Maybe i've been wrong...and hope

[Steelr4evr]

The D has been pretty much the same since LeBeau left. What has been the one constant with the D since then? Tomlin and his weak assed Tampa 2 defense and that 1 DL set

I haven't seen any exotic bltizing in a long time. A few times a year maybe a corner or safety come in.


It would be nice to see some anterior pressure. Smith and Hampton still got pressure and wrecked the running game.

 

[Drink IRON City]

I haven't seen any exotic bltizing in a long time. A few times a year maybe a corner or safety come in.


It would be nice to see some anterior pressure. Smith and Hampton still got pressure and wrecked the running game.

That’s the thing, a lot of teams seem to be able to freely double team TJ WATT, yet we have no answer for that.

It’s like they count on our great players to do super human play on every play, no help or putting in good position to succeed.

Our defensive scheme has been questionable for a long long time, Dick L. Left because of the writing on the wall……..

What will be different this year? Did we bring in “magic” ? I hope the appropriate players step up along with the coaching.!


Salute the nation

 

[BLITZ]

That’s the thing, a lot of teams seem to be able to freely double team TJ WATT, yet we have no answer for that.

It’s like they count on our great players to do super human play on every play, no help or putting in good position to succeed.

Our defensive scheme has been questionable for a long long time, Dick L. Left because of the writing on the wall……..

What will be different this year? Did we bring in “magic” ? I hope the appropriate players step up along with the coaching.!


Salute the nation

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

 

[Poobah]

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

IIRC, there were reports that the team was concerned that they would lose Butler (considered a rising star at the time) if DL stayed on any longer. DL was no spring chicken at that point and the game was changing rapidly with rule changes thus the drive for him to "retire" as you say. I have no idea if those reports were true or not.

 

[MTC]

I haven't seen any exotic bltizing in a long time. A few times a year maybe a corner or safety come in.


It would be nice to see some anterior pressure. Smith and Hampton still got pressure and wrecked the running game.

I haven’t seen exotic blitzes since Lebeau retired

 

[BLITZ]

I haven’t seen exotic blitzes since Lebeau retired

I dont know why but I always hated it when they would say "exotic Blitzes"

 

[madinsomniac]

Matt Canada was brought in to revamp the run game using modern motion and formations. Nobody expected him to run a completely asinine jv passing game behind tge run game or to be so transparently predictable... looking at splits the last two was scary ... wayyy too transparent

 

[Drink IRON City]

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

Because Tomlin wanted more control over the “D”. They were already stalemating / handcuffing each other, so Dick left.


Salute the nation

 

[MT~Forged]

Tomlin was given a staff to act as “training wheels” for his first few years. DL was standing in the way of Tomlin getting complete control. Since it was obvious that MT had learned all he could from DL, it was time for him to go.

 

[Punxsutawney]

Tomlin will not change his philosophy because he believes it is close enough to work, as shown in his regular season record.

On top of that, he has learned that mediocrity pays.

Why strive to meaningfully change one's approach when barely making the playoffs, and losing once there, every season results in lucrative contract extensions?

Mike Tomlin has become the envy of coaches around the league. Not due to his success as a coach, as it's not 2011 anymore, but due to him seemingly having the least demanded of him of any coach in the league.

No other NFL franchise would tolerate seven seasons without a playoff win. The standard clearly isn't what it once was with the Steelers.

 

[Punxsutawney]

Matt Canada was brought in to revamp the run game using modern motion and formations. Nobody expected him to run a completely asinine jv passing game behind tge run game or to be so transparently predictable... looking at splits the last two was scary ... wayyy too transparent

The running game was actually pretty good under Canada, especially considering teams constantly stacked the line against the Steelers. I tend to think that is why Tomlin kept Canada as long as he did, hoping the passing game would catch up, but it never did.

That's why I also think one can judge Kenny Pickett's play and lack of development only so much, as Canada was THAT bad. If Pickett ends up developing elsewhere, Tomlin's decisions regarding Canada will look even worse.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

He’s definitely on the top 10 list of Steelers the organization “wanted to retire” to move on from

Class act and great coach

 

[Drink IRON City]

I dunno Canada was over his head and I think he would have been outmatched on whatever NFL team he would have coached. That cat was the worse coordinator that I have seen in some time…

I might add, the he was definately the worst OC you have seen since the Merger. His output was the lowest since the merger, but also a lot of pre-merger.


Salute the nation

 

[Steel Reign]

The running game was actually pretty good under Canada, especially considering teams constantly stacked the line against the Steelers. I tend to think that is why Tomlin kept Canada as long as he did, hoping the passing game would catch up, but it never did.

That's why I also think one can judge Kenny Pickett's play and lack of development only so much, as Canada was THAT bad. If Pickett ends up developing elsewhere, Tomlin's decisions regarding Canada will look even worse.

Fully agree that Canada is THAT bad. On the running game, I am not so sure I give him much credit there either. If our run game could produce that when teams stacked the box because they knew what Canada was calling would seem to suggest that the run game could have been a lot better if that element (solely caused by Canada) was removed.

As an aside, Moore may have been the biggest loser in Canada's offense. Not making excuses/justifications for Moore, but imagine lining up against the best rusher every game and the rusher knows what is coming most plays. Yikes.

 

[MTC]

I dont know why but I always hated it when they would say "exotic Blitzes"

Exotic blitzes


I can say erotic blitzes

 

[Steelmann]

I dont know why but I always hated it when they would say "exotic Blitzes"

It was much better when our D was known as Blitzburgh. I wanted to keep Mike Hilton over Cam at the time. Hilton was great on the Blitzes,and we really miss that part of the game.

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

Dick L was one of my favorite coaches. I’m probably in the minority here,but at the time he left,I felt the game was passing him by and there was a need for change.
The Tim Tebow game always sticks in my mind. That game strategy and lack of halftime adjustments and just pure stubbornness when all could see it was not working was one of the all time fails of any game for me.
I would really love to know the truth behind the game planning on this one.

 

[SojournerSteel]

Well they have some holes on the roster at receiver and Corner but yeah it wouod take a very good performance by A. Smith to avoid groundhog day after wildcard week.

They are coming into the year very determined to run the ball early and often and of course on early downs. Doesn't exactly seem like a seismic shift in coaching or philosopy and this is the kind of football our dinosaur HC seems to relish in tandem with his vaunted, high priced defense.

 

[madinsomniac]

It was much better when our D was known as Blitzburgh. I wanted to keep Mike Hilton over Cam at the time. Hilton was great on the Blitzes,and we really miss that part of the game.

Dick L was one of my favorite coaches. I’m probably in the minority here,but at the time he left,I felt the game was passing him by and there was a need for change.
The Tim Tebow game always sticks in my mind. That game strategy and lack of halftime adjustments and just pure stubbornness when all could see it was not working was one of the all time fails of any game for me.
I would really love to know the truth behind the game planning on this one.

The tebow game is a total outlier

Tebow is out of the league because everyone played him exactly the same as we did that game... he made a couple passes he almost never makes and that was tge game... luck plays a part in every game... we lost that game to luck, not strategy... that was tge hame plan used before us and after us against him and it worked every time but that one stupid playoff game...

We forced Lebeau out because Tomlin wanted the Dline to be pass rushers, not block eaters and run stuffers... and he wanted to call more of tge D himself.. thats the bottom line with that

 

[SteelerFan448]

The defense looks exactly the same every year. It's kinda good early and crashes late.

The same expoited weaknesses every year,scrub qb's exploit them, bad teams beat them.

A little more creativity in the pass rush and they damn sure need to address the middle of the field.

I am hopeful some of these new linebackers can remedy that.

I wouldn't say crashes late. Last year they held their opponents to under 20 points in 6 of 10 games. I would say the defense is the same each year getting gashed on the ground and just utterly destroyed by elite offenses. It basically loses all its worth if they can't generate pressure on the QB.

 

[Steelmann]

Tebow is out of the league because everyone played him exactly the same as we did that game... he made a couple passes he almost never makes and that was tge game... luck plays a part in every game... we lost that game to luck, not strategy... that was tge hame plan used before us and after us against him and it worked every time but that one stupid playoff game...

Bull-****. They said here you go Tim. You can’t beat us with your deep ball passing. Luck my ***. Ever heard of adjustments?
When what they were doing wasn’t working. It was quite evident. Early on. Luck. Man Oh Man. Yep. Great coaching.

 

[Steel Reign]

Exotic blitzes


I can say erotic blitzes
View attachment 12785

My experience has been that erotic blitzes lead to children. A very dangerous, high risk/high reward play!

 

[Steel Reign]

The tebow game is a total outlier

Tebow is out of the league because everyone played him exactly the same as we did that game... he made a couple passes he almost never makes and that was tge game... luck plays a part in every game... we lost that game to luck, not strategy... that was tge hame plan used before us and after us against him and it worked every time but that one stupid playoff game...

We forced Lebeau out because Tomlin wanted the Dline to be pass rushers, not block eaters and run stuffers... and he wanted to call more of tge D himself.. thats the bottom line with that

Not making a direct comparison, but Pickett reminded me of Tebow in that both could lay a crap egg for 95% of the game and then pull a miracle out of their *** to get the last second win.

 

[SteveA]

Of course, the players have to execute, and I'd give their role 40-50% of the responsibility of the outcome of the games

I think you need to rethink your position…

 

[stillwright]

I think Dick L left because they wanted him to "Retire"

By that time Tomlin had dipped his fingers into the defense. And I agree. They forced him out. I believe he was the first of a bunch that retired and then suddenly unretired and coached elsewhere.

 

[BLITZ]

By that time Tomlin had dipped his fingers into the defense. And I agree. They forced him out. I believe he was the first of a bunch that retired and then suddenly unretired and coached elsewhere.

I think Ariens went first into" retirement"