Ziggy Hood- Bust?

Not to be picky but I said to be highly drafted and fail to approach your potential, did not say fail to reach your potential, a big difference.

Cajun-

 

Ah, well I guess I must have read the wrong word there. I don't see a massive difference between approach and reach. It's different degrees of the same principle, I guess. I also was reading it as if "being highly drafted" and "failing to approach your potential" were separate qualifications, the way you said it originally. And no doubt I was drawing on your previous complaints about Timmons failing to reach his potential.

 

Even Rodney Bailey had his highlights after the steelers drafted him in the 6th round in 2001, he played in 16 games his rookie year and recorded 12 tackles and two sacks, he was cut in 03 and played for other teams until 06 when the steelers resigned him for a year, he played for the cards in 07 but at least the steelers got 3 years out of a 6th rounder who lasted for 7 years in the NFL......

 

That's true. I guess, when you really stop and think about it, the only real "difference" between Hood and Bailey is that Hood is way better than Bailey. Thanks, I hadn't looked at it that way before.

 

we all know that de in our version of the 3-4 isn't about stats, it's about controlling your area, and hood just doesn't stack up against keisel in that department...... but if you really want to bring out stats, you also should point out the ot's they had to face.. hood is facing the rt, while keisel is facing what most consider the most important position on the o-line... the lt is more often than not, the dominant lineman of the group, so keisel is clearly facing stronger competition................even more so, i'm glad you mentioned the teams each had their sacks against............ hood's sacks, as you say, came against philly, Baltimore and san diego...... philly and san diego have o-lines that are in transition...... Michael oher is the only legitimate marquee tackle out of the 3 that gave up hood's sacks........... keisel performed against Brandon albert, joe Thomas, and andre smith/ Andrew whitworth (I forget which one is on cincy's left side, but both are clearly superior tackles).......... there is no comparison when you look at who these men are facing week in and week out.

 

Who else is tired about controlling an area? Can't you penetrate towards the QB in this scheme? LOL
I for one am tired of this scheme. Isn't this a passing league now? That you MUST get PRESSURE on the QB?
Hell even the mediocre Qb's(gradkowski) have torn up the Steelers when there is NO PRESSURE. DO YOU want to beat Tom Brady/
Peyton Manning? Apply PRESSURE, even the great ones make mistakes. What will Aaron Rodgers do to us with no pressure? God help us.

 

That's not the job of a defensive linemen in the 3-4. Why is that concept so hard for you to grasp?

 

How soon we forget!!! The only then Hood has done better at than A. Smith was getting drafted. Hood being 1st rd and Smith being 4th rd.. Please don't say Hood is right on par with Smith, Hood has trouble carring Smith's jock strap.


Let's take a small look at Smith. Drafted in 99' he started every game from 00' thru 06'. In those years his sack #'s were 4 in 00', 8 in 01', then 5.5, 2, 8, 2 & in 06' 4.5 sacks. In 07' he had a knee injury then missed final 4 gms with a torn triceps. Healthy in 08' he had 5.5 sacks. He was then on IR in o9'/10'/11' then released.


His total tackle #'s are also higher. Yes hood had 3 sacks last year but only 1.5 in 11' when he replaced Smith. He also had 3 in 10' while smith was on IR.


Wardismvp is not wrong, A 3-4 DE job is not to just hold his ground. I can type a long detailed expose' on the duties of the 3-4 personell vs. the 4-3 players but its pointless. In short the 3-4 DE is to be disruptive on the edge collapsing the pocket. He MUST NOT loose containment or get out of position while doing this as it leasves the defense vulnerable if he does. By being a force to be reckoned with he commands extra attention and in this the OLBer is freed up to make the splash plays. If he, DE, primary tries to "hold" his position he's actually helping the offensive player which frees up a guy to help stop the OLBer.


With Smith being that force requirring attention it allowed Gildon then Woodley to shine. Kimo was a force ( not as much as Smith) which allowed Poter to shine. So is Kiesel.


Now when it come to holding his ground the zero-tech ( Hampton then McLendon now) is more important due to him having a two-gap interior responsiblity. Even here if he can "push" the pocket its a good thing. The more he pushes the more offensive attention he garners.......


Cajun-

 

Not trying to split hairs - after all, it's pretty clear that Aaron Smith is head and shoulders above Hood - but I don't think those sack numbers don't particularly disprove BF's point.

At any rate, I don't think there's even an argument as to whether Hood is Aaron Smith-level. The point is more whether it's right to label Hood a bust when his performance has been solid but not spectacular.

I take your point about the need to be disruptive, but at the moment I don't see an alternative on the roster who does much more than Hood in that position.

 

I think Heyward will be better on the pass rush. I'm hoping we see a true rotation with Ziggy, Cam, and Brett in the nickel package. And maybe the occasional McLendon, although not too much because he'll be playing 1st and 2nd down this year too. Rushing the passer is one of the most exhausting things you can do, so the more people to get into the rotation, the better. Cam can do it. I just hope they actually do it this year.

 

Smith's 1st 3 seasons he avg about 6 sacks a season. His 1st 5 seasons he avg around 5.5 sacks a year. You say after 4 years Hood is just now turning the corner and that was the point of this thread to begin with. You and others keep saying DEs are not to get sacks but why is A. Smith the Greatest 3-4 DE ever? Because he got sacks! Because he got lots of tackles! Because he was never out of position! He was schematically sound and effective and that is what commanded the extra attention and that is what freed up the LBers!!!!!!!!!!!!

I look forward to seeing what Heyward is gonna do. I also look forward to seeing what Hood can do if Coach Mitchell is able to correct his technique issues. Thigpen82 is right, we have no-one else in his place.

Cajun-

 

Lets not forget though that 3 and long or just a noticeable passing situation those DE get kicked inside and our base nickel is more like a 2-4-5 the DE stop the 5 and use (my guess on the play called ) a 3 tech. They turn into usual DT (4-3) when our OLB turn into DE.

This is very generally speaking. Don't get on me about DL defense and the complexity I agree. I speak generally.

Dont get me wrong I think ziggy has done a solid starting job. Aaron smith will be remembered around Pittsburgh ziggy won't, as of now. I think he need far more improvement at the point of attack.

PS my phone auto corrected ziggy to soggy. Think that's what he should be called. Sometimes on runs to his side he gets balled up like a soggy (insert absorbent item).

 

the difference between smith and hood is not the sacks but how play the run and how many tackles for loss smith had .hood is soft at the point of the attack smith was penetratingand commanded more double team

 

It is a passing league now and can you remind me who was the number 1 pass defense the last two years. One year you could call fluke but to do it back to back years you are doing something right.

 

smiths first 4 years 17.5 sacks. ziggys first 4 years 8.5. smith more then doubled ziggy's sack totals in that time. it still doesn't make him a bust.

 

Big Ben sucks because he's not Joe Montana. Stop comparing him to smith who could be the best 3-4 defensive end ever.

 

I am still hoping that DL lets his DE's play upfield, We actually may have a chance against passing teams?
Our #1 defense was so great, we finished 8 and 8.LOL. Thank you Cajun for explaining this to some people, that really can't
understand that DE's can apply pressure and are soley not there to HOLD there ground, amazing.Folks the league has changed
most teams worry more about the passing attack and how to get to the QB than stopping the run(holding your ground).
When most teams are throwing it 65 percent of the time you better be able to apply pressure on the QB from whoever it may be
or it is going to be pitch and catch. Also watch how much better our secondary could be, when PRESSURE from whoever is applied to the QB.

 

a guy that would have been perfect to replace smith in the steelers defense would have been derek wolfe drafted by denver at 36 overall in 2012

 

when your a first round draft pick, thats the company you are compared to. i'm just stating facts. the first 4 years of both. nobody knows what he will do for the next several years to compare it to. do we compare our OLB's to clark haggens? no we compare them to porter and gildon and harrison and such. so why not compare him to smith?