IF Lebeau were to retire...

A few years ago? The last time this defence was "working beautifully" was 2008.

 

I definitely wouldn't be heart broken if he did.

 

It's time for the outdated scheme and it's creator to ride off into the sunset. And take Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu with you.

It's going to be a younger defense next season. The time has come.

Butler should have the chance to take over providing he brings a different mind set and not run the same scheme.

 

Bring in whoever can get the dang defense off the field on 3rd and long!!!!

Ugh.

 

Rex Ryan would not be here long. He would be gone in a year or two for a coordinater job in another town or a HC job.

I think Butler should be the guy. Lebau is the master mind, but he is not as aggressive as in in years past. I think Butler would bring back a little more tenacity to this defense.

 

I have a feeling by the time the defense (new coach/schemes/players) gets back to dominance, the offense will start to sputter (Ben gone or not what he was/Bell and Brown gone to other teams for big paydays) etc etc. Things will be different but the results will be the same.

 

How can anyone justify the cushion that Lebeau gives opposing WR's? How can anyone sit here and say our problem is one of talent when it's the scheme and coaching that is constantly allowing 3rd and long conversions? Even with the best pass rushers in the league, with the cushion that we give, it's going to result in a lot of completed passes. Our guys are too far off and it's been that way for a very long time now.

Ray D said it best. Why even have coaches if every single problem we have is blamed on lack of talent. It's likes some on here think the only way to find success is to keep the same coaches indefinitely. Just because it worked for us in the past doesn't mean it will work again, nor does it mean it's the correct way of doing things every time. That only works if you have the right guy. If you don't, keeping him for 50 years doesn't turn him into the right guy. Dick Lebeau was the right guy at one time, but for whatever reason, his scheme is no longer effective. It's not just due to a lack of talent. Lack of talent doesn't force him to have guys so far off that they're converting 3rd and long situations. Some say we play off to prevent the big play, but in case anyone hasn't noticed, we constantly give up big play after big play. What Lebeau is doing isn't working and hasn't for a long time now, yet he hasn't changed a thing.

 

How does anyone think that Dick Lebeau's insisting on dropping our pass rushing LB's into coverage is a good idea?

Do Crockett Gilmore and Owen Daniels have to gouge us on 3rd and 12's for another 2 years before we put this pre-recession defensive scheme to rest?

 

I agree with you. Some fans think you need to an Einstien to learn DL defense. When other teams have a better defense and their players start right away. I think it is more a talent thing instead of too complex to learn in the 1st couple of years. If your are a good NFL pro player you should be able to play after preseason and a couple of games. Unless your not NFL strong enough like Jones. I think Shazier also needs tp get stronger if he is going to play ML.

 

I think personnel is the reason for the cushion. I HATE the cushion and have since it reared its head but our defense has almost became the opposite of our offense because of it. The offense is good between the 20s and then stalls. The defense is bad between the 20s but then tightens. It's extremely annoying but when you have guys with the speed of Allen and Taylor on the corners I think the philosophy is just don't let them get beat deep. That's just my perception and I am in NO WAY endorsing the cushion. I'm just saying that DL can only do so much with what the FO is giving him. Also it is ultimately Tomlin and not DL who is gonna decide who starts and gets the most snaps and things like that. I'm sure just because certain guys are out there doesn't necessarily mean that DL endorses their presence there. He is doing what he is told. But just out of curiosity do you think that IF we bring in someone new that the d will suddenly look like world beaters? Do you think there's a coach in the league that can get Worilds to the qb or Jones to the qb or Mitchell to not be a moron or Allen to not give up big plays? Those guys may very well all have low ceilings and no coach can raise that. I know Harbaugh did it in SF with Singletary's guys but that's really more of an exception than a rule.

 

This is what scares me, too. We need to have a system based on talent and Greta schemes. This draft and 2 years to learn system does not work like it used to. And it only used to work because of the magic of having great players who were smart and in the system long enough and never got poached by other teams. I figure we have 3-5 years with this offense to find some balance and win a championship. But we can't spend a draft next year that is defense heavy withe the intention of being good players in 2-3 years. Injuries and bad drafts of guys who are taking longer to learn system or are undisciplined is not working.

 

Here is another question if DL doesn't retire is this the year Butler walks? If there is any truth to the gentleman's agreement that is said to exist between the FO and Butler it has been 3 years can he wait another couple and turn down more opportunities

 

I can't see Butler going anywhere. He has been here a looooong time now, he probably doesn't want to pick up and move I would imagine.

Maybe he doesn't want to be a coordinator, maybe he enjoys coaching the linebackers more? Who knows?

Don't need a scheme overhaul, but I think it does need a tweaking. We need to start ramping up the blitzing and have the DB's clamp down on receivers more. That MLB cross blitz takes WAAAAAAY too long to develop. Need to come up with ways to get to the qb quicker where no movement is wasted.

 

I agree it's not the scheme, but the players running that scheme. DL, OLB'ers, 1 CB and most of all we need some good and I mean very good safety help.

cam and tuitt are good players, but, they are better pass rushers than they are all around run/pass DE's. if mac and McCullers stay with it I think they could be a good tandum for us, at least good enough to win with.

we need one good #1 corner and I want a good free agent there, and I think we could be alright with gay and McCain as the next two up as starter and nickel. this would give us time to bring young draft picks along to eventually be starters down the road.

we need a mix of young, smart, playmakers at the backend to keep everything in check. I still like shamarko as one, but we need to draft one and possibly pick another good one up in free agency.

OLB, we need some help. size, smarts, speed and strength. is this too much to ask for on defense?

 

Count me in the camp that says the players are the ones struggling, not the scheme. You can't expect us to get worse on the roster and maintain the same results. I thought LeBeau did a pretty decent job.

Off-topic, but I thought Haley did a great job - until the last game. I thought he butchered that.

I say let DL do what he wants. I'd welcome him back. If he wants to retire, Butler has earned it. After all these years, I'm dying to know what that would be like. No Rex crap. Don't need the drama, and he'd be gone after one year, which would cost us Butler in the meantime.

 

I've said I like Devon McCourty but you think I'm a blithering idiot that should be institutionalized A Clockwork Orange style for that right?

 

Is there actually a place I could look to test the flag theory? Also, why too tall?

 

Oh. LOL. Well yeah that makes sense. I thought Tez was actually kinda tall though. There might actually be something to what you're saying though because I've always thought that short people are a little bit quicker than big people and since our defense is so based on speed that might actually not be too much of a stretch to assume.

 

If Lebeau retires, I really would like to see Keith Butler, our current LBers coach, to become our next Defensive Coordinator.

I really think that he knows football. It's exciting to think about what he would do as DC.