So will people finally agree?

That we need to spend our 1st round pick on a corner? This debate has gone on every off-season and it seems most the board always wants more O-line or D-line, and although i understand those needs as well I just think its too obvious now that this defense needs a complete change in scheme with the way the leagues is going and that starts with real talent on the corners.

Yeah yeah, we were a top defense again this season but we get burnt when it really counts and the personnel we have at times are able to cover up our scheme. This defense is just figured out now and is no longer effective. Teams just do not run anymore, especially not against us. We are blitzing all the time and pulling our safeties out of coverage but getting no sacks! So then you have your sup par corners playing single coverage all game with no help and they are bound to get burnt! Its not really fair to say Ike Taylor is sub par but he gets burnt when it counts and lets face it hes no Darelle Revis.

Unless a real stud PBA drops to us, I think its imperative we take a corner this time around and make a real change on our defense... LeBeau may have to hang it up as well if he can't change.

 

Yes. I agree. To borrow a phrase from another great Pittsburgh sportscaster........ "He beat him like a rented mule!!!!!"......... Thomas-------->Taylor......

 

Or get one via free agency. I haven't looked at 2012's free agents, so I don't know what's available.

The Steelers made a mistake not bringing in Johnathan Joseph. The Texans had similar DB woes and shored them up, and the proof's in the pudding, now. The Steelers have ignored their defensive backfield in favor of courting Plaxico Burress and Jericho Cotchery.

 

Agreed.

 

No we have other needs before CB. How about OL, DL and MLB? We have young talent that played pretty well this year but was hurt and on IR and not available in Denver. Plus you can't blame Taylor completely on that last pass. Mundy was out of position. I think the DB's had a bad game but there are a ton of needs before CB.

 

Not unless this corner can play the o line too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guard, then corner.........imo

 

Who gives a crap about the O-line, when we give up 30 points to an offensive team like the Broncos. What would Brady, Rogers, or heck, even Flacco have done to us?

Seriously though, I wonder if it was actual play calling that got us there. We stack everyone near the line of scrimmage, and got smoked a few tims for huge yardage. We didn't adjust, and they did it again.

 

Sigh. I dont even know where to start......I would LOVE a corner .....but good lord we need OL players too. What about Curtis Brown and Allen (is he a CB or a safety)? Could they be starters?

 

I understand where you are coming from, and years ago i would agree with you. I just feel CB is far more valuable today than it ever was... you need REALLY talented guys who can keep with these wide receivers one on one and stay within the rules but still be able to blanket them to allow your front 7 to get sacks. QBs find open receivers so easily we can't even sack anyone when we really need to. Unless a stud guard or nose tackle drop to us I say we grab the best CB available.

 

The NFL is a passing league. I am in 100% agreement that we need DB's in the upcoming draft. We also need serious O-line help; otherwise look for Cincy to soon overtake us in the division. With lots of questions concerning Big Snack, D-line will also need to be addressed. We are in no position to take BPA's anymore. We have some serious holes to fill come April.

 

We clearly need DB help but with the style of defense we play, getting a top cover corner would be a waste playing 10 yards off of the ball on every play. Thats why they never draft anybody high.

Those guys were so out of position yesterday it wasn't funny. Bad Word got his sack handed to him yesterday. I honestly think he was as surprised as we were at the luck Tebow was blessed with yesterday.

Yes, luck. That guy couldn't do that again if he had 20 tries.

What I'm saying is, yes we need some CB help but I'm trying not to overreact to the circus yesterday. We got out coached severely and J.C. Jr. got lucky.

 

The CB is a position that no longer can control a game. Shut-down CBs are no more. It does not matter who is out there if the other QB throws perfect passes -- it will either be caught, incomplete or PI. That is todays' NFL. The Jets and Eagle supposedly have the top CBs in the league, yet they sat at home this past weekend. Who is the Pats stud DB.

To win you have to score points effectively. We have not done that. I do not blame our CB play for the loss yesterday. We sold out to stop the run and dared Tebow to beat us with passing, and he did it, period. He threw perfect passes. Thoose complaining about not sacking him - the plan was to contain him and make him throw it. He typically is all over the place, but yesterday he was uncanny/lucky whatever and made beautiful passes.

The last play was a terrible defensive situational call, either Lebeau, Tomblin, or maybe Farrior really screwed up the call there. And Tottally selling out for a run with no safeties back was just stipid. Tayor played outside technique on that play, so I assume he thought there would be a safety to the inside.

If you want to get more turnovers, the offense needs to score more and be a constant threat to score -- the forces teams to take chances to keep up with you. That is why team like GB, NE, NO get turnovers, not because they have good defenses.

 

I think you are correct that this is a league in which you need to score points. Thus my reasoning for an upgrade at the OL position. We have some very young and talented WR's... We have a franchise QB. We have very servicable RB's. The downfall is that we don't have a consistently healthy and good OL. If we had a decent to good line we could score points with the GB's, NE's of the world. Right now we can't be balanced because our OL just can't get it done week in and week out.

Upgrading the OL is the key for us to get back to winning the division. Our defense will always be servicable to get us wins. Our offense is keeping us from winning games. How many times have we settled for FG's in the games we lost? The Saints, Packers and Patriots finish their drives with TD's which puts pressure on the other offense to take chances to stay in the game. We need to be more effective in the red zone which will help with our lack of turnovers on defense.

A better offense will actually make our defense better. I know that sounds crazy but it is true.

 

I think Willie Colon will be a Guard for us next season. We should look into long term LT.

 

No -- absolutely not. As long as Dick Lebeau is DC we will be predominantly a zone coverage team. We need smart corners who can understand zone assignments and tackle surely. I thing we've got at least some of those players right now..

Conversely the O-line has been and continues to be a mess. As I've said on this board (or at least the old board) before, the Steelers are wasting the prime years of an elite QB's career by failing to develop a quality offensive line. With Pouncey's injury problems I don't think you can say any position on our offensive line is "set" or "secure" at this point. I would be looking for the best linemen available in both the first and second rounds of this year's draft

And, oh, by the way, the Steelers need a nose tackle too. Hampton is at the end of his career and They have not groomed a replacement. McLendon demonstrated clearly yesterday that he is NOT the answer.

 

This team can't just draft a corner in the first round because they need a CB. That CB must be good enough to be picked where he is drafted. The Steelers drafted pretty well in the first round over the years. If there is a CB they feel warrants their first round draft pick, that player has a high percentage chance to be a good player.

 

Last year I said we needed a CB in the worst way but not now, the offense has a lot of weapons but for the love of God, our QB was running scared on a 3 man rush and it wasn't because he was holding onto the ball too long either. I think we need o-line first, that improves the offense, and the only way you don't get an o-lineman on the first pick is if there is a massively talented D-lineman avaiable because the best CBs in the league can't cover for 8 seconds and so we need to be able to pressure the QB. I think both the o-line and D-line need total rebuilds in starting and depth, like the d-line is ok, not much more but they aren't letting LBs get free, look at Ziggy Hood, I hate to say it but if he wasn't getting stood up so much the run defense would have been better and that makes you better in the pass game as you don't need safties in the box. Draft o-line and D-line and find a decent FA CB, thats is probably the best way.

 

Cortez Allen and Keenan Lewis, we didn't draft these guys for special teams let me tell you. Plus I haven't given up on Taylor or even Gay. They played bad yesterday, but they weren't the #1 pass defense in the NFL this year because they are just GOD AWFUL.

 

The Steelers were playing run defense most of the game. The last play was a run defense called by Lebeau. They had never seen on tape where the Donkeys passed on first down, Fox admitted it. We looked bad because the Donkeys switched it up on us like we switched it up on the Pats. It's gonna be OK, we'll be back next year.

 

I can't argue with any of this, except that I would rate the OL as somewhat less needy than people think. I am in the camp that blames Ben for most of the sacks for holding on the ball forever. It's also interesting to note that this year's OL ran the ball better per carry (4.4 yards) than any Steelers team since 2001. Aside for Starks it is still a young group with the chance to improve. I do think that they need to condition themselves better, because I suspect that is why these guys are always getting hurt.

And of course, they managed to win a Super Bowl in 2008 with- or perhaps in spite of- the worst OL since I've been following the team in the early 1970's. Admittedly, since the Steelers have put out some great OL's in the past, this current group looks lousier by comparison.

So, yes, I'd love another G or T if they could get a really blue chip one, but as well -

the Steelers need to get younger on defense. Although the secondary seems like the biggest area of need today, I think there are already prospects there who should and would get more playing time next year- Lewis and Brown in particular I think are the CBs of the future, maybe even this year. However, they are going to need reinforcements in the middle, at ILB and NT, to replace Farrior/Foote and eventually Casey. So, it is there where I think they need to draft first, unless another Pouncey falls into our lap.

 

I disagree. We need oline or we won't have a quarterback much longer. Taylor, Gay, Lewis, Brown, Allen are good corners and we have invested enough in the cornerback postion and we need to see if the young guys can produce.

The offensive line need some serious help. Guards are the area we need to concentrate on and get someone in there that can help pouncey out. Essex, Foster, Legursky and Kemo should be out of the league next year. Maybe keep Legursky just as a backup center.

So who is the better group?

Ike Taylor
William Gay
Keenan Lewis
Cortez Allen
Curtis Brown
Troy Polomalu
Ryan Clark
Ryan Mundy

or
Max Starks
Kemo
Pouncey
Foster
Gilbert
Essex
Scott
Legursky

Now, Ike Taylor is a average cover man at best anyway and the position he was in all game falls at the feet of Lebeau. He was getting torched and Lebeau did nothing to change his game plan. No SAFETY should leave the middle of the field regardless of what defensive scheme you are playing. As a coach, you need to know who is having a good game or not. Either you sit then down for a few plays or you give them help. I remember when I was coaching if i seen a DB getting torched, I would sit him down for a few plays. The scheme last night was terrible. Even a terrible inaccurate quarterback like Tebow had easy throws to make.

 

What about Keenan Lewis, Chuck Brown, Cortez Allen the Steelers have tried to shore up a
a terrible secondary. why can't these guys compete for a starting job. i have been
saying for years that the Steelers DB is terrible. Tim Tebow proved it. But what about a pass rush?
Now that is an even bigger subject.

 

No, I do not agree with drafting a CB in the first round, especially when we pick late in the first round. The top pick needs to be an offensive linemen because we already have 3 young corner's on the team now, Keenan Lewis, Curtis Brown, and Cortez Allen. Its time to play them and get some offensive line help to protect Ben. This is how it should go:

Trade Mendenhall for more picks (2), especially because of his injry. Let someone else pay him a lot of money

1st Guard
2nd Tackle,
3rd Nose Tackle - looking for Hampton's replacement
4th Running Back, two picks from Mendenhall trade
a From Baylor University - Ganaway, Terrance - RB - 6-0 - 240 - Sr. Baylor Univ. - DeKalb, Texas/DeKalb HS/Texarkana College
b MLB looking for Farrior's replacement
5th two picks from Mendenhall trade
a Safety - Looking for Clark or Troy's replacement
b CB
6th QB, Working on getting a good back-up and getting rip of injry prone Byron Leftwich, Making Batch QB Coach or assistant OC, Keep Dixon to work with Rookie.
7th Kicker Best available kicker

In free agency they need to pick up an ILB

Should be gone next year:

Ward - Bring on as wr coach
Hampton - time is up, need a replacement
Aaron Smith - old and injury prone
Chris Hoke - just old, time is up
James Farrior - old and slow
Bryant McFadden - you know he's done
Will Allen - Need to draft a young safty to learn from Troy
Arnez Battle - can only play special teams
LarryFoote old and done
Chris Kemo - his time is up, need to draft a starting guard
Jason Kapinos - Better get someone better
Shawn Suisham - Better get someone in free agency or draft to replace him, weak leg
Anthony Madison - Just not good enough as a position player
Mewelde Moore - Baron Batch is his replacement - Good bye already
Willie Colon - To injury prone
Byron Leftwich - Just worthless and Injry prone
Daniel Sepulveda - To Injury prone
Mendenhall - traded for two additional picks

 

No, I do not agree with drafting a CB in the first round, especially when we pick late in the first round. The top pick needs to be an offensive linemen because we already have 3 young corner's on the team now, Keenan Lewis, Curtis Brown, and Cortez Allen. Its time to play them and get some offensive line help to protect Ben. This is how it should go:

Trade Mendenhall for more picks (2), especially because of his injry. Let someone else pay him a lot of money

1st Guard
2nd Tackle,
3rd Nose Tackle - looking for Hampton's replacement
4th Running Back, two picks from Mendenhall trade
a From Baylor University - Ganaway, Terrance - RB - 6-0 - 240 - Sr. Baylor Univ. - DeKalb, Texas/DeKalb HS/Texarkana College
b MLB looking for Farrior's replacement
5th two picks from Mendenhall trade
a Safety - Looking for Clark or Troy's replacement
b CB
6th QB, Working on getting a good back-up and getting rip of injry prone Byron Leftwich, Making Batch QB Coach or assistant OC, Keep Dixon to work with Rookie.
7th Kicker Best available kicker

In free agency they need to pick up an ILB

Should be gone next year:

Ward - Bring on as wr coach
Hampton - time is up, need a replacement
Aaron Smith - old and injury prone
Chris Hoke - just old, time is up
James Farrior - old and slow
Bryant McFadden - you know he's done
Will Allen - Need to draft a young safty to learn from Troy
Arnez Battle - can only play special teams
LarryFoote old and done
Chris Kemo - his time is up, need to draft a starting guard
Jason Kapinos - Better get someone better
Shawn Suisham - Better get someone in free agency or draft to replace him, weak leg
Anthony Madison - Just not good enough as a position player
Mewelde Moore - Baron Batch is his replacement - Good bye already
Willie Colon - To injury prone
Byron Leftwich - Just worthless and Injry prone
Daniel Sepulveda - To Injury prone
Mendenhall - traded for two additional picks

 

I think we need to go draft OL this year and look to free agency for some secondary help. I honestly think it is going to sting worse and for longer that Tim Tebow... I mean Tim fricken Tebow scorched our secondary. I wanted to gouge my eyes out after seeing that. If God, himself, would have came to me and told me that was going to happen I'm not sure I would have believed it. Anyhow, I know how it makes people want to jump on getting a CB but I don't see the draft as the place to pick that help up this year.