Defense vs. Browns

[Tibs]

Seems to me the Steelers were in nickel or dime like 70-75% this pre-season, clearly something LeBeau wanted the team to work on. Facing a Browns team that will try to grind it out with a (relatively) weak QB & WR's, do you guys think we'll be back to a traditional 3-4 front for this game?

Whatever the case, we HAVE to do a better job stopping the run. That seems to me the biggest question mark right now facing this D.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I think they'll do their regular 3-4 but I still wouldn't be surprised if the Stains put up at least 20 points.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Seems to me the Steelers were in nickel or dime like 70-75% this pre-season, clearly something LeBeau wanted the team to work on. Facing a Browns team that will try to grind it out with a (relatively) weak QB & WR's, do you guys think we'll be back to a traditional 3-4 front for this game?

Whatever the case, we HAVE to do a better job stopping the run. That seems to me the biggest question mark right now facing this D.

That to me is the key tp whole season. Im interested to see with the improved speed on the defense especially at ILB will they try to defend 3WR sets with their base defense playing some type of zone against the pass so they can be be bigger against the run. Or will they go with the nickle that didnt work last year against the run or in pre season. They also attempted a big nickle defense taking out Worlids and JJones for a front four of all DLineman. But doing that takes your potential best pass rushers off the field. Cue the Jarvis sucks anyway posts lol.

 

[steelhurt]

Ben Tate is a solid back and played well down here for the Texans last season. Coupled with that pretty solid OL of theirs, they could pile up some yards against this defense. The Browns have no receivers to speak of, so they have to rely heavily on their running game.

I do not and have never liked McClendon as the nose. He's better suited at the end and would like to see Big Dan at nose tackle but of course that's not going to happen in such a complex defense as DLB's defense. How ******* complex can this be for nose tackle I ask you?

 

[steelhurt]

Ben Tate is a solid back and played well down here for the Texans last season. Coupled with that pretty solid OL of theirs, they could pile up some yards against this defense. The Browns have no receivers to speak of, so they have to rely heavily on their running game.

I do not and have never liked McClendon as the nose. He's better suited at the end and would like to see Big Dan at nose tackle but of course that's not going to happen in such a complex defense as DLB's defense. How damn complex can this be for nose tackle I ask you?

 

[Steelerfan]

Seems to me the Steelers were in nickel or dime like 70-75% this pre-season, clearly something LeBeau wanted the team to work on. Facing a Browns team that will try to grind it out with a (relatively) weak QB & WR's, do you guys think we'll be back to a traditional 3-4 front for this game?

Whatever the case, we HAVE to do a better job stopping the run. That seems to me the biggest question mark right now facing this D.

Agreed. Ranked 30th in run defense last year (per NFL.com), it can't get much worse. I hope the arrow is pointing up but I haven't seen enough to say. If you add that we were ranked 18th against the pass, the secondary is no great shakes either.

 

[Spike]

If they can't stop the run up the gut, there will be trouble.

Here's a good reason to be confident - The Steelers offense is way ahead of the Browns in talent.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Agreed. Ranked 30th in run defense last year (per NFL.com), it can't get much worse. I hope the arrow is pointing up but I haven't seen enough to say. If you add that we were ranked 18th against the pass, the secondary is no great shakes either.

Where are those stats from?

Here's what I have. Defense total (13th) run 115.6 (18th) pass 221.6 (10th)

 

[SteelChip]

I have been tryin' to figure it out too but what I keep seeing is a 4/2+ ....Two ends, two tackles, two ILBers + an extra safety tight to one side.

Given practice, that could eventually pay dividends.

 

[Steelerfan]

Where are those stats from?

Here's what I have. Defense total (13th) run 115.6 (18th) pass 221.6 (10th)

http://www.nfl.com/stats/team These aré The 2013 stats. Right hand column

 

[Spike]

Total Defense YPG - Steelers 28th

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...OTAL_YARDS_GAME_AVG&d-447263-o=1&d-447263-n=1

 

[Spike]

Can't get much worse than that.

Trending upward!

 

[Omar10213245]

I say ben connects with antonio on a big play to set 1st and goal, and blount delivers up the gut on 3rd down

edit: Woops. I just answered who i thought would score first in the wrong thread. Kinda drunk tonight. Its time for bed.

 

[ark steel]

http://www.nfl.com/stats/team These aré The 2013 stats. Right hand column

Well, I see 30th in Run Defense for the 2014 Preseason but 12th for the 2013 Regular season.

 

[Steelerfan]

Well hells bells, I must have been mis-reading it. Let me officially change my position: Super Bowl, baby!!!

 

[TDX27]

Ben Tate is a good three down back. If the Steelers sit back, he will run right through them. The D needs to be ready to shut him down, period, just like we used to do. If we can't, it will be a long game and a prelude of what's to come when we face much better offenses.

 

[SteelChip]

Now that's not very promising to say the least...


Total Defense

1 Baltimore Ravens
28 Pittsburgh Steelers

Passing
2 Cincinnati Bengals
3 Baltimore Ravens
18 Pittsburgh Steelers

Rushing
3 Baltimore Ravens
30 Pittsburgh Steelers

This could be painful to watch our offense try to match up against this defense in wk 2

 

[Stryker]

Considering our starters played a game and a half out of the 4 games, I'm not worried yet. Though our starters weren't doing that great either...

 

[Idioteque]

Can't believe all of the non-fans questioning our run defense. Like any of you have ever played in the NFL or could do better, anyway.

 

[Steelerfan]

Were you a state champion wrestler in high school?

 

[Spike]

Were you a state champion wrestler in high school?

I wrassle gators

 

[black and gold apex]

We obviously did not see much in preseason so lets see what we look like against the Browns. Stats are just that stats. Wins are what counts.

 

[SteelChip]

We obviously did not see much in preseason so lets see what we look like against the Browns. Stats are just that stats. Wins are what counts.

That kind of attitude works for me but I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed just in case.
GO STILLERS

 

[Spike]

Ben Tate is a good three down back. If the Steelers sit back, he will run right through them. The D needs to be ready to shut him down, period.

I think Keisel has 4-5 good games left in his legs early in the season.

But without a resemblance of a pass rush from the OLB's it won't matter if we can stop the run against the good teams. Steelers will get short-passed to death and never get off the field and run out of gas.

That was one of the main problems last year.

 

[TDX27]

No doubt, Spike. We definitely need a pass rush. What hurt us so much last year was the lack of pass rush and teams running when we had our pass rush defense in the game. Our pass rush wasn't working and they would gouge the D for good runs. We may need to pick our poison. I hope we improved in both areas but we will have to wait and see.

Can't wait for Sunday and next Thursday to get here. I want to take down the Clowns and the Ratbirds to start the season. The confidence that will bring the team would be huge.