Wexell: STEELERS POISED FOR SWITCH TO 4-3

[Slapstick]

I believe I've states this before, but the two coaches that Butler worked under the most were Dick LeBeau and Joe Lee Dunn...LeBeau was renowned for "exotic" blitzes back in the day while Dunn typically had each one of his 11 defenders blitz at least once per game.

I think we'll see a greater emphasis on true blitzing and QB pressure than we have typically seen over the last few seasons...we've not forced QBs into bad throws...

[phillyesq]

Heyward and Tuitt as 4-3 DE's? In the 4-3, both would be better off as a 3-technique under tackle, not a DE. I suppose that you could get away with using Heyward as your strong side DE and Tuitt as the 3-technique DT, but you are still missing the all-important weakside passrushing DE, and those guys don't ever come cheap (and you typically can't draft a top prospect at 4-3 DE in the 20's...they are as rare as elite LT prospects...almost always gone in the top 10 and usually the top 5).

The 4-3 pass rushing DE is the rarest commodity in football behind the franchise QB. That is born out by the franchise tag numbers - pass rushing DEs command the highest salary.

[SidSmythe]

Not a single 4-3 DE on the team as of today and they wanna talk switch??
Well we will be loaded at DT that's for sure.

[NJ-STEELER]

Seriously? Even if the OLBs rushing is no surprise, you can adjust where the other pressure comes from. With the 3-4, you can rush the 2 OLBs and the 2 DEs, dropping the NT into the middle and each ILB into the flats. Or you could rush the 2 OLBs, 1 ILB, and the NT, with both DEs dropping into the flats and the other ILB covering the middle. Or countless other combinations that are way more confusing for an offense than your "an extra LB rushing is harder to adjust to" justification for the 4-3. Relying on a basic 4-3 in which the front 4 must beat the guy in front of him is high school offense at best. Personally, I want my defensive coordinator to be creative and innovative, bringing pressure from anywhere and everywhere at any given time, not just tell our 4 guys up front to beat their 5 guys up front, but that's just me. But you have been praying for a super simplified defense where rookies know their whole playbooks the day after the draft so they can play right away, so whatever.

why do you want to drop DE or NTs into coverage.

we were burned by it in the playoff game on falcco's TD with heyward dropping into coverage.... the ravens also scored a late TD when keisel did the same thing a couple years back. IF the QB has time all he does is wait for the receiver to move past that area. if the QB isnt sacked within 2 seconds the DE's are lost back there because they are not used to chasing around 200 lbs. wide receivers

[birtikidis]

why do you want to drop DE or NTs into coverage.

we were burned by it in the playoff game on falcco's TD with heyward dropping into coverage.... the ravens also scored a late TD when keisel did the same thing a couple years back. IF the QB has time all he does is wait for the receiver to move past that area. if the QB isnt sacked within 2 seconds the DE's are lost back there because they are not used to chasing around 200 lbs. wide receivers

He's talking about the zone blitz. Something that worked quite well for nearly a decade.

[Sugar]

It seems to me that we have some good young players and more speed on D than in years past. Hopefully, Butler doesn't get too exotic on them to force a year of transition just learning the system. My guess is that he'll be a lot more like LeBeau and throw in a new wrinkle or two. The D will be better, if for no other reason, than these young guys will have gained valuable NFL and system experience.

[Oviedo]

He's talking about the zone blitz. Something that worked quite well for nearly a decade.

Not true. Hasn't worked in the past 3-4 years and has gotten worse every year.

[pfelix73]

Not true. Hasn't worked in the past 3-4 years and has gotten worse every year.

And why do you think that happened? Come again?

[Oviedo]

And why do you think that happened? Come again?

Personally, and I have repeatedly stated, I think it is because they tried to perpetuate a system that they no longer had the players to make work and didn't adjust to the strength of the players we actually had. They also stayed with a system that was too hard to learn and too hard to replace departing players in.

[NorthCoast]

With now a true majority of teams playing the 3-4 there is no reason to paint it as outdated or ineffective. And I agree with those that say either defense still requires playmakers. The Steelers simply do not have enough of those on defense, hence they are average in almost every sense of the word.

[Chadman]

Not going to kick into the 3-4 vs 4-3 debate, we've done THAT before, instead...

Our best 4-3 pass rushing DE is, in fact Jason Worilds, who did a good job of it at Virginia Tech.

Here's the $10m question- is he worth $10m + as a 4-3 DE, given that 4-3 DE's are premium priced players? I'd say he's pretty good value as a 4-3 DE at around the $10m range.

Jarvis Jones would be the question mark in a 4-3 switch.

As for finding 4-3 DE's, a high draft pick, a couple of vets..and with our best 3 DL's in McLendon, Heyward & Tuitt improving- there might be enough pressure up front as it stands. I'd say Heyward is the natural option at DE in the 4-3 if he can maybe drop to 280lbs to regain a bit of quickness- he's good at getting pressure as is in the 3-4, no reason he can't do that in a 4-3.

I'd say 4-3 benefits McLendon most of the current DL's, as I'm just unconvinced he'll ever be a super-effective 3-4 NT as a 'penetrator'.

[7upnext]

STEELERS POISED FOR SWITCH TO 4-3

Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.net



As the rumors heat up, it makes sense for Mike Tomlin to install a full-time 4-3 defensive alignment.

Nate Orchard seemed to separate himself from what I initially believed to be a solid group of second-tier pass-rushers at the Senior Bowl.

After beating up on highly touted Ty Sambrailo in his bowl game, Orchard played so well at the Senior Bowl that he's moved into late first-round draft range.

But as I watched Orchard rain blows on the quarterbacks, I thought there had to be a better way.

Nothing against Orchard, but if he had the natural burst and power to inspire faith as a worthwhile pick at No. 22, it would've happened sooner. And now, two years after Jarvis Jones was taken in the first round, I don't see the Steelers trying to guess right on another 3-4 edge pass-rusher in the first round, particularly since they still believe Jones can develop into an edge presence.

As for the guys I liked going into the Senior bowl as second-tier OLB prospects -- Lorenzo Mauldin, Trey Flowers, Hau'oli Kikaha and Markus Golden -- they were being blocked.

It caused me to think back to something I wrote the day before the Steelers released James Harrison in March of 2013:

"As my deadline approaches, I'm arguing with someone on Twitter over who's a better 3-4 OLB draft prospect: Damontre Moore or Corey Lemonier. As if it matters. As if the Steelers will just find the next James Harrison on purpose, or because they're that much smarter than everyone else."

They're not that much smarter than everyone else, and anymore they're not one of a small group of teams picking from a vast pool of small rush ends who have to be moved to outside linebacker. That's how they got Greg Lloyd and Joey Porter, and we all know Harrison was a complete accident -- not just after the first two times they cut him, but even last season when they picked their best pass-rusher up off the scrap heap yet again.

Last season was even more difficult for a Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker to get to the quarterback, because in their 4-3 nickel -- that was used about 50 percent of the time -- the outside linebackers had to put their hands down and also worry about the run as defensive ends.

The times are changing, and perhaps it's time for the Steelers to change as well. Perhaps it's time they go to a 4-3 as their base defense.

I think it is time.


Before Dick LeBeau and Dom Capers came along and showed us all of the fun tricks that could be used in scheming four linebackers, we all knew the best way to win defensively was to "get there with four." The Steel Curtain was all the proof anyone needed. They didn't need to blitz and expose their back end, because the four men up front could get to the quarterback without any help.

The Steelers don't have those four men yet, but once Harrison leaves they certainly don't have five. And paying Jason Worilds another $10 million in tag money isn't going to change that.

But with the foundation that's in place, the Steelers are closer to putting together a quality 4-3 base -- which will require fewer moves in getting to their nickel -- than they are in rebuilding the 3-4 that got them to their last three Super Bowls.

Let's take a look at the talent on hand for a move to the 4-3:

Line: Cameron Heyward, Steve McLendon, Daniel McCullers, Stephon Tuitt (Jones, Cam Thomas).

Linebackers: Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons, Sean Spence (Vince Williams, Terence Garvin, Jordan Zumwalt).

The linebackers are fine, but the line would need help. Jones could sub in as a pass-rusher in the nickel and push Heyward or Tuitt inside, and Worilds or Arthur Moats could be re-signed to push the other DE inside in the nickel if so desired. But an additional big man is needed -- to compete with McCullers -- and so is a true 4-3 rush end to provide depth and flexibility.

One 4-3 DE who showed as much in Mobile as the 3-4 OLB prospects was Kentucky's Za'Darius Smith. If they can't draft him in the second round, they could land Preston Smith or Owa Odighizuwa. And those are just the 4-3 DEs who were at the Senior Bowl.
The first-round pick could be a DT, someone like Carl Davis, the big man from Iowa who showed last week he could get to the passer after being freed from the constraints put on him last season by Kirk Ferentz's staff.

I'm not sure the names are important right now anyway, just that the Steelers are closer to changing their defensive alignment than they have been since the 1970s, thanks to the young linemen they've drafted in the last four years.

Of course we've heard this before. Every year, even when Casey Hampton was killing centers as a nose tackle, we've heard rumors that Mike Tomlin would switch to his more familiar 4-3. And this year, with the departure of LeBeau, the rumors are louder than ever.

While new coordinator Keith Butler was raised as a 3-4 player and coach, he can no doubt see that drafting a couple of players to provide depth for one alignment would be easier than piecing together 17 niche players for the use of two alignments.
And, really, there are too many other needs to provide that kind of quality for two defensive alignments.

No, the time is right to go full-time 4-3. The time is right to get back to fielding four who can get there.

[URL]http://pit.scout.com/story/1506528-steelers-poised-for-switch-to-4-3?s=68[/URL]

The truth is our 3-4 and coach Dick got exposed in SB vs GB. It was the picture perfect showcase of how that D would not succeed versus good QB in the new NFL. Our personnel were better suited THEN to move to a 4-3. We had drafted Hood a couple years prior and then took Heyward in the first round the next draft after the SB loss. Both those players were always better built to be in 4-3. However, the powers that be tried to keep that team together to long, both with players and coaches when most of us knew changes needed to happen. Hell, MT comes from a 4-3 background. After that loss I predicted they'd do that and waste more prime years of Ben's career than they would have if they just made the jump. Our players fit the 4-3 mold even more now. Get it done already.

[7upnext]

a blitz with the 4-3 D is much more of a surprise to offenses then always sending the 2 outside or in some cases 2 inside guys. i think we've seen in recent years that offenses know where its coming from and adjust accordingly

So how exactly is rushing Worilds or Harrison any different then putting one of the OLB hands on the ground and rushing him EVERY play? That's what you'd be doing in a 4/3, just making one of the OLB a DE and rushing him every single play. Oh and you'd move the other OLB 3 yards further off the ball.

they don't rush every single play. Oftentimes they are supposed to just set an edge. Which is easier of course if you are built like D. Ware rather than Jarvis Jones. That extra 2 inches in height and 20 lbs makes it much easier to help stop the run. You just have to draft Ware's in the 1st (like he deserved) instead of Jones (huge reach) which you would have a better shot at doing if you weren't reaching for the prototype 3-4 OLB.

[7upnext]

a blitz with the 4-3 D is much more of a surprise to offenses then always sending the 2 outside or in some cases 2 inside guys. i think we've seen in recent years that offenses know where its coming from and adjust accordingly

why do you want to drop DE or NTs into coverage.

we were burned by it in the playoff game on falcco's TD with heyward dropping into coverage.... the ravens also scored a late TD when keisel did the same thing a couple years back. IF the QB has time all he does is wait for the receiver to move past that area. if the QB isnt sacked within 2 seconds the DE's are lost back there because they are not used to chasing around 200 lbs. wide receivers

Not true. Hasn't worked in the past 3-4 years and has gotten worse every year.

Personally, and I have repeatedly stated, I think it is because they tried to perpetuate a system that they no longer had the players to make work and didn't adjust to the strength of the players we actually had. They also stayed with a system that was too hard to learn and too hard to replace departing players in.

I honestly think based on the Ziggy Hood drafting and then again..the Heyward drafting that they had planned to do this a few years ago but something prevented it. What that was i.e. Rooney's, lack of faith in MT, maybe thought DL would have retired and were hesitant to force him out coming off SB...dunno. All I know is we seem to have lucked out with DT and MILB last draft and maybe we can address corner and DE and make the move.

[Slapstick]

they don't rush every single play. Oftentimes they are supposed to just set an edge. Which is easier of course if you are built like D. Ware rather than Jarvis Jones. That extra 2 inches in height and 20 lbs makes it much easier to help stop the run. You just have to draft Ware's in the 1st (like he deserved) instead of Jones (huge reach) which you would have a better shot at doing if you weren't reaching for the prototype 3-4 OLB.

And yet, Jones probably sets the edge better than Demarcus Ware...go figure...