3 safety/Nickel Defense

I gotta say the more Austin and Tomlin go to this as our base, the more I feel with our front it's more of putting a square peg into a round circle. Running it as a 24 with Watt and Highsmith with their hands on the ground is really makes the defensive front too small which leaves the ILBs out to dry. I really think they need edges the size of a Myles Garrett if our direction is more of 5 DB base with a 2 DE and 2 DT front. This isn't saying Watt and Highsmith aren't productive players, but what I'm saying is that they're not fits in the scheme and direction the defense is moving. This is partially why our run defense got destroyed by the Ravens in that playoff game.

 

So you're thinking of guys like Scourton and Tuimoloau? At that point, you're really just running a 425 and loading the DL with more 43 style pass rushers. Not saying its an awful idea, but I do disagree that is why we got destroyed by the Ravens. Our game plan was to crash hard on Henry and let Lamar run all over us. It was.... a bad plan. The second we pivoted Henry hit us with the long TD.

 

Is 3-4 obsolete? Only the Eagles front 4 can stop Mahomes. You got to build your team for what will win in January.

 

Animus has an interesting point. The Eagles run a 3-4 defense, also use a nickel, but their focus is paying the D-Line and less resources on linebacker. They are an inside-outside team, always keep the interior, if edge and skill players want more than their value, let them walk.

They have Williams, Davis, and Carter up front. Their second string is Ojomo, Young, and Booker. That front is very young too. They might let Sweat walk this year if he wants too much, and will replace him with a cheaper player.

Roseman just crushes it in the draft and free agency.

I am guessing the Eagles wouldn't pay TJ Watt another huge contact, he is a game wrecker, but wears out and disappears by the end of the season.

They would pitch him on winning a ring, doing what is best, like Trotter and Graham, onetime starters are both second string. If he wanted the huge contract, the Eagles would let him walk.

I think if the Steelers want to run that 4-2-5, they need to get younger, bigger, faster, and stronger in the interior. We are just not good enough up front.

 

I hope they go to a 4-2 man/zone concepts.. Less guys in zone but more in man ...A no free release Defense and no one crosses your face Defense... This protects the middle and allows more blitzes and stunts inside .. I hate letting WRS just run inside untouched we see it almost everytime on 3rd. and long...The WR runs 10 to 12 yards then slants right over the ball about 15 to 20 yards boom first down.. If you press with inside out leverage this play can't happen...

 

3-4, 4-2-5, 1-5-5, it doesn't matter really. Hell, even the legendary 46 Bears Defense wouldn't have been so great had it not had the horses required to run it. The strength of any Championship Caliber team has been, continues to be, and will always be the Lineman.


This should come to the surprise of no one. If anything, the 2020s are kinda playing out like the 1980s in terms of the importance of Trench Warfare.

 

Really need some big young guys up front. Heyward found the fountain of youth but for how much longer? Adams and Larry O are at or near the tipping age of 30. Time to draft some big boys to harass opposing QBs

 

Benton is the only bright spot

 

grady brown gone now as secondary coach.

 

We need to get someone on the line to Khan and Tomlin.

 

No, the 3-4 defense isn't obsolete. Many teams in all 3 levels of football and many different pro leagues still use it. It's just the Steelers are moving away from it with players built more for a 3-4 defense.

 

we don't really run a 3-4 defense. as good as our OLB'ers or DE's as we use them are, they are not the greatest against the run. we basically run a 4-7.

 

Watt was easily handled in the WC by a rookie RT! In fact, he's disappeared in every playoff since he's entered the league.

 

After looking at this team, from top to bottom, I got to thinking that we are not close to competing with other playoff teams. As far as offensive is concerned: We have a young offensive line that is learning to gel. We don't have any playmakers outside Pickens, and he is streaky depending on if the QB throws to him. We don't have a QB or a franchise QB and are picking middle of draft always which takes us out of the running to be able to pick a top QB coming out.

Defense wise, we have the highest paid defense and they have gotten older. Heyward played great this year but his play is likely to fall off soon due to age. Our Dline is old except for Benton. We have 3 good to great pass rushers in Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig and our secondary has an up and coming Porter Jr, Deshon Elliott, and Minkah Fitzpatrick that hasn't done anything in 2 yrs it seems.

While this may not be a popular opinion, they should be looking to possibly trade Watt and Fitzpatrick for day 1 or 2 draft picks to get younger talent. Sometimes you need to make shrewd moves to continue to stay relevant. Like if we sign Russell Wilson 36yo self instead of a 25yo Justin Fields, who is younger with potential....we are just kicking the can down the road. We need too many pieces on the defensive line and defensive backfield along with playmakers on offense side of the ball to be relevant.

 

we have 3 draft picks that need to be seen this year.

ryan watts coming off a neck injury. not a good injury for a safety but was looking pretty good before the injury.

troy fautanu here is hoping the knee is OK.

logan lee a DL that was pretty good at iowa.

dylan cook and doug nester are two others that need to make some noise going forward. cook looked really good in preseason last year on both ends of the line. it's not like the cupboard is bare. nester was pretty good at WVU.

max scharping if re-signed is another interior o-lineman that could help our depth there as well and possibly more. we just need to see what we have in these players before we just pick new shinny toys.