Raiders players comments on Steelers defense

After the game some of the players said the Steelers blitzes and coverages were predictable and that they run the same stuff for the last 5 years. This falls on LeBeau the game has passed him by how many other teams have a 75 year old coordinator none. Art Rooney II should've forced LeBeau out like he did Arians, the defense was clueless in the playoff loss against Tebow and the Broncos. Also Carson Palmer knew what the Steelers were going to do from his days with the Bengals it's not like the defense has changed much since then unfortunately.

 

SOURCE??????

 

i mean i dont really need a soirce the only time i remember lebeau changing anything was the pats game last year.we have corners built for man yet we sit in zones. The zone defense is not what it used to be. Us and the ravens run the hell out of it and qb are picking it apart. Wrs dont have to worry about a lber destroying them now. The game has changed and with out went the zone defense.

 

my question is what changes under butler he has been with lebeau and will probably stick with zone coverage that doesnt work anymore.

 

I actually remember someone saying something to this effect on ESPN Radio last year but for the life of me, I can't remember who it was. I even tried to find it the other night but couldn't. They essentially said that the Steelers defense was actually pretty simple to figure out. I guess DL was a genius in his day but has shown an inability to change with the times. OCs in this league are too smart not to figure out the zone blitz schemes that DL has employed over the years. The bad part is that DL seems unwilling or unable to adjust.

 

I sure hope so, TE, but let's be honest, Troy has not really been the same player since the latter part of the 2010 season. He looked terrible in the Super Bowl against the Packers and Rodgers and those receivers exploited him big time. He can't afford to take the chances he used to take because he's lost a step or two with the nagging injuries he's had the last couple of years. I'm just not so sure that his presence on the field will make the kind of difference it would have 2 or 3 years ago. As for JH, we'll see, but I don't see a lot of reason for optimism at this point. He's pushing 35 now and his career seems to be winding down. Man, those guys were great players and now that we may be seeing the twilight of their careers it makes me appreciate the kind of talent and ability they had on the football field. I hope they can regain some of that but I don't have a good feeling about it.

 

I don't doubt this was said (hell, we've been saying this on message boards for years now) but I would also love to see a source/direct quotes . . .

 

This is my fear as well. I don't know who we can get. Maybe Mike Singletary if everyone is wanting to go to a 4-3. I am NOT saying we need to get Mike Singletary but I just wonder if everyone would like an old school guy like that.

 

Anyone remember todd collins? He was a lb for rams and pats. Not trying to name drop but went to high school with him and stay in touch with him to this day. He know i am a huge steelers fan and told me last year that the d hasnt changed in 10 years. He can watch on tv and see coverages and blitzes based on the offenisve keys that the players look for. He also points out he hasnt ever watched film on the d. He just has picked it up over the years. So i am sure if u study it itcould become simple

 

The source is the Pittsburgh Tribune Review wr Derek Hagan of the Raiders.

 

Thanks.

Here's the actual quote:

• Raiders wide receiver Derek Hagan thinks it was a major advantage that quarterback Carson Palmer has opposed Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau so often; Palmer is 5-8 against Pittsburgh. “He knows what they were going to do,” Hagan said. “They pretty much did the same thing that they did six, seven years ago. Obviously, they’ve got a legendary D-coordinator. He’s been running certain things that other teams have seen, that we’ve seen. We knew their tendencies and were able to hit them with some big plays when it really counted.” The Raiders scored on all five of their second half possessions.

 

But do you think he makes some major changes? Also is it the SYSTEM itself or just the EXECUTION. If it's just the fact that we don't have the guys to execute the ideas that can be fixed. But if it's one of those things where people just know it's coming then that is another. But when it boils down to it is there ANYthing that hasn't been done? You know how they would always say "brett favre has seen it all"? Maybe it's just the execution on ALL phases of the game for EVERY team. I mean how many different formations can you use on offense? How many routes can receivers run? When it boils down to it you can have the most elaborate system ever conceived but if you don't have the guys to do it you are just up the proverbial creek without the proverbial paddle.

 

It seems that the GENIUS of the zone blitz was that you never knew what was coming.

It seems that the advantage no longer exists. The league has caught up. Adapt or die.

 

I actually remember someone saying something to this effect on ESPN Radio last year but for the life of me, I can't remember who it was. I even tried to find it the other night but couldn't. They essentially said that the Steelers defense was actually pretty simple to figure out. I guess DL was a genius in his day but has shown an inability to change with the times. OCs in this league are too smart not to figure out the zone blitz schemes that DL has employed over the years. The bad part is that DL seems unwilling or unable to adjust.[/quote:16ud7a0l]

It was Packers coach Kevin Greene, saying it's all the same stuff as when he was in Pittsburgh, playig for LeBeau in 95.

 

I don't think the blame falls squarely on the players ,I've seen plenty of teams have success with less talent we have on our D. I think it's a combo of the zone blitz being a little outdated and accounted for. i also feel our guys are being asked to do the things that don't play to their strengths. Things like dropping Woodley into coverage far too often and sending weak blitzes in his place. The list goes on. Teams have figured out all our soft spots in our D ,as Coach T would say "It's on tape". How do you explain and justify a 10yd cushion on 3rd and 2. We don't mix up our coverages enough or at all ,especially when we have a lead ,that's why teams are able to comeback on us at will. Our schemes and coverages used to work in the past because teams would get impatient and try and call longer developing plays that used to play right into what we were trying to do on D. Now teams are more than happy to dink and dunk on us until we finally break,this is why our sacks and turnovers have been decreasing every year. The first step is to get our corners to play more bump and run,play down and distance, is that a lost art with this team? Be more aggressive stop letting the other team dictate how we should play and make them adjust to what it is WE are doing. I for one would like to see us take more chances .I would rather die a quick death ,than a slow and agonizing one. :swordsman:

 

Again I have to ask why it takes so long for players in the system to develop if the system has been the same forever and so easy for other teams to see and dissect?

It says 2 things to me. 1) We have not changed and adapted enough so our D is way too predictable. 2) Even it statement 1 was true say 3 or 4 years ago we still had the personnel to impose their will and make it work despite the opposing team knowing what was coming...so Statement 2 is we just don't have the personnel any more!

The controversy the past few years was around whether or not the D was getting old and slow. I feel now like it is turning to young and nowhere near as talented to go along with a few players who are old and slow.

 

if is real lebau has to be fired now

 

Wont happen freak. not during the season. I predict DL will retire next year and Butler will take over as DC

Bman

 

Everyone here has very good points and I agree with most. But I think it's personnel. I need two great passing rushing outside linebackers for our defense to work. Go back and look at our history. When we have these two guys we are unstoppable.

 

Everyone here has very good points and I agree with most. But I think it's personnel. I need two great passing rushing outside linebackers for our defense to work. Go back and look at our history. When we have these two guys we are unstoppable.

 

Any scheme that isn't effective without 2 great passing OLB'ers is not a good scheme in the first place. Teams need to adapt to their personnel, not force their personnel to adapt to a scheme they aren't effective in.

It's not just personnel. We constantly give WR's a 10 yard cushion on 3rd and short. Why on earth do that? That makes no sense.

It's time for Lebeau to go, and I would prefer we switch to a 4-3 and dump some of these huge salaries on our defence (starting with Troy and Harrison, and re-evaluating Woodley in a new system).