance in the second half, the defense allows one long drive and gives up two FGs, one on a short field and we're all going to blame this exclusively on the defense?

The defense needed help last night, they didtn't need fumbles in the RZ, Miller fumbling and a couple 3 and outs or 6 and out. Damn, the Ravens ran 43 plays in the same time the Steelers ran 15. The Steelers, as a team, are not good enough to fumble RZ opportunities or fail to score TDs in the RZ.

The offense was as much to blame for this cluster "F" as the defense. Those riding the defense exclusively are just grinding their axe against the defense and Lebeau. 10-3 at half, allowing one TD and a couple FGs in the second half isn't bad, the offense has to show up.

The defense did well as far as I'm concerned, the best unit the Steelers have was horrible last night starting with Ben.

Pappy

[BURGH86STEEL]

Looks like the game has passed everybody by. Including those who aren't "pushing 80". Did the O-Line look much improved under Munchak last night? Either he can't see that Gilbert stinks, or he has no better alternative. Think on that. Haley made some mystifying calls. Granted, the fumbles didn't help. But running a reverse or end-around to the short side of the field is the sort of call that would have provoked outrage if Arians had done it. Ben didn't look so hot either. At least four bad misses. And so on. Either the game has passed them all by or we don't have the talent.

As I like to say, coaches don't make that much of a difference unless their players are good enough. Ain't gonna win many games with poor execution and by giving the ball away.

[Shawn]

The score at halftime was 10-3, the Steelers defense forces a punt to start the third and its returned to the 48 yard line, the offense moves the ball a few yards (6 plays) and kicks a FG, 10-6. The defense then gives up the long drive for TD, the offense gets the ball and goes 3 and out (defense back on the field after a long drive by Baltimore and a 3 and out by the Steeler offense). The defense holds at the 5 and forces a FG (20-6, still a game).

Oh wait, the offense now runs one play and fumbles back to Ravens, the defense gives up a FG on a short field, 23 - 6. The Steelers run 6 plays and punt, the Ravens kick another FG, 26-6 game over. The Steelers offense runs 15 plays (not counting punts) when the game is in the balance in the second half, the defense allows one long drive and gives up two FGs, one on a short field and we're all going to blame this exclusively on the defense?

The defense needed help last night, they didtn't need fumbles in the RZ, Miller fumbling and a couple 3 and outs or 6 and out. Damn, the Ravens ran 43 plays in the same time the Steelers ran 15. The Steelers, as a team, are not good enough to fumble RZ opportunities or fail to score TDs in the RZ.

The offense was as much to blame for this cluster "F" as the defense. Those riding the defense exclusively are just grinding their axe against the defense and Lebeau. 10-3 at half, allowing one TD and a couple FGs in the second half isn't bad, the offense has to show up.

The defense did well as far as I'm concerned, the best unit the Steelers have was horrible last night starting with Ben.

Pappy

Wow, it's worse than I thought...you have a hopeless case of the BnGooglessitis. The fact is is...both subpar RBs on an average O had their way with the Steelers D. If you can't see that...no use arguing with you.

[papillon]

Wow, it's worse than I thought...you have a hopeless case of the BnGooglessitis. The fact is is...both subpar RBs on an average O had their way with the Steelers D. If you can't see that...no use arguing with you.

And, I say your vendetta to oust Lebeau is just as bad, the fact is regardless of what the defense looked like, had the offense showed up at all the game would have been competitive, whether you want to believe it or not. Worst case it should have been 10-6 at half, and 10-9 after one drive each in the third quarter.

Go ahead and defend the offense that was horrible when it came to scoring points, as usual, they moved the ball, but then fumbled or settled for FGs and somehow that's okay, but since the defense couldn't hold the Ravens to less than 6 points, it's somehow all their fault. You're right, there's no use arguing or debating with me, because you're as myopic to the offense as I may be for the defense. The offense isn't playing a rookie and a 2nd year player either and they have one of the best quarterbacks in the game. The defense doesn't even remotely have one of the best anything's in the game, except their coordinator and, unfortunately, he's too old to put pads on.

Pappy

[steelsnis]

both subpar RBs on an average O had their way with the Steelers D. If you can't see that...no use arguing with you.

Shawn I agree with you that the run defense needs to improve, but the RB's numbers from last night are waaaay misleading.

Justin Forsett gained 56 yds on 8 carries. 41 of them came on one play where Cam Thomas took out half his teammates, at a point when the game was already over.

Pierce ran it OK, but even he padded those stats late in the game.

Again, no excuses, because the run D absolutely has to improve, but you can't look at last night as any sort of tipping point.

[NorthCoast]

So let me get this straight... get rid of the coaches cause they don't know what they are doing.... oh, but they also need a NT cause the one they got sucks. That about sums up the solution.

[birtikidis]

"Finally" blame Lebeau? That's all most posters do.

[Shawn]

Yeah it can't be LeBeau...must be a "vendetta"...lol. The D sucks...but it's not LeBeaus fault...ok.

[Shawn]

So let me get this straight... get rid of the coaches cause they don't know what they are doing.... oh, but they also need a NT cause the one they got sucks. That about sums up the solution.

Yup you have a problem with literacy. Worked on phonics brother...it just might work for you.

[hawaiiansteel]

Alex Kozora @Alex_Kozora ·

Steelers are -4 in TO ratio. Tied for last in the league. #Steelers

In the last six quarters, the #Steelers have been outscored 50-9.

[URL]https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora[/URL]

[Shoe]

Alex Kozora @Alex_Kozora ·

Steelers are -4 in TO ratio. Tied for last in the league. #Steelers

In the last six quarters, the #Steelers have been outscored 50-9.

[URL]https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora[/URL]

This was an issue in TWO THOUSAND AND ELEVEN. When we watched the Texans gash us for like 200+ rushing yards in like the 2nd game of the '11 season, the writing was on the wall. Or once Ike got humiliated by Tebow. And guys like Warren Sapp were calling it. But most on this board resisted (probably like 90%), shooting the messenger instead of facing the truth. It is now 2014, and we are still facing the same problems (which actually, isn't that bad compared to other teams). Actually, we have realized it, and drafting a guy like Shazier demonstrates it.

There are no solutions. Our D (as currently constituted) is our D. There are no quick fixes. Sticking Shark Thomas in for Polamalu ain't gonna fix our woes. Our best young player (Shazier), isn't ready to carry the D. The guys who should be positioned to carry us... (Jones and Worilds) CAN'T.

So we will fight and claw, and *hopefully* come January, we will be around .500 and fighting for a playoff spot.

[Steelwolf]

If this team plays like they did Thursday night no way this team sniffs the playoffs

Insert the famous..."playoffs...playoffs?!?"

I hope this team corrects the numerous issues early on because it's going to be a long season of disappointment