Defense Legit

I was impressed with D-line. I've noticed the D is better vs. the run when Hargrave is in there. Need to get him on the field more often.

 

Our pass defense is something like 12th in the NFL. Our run defense is around 16th. Only our pass rushers are leading the NFL and saving our defense.

For us right now it all depends on getting pressure.

 

I'm good with that. The league is centered around QBs now. Making them uncomfortable is the best you can do on defense. I've gotten to the point that I don't really even care about yardage given up. Keep teams out of the endzone, throw in a few splash plays, and that is all we can hope for from the defense.

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...are-proving-themselves-as-a-top-pass-rush-duo

Heyward was on a mission last night and Tuitt is playing well as of late.

Sensabaugh may give up some catches, but he is usually there to make the tackle quickly. Like I said in the GDT, I thought the YAC last night was awesome for our defense overall, sans CMC.

I was really down on S. Davis before the season but he is changing my mind. He's really taken the position change to heart.
Bostic has been a great pick up imo. Great game last night by the entire D, I hope they continue that trend.

 

Actually the rush defense is ranked 6th and the pass defense is ranked 17th.

 

Not sure what stats you are looking at but I just checked at NFL.com and our pass defense is 16th and rush defense is 27th. Our defense is tied for 1st in sacks with Minnesota.

I guess I should have checked the stats before posting but the point I was trying to make is that our secondary and run defense is not really that good. The only thing our defense can do is get to the QB.

 

The play of Heyward and Tuitt was the part I thought some people were missing. It doesn't always show up in sacks, but they have done a much better job collapsing the pocket during the winning streak. This is what the Steelers thought they had last year on the defensive line and it is making a big difference.

Davis is changing my mind, too. He stunk it up last year, but the move to free safety has helped. He still takes a bad angle here and there, but overall, he is doing a much better job. The tackling at safety is dramatically better than it was last season. I just hope Burnett can stay healthy the rest of the way and continue to keep some of the heat off Edmunds.

 

They rank 6th in run defense at 90.8 yards per game given up.

 

? Not a top 10 rush defense eh?


Pittsburgh's run defense in terms of rankings overall as are as follows:


Attempts total: 8th


Yard average: 12th


Yards per attempt: 9th


Rushing touchdowns: 12th


Yards total: 7th


First Downs allowed: 5th


Opponent rushing play percentage: 3rd


Opponents first down percentage: 3rd


Opponents touchdown percentage: 7th





(All courtesy of Pro Football Reference and Team Rankings)


All are league categories. I would concur with Blast. This is a quality defense; high investments now beginning to bear the fruit of their labor.



The defense is trending upward. Biggest area of concern was the rush defense as a whole due to the loss of Ryan Shazier. While there are still issues, many of the preconceived ones have either been ironed out or will likely be in time.


Again....

 

Sensabaugh is still a concern. We need another corner opposite Haden. That said I agree with what said earlier that at least Sensabaugh is in the picture and makes the tackle usually. He also does try to make a play on the ball. I could see him get a pick at some point.

 

You're right. NFL.com has us listed at 27 but their chart is backwards so the 32nd ranked team is actually the best and the 1st team is the worst.

 

We have to wait and see how the defense performs against the remaining teams on the schedule.

 

Easier to score points in today's NFL now more than ever. That is why on third and seven plus, the defense has to get a stop nine out of ten times. Tackle the catch. The defense has been much better, it seems to me anyway, at basics like angles to the ball carrier, and good, solid tackling technique. Many, myself include, were ready to run Butler, Porter and Tom Bradley out of town. It's time to praise those guys. Instead of letting some of the issues that plagued this team the first couple of weeks continue to worsen, the defensive coaching staff moved people around and helped their players improved individually and collectively. This defense has definitely stepped it up, so I tip my hat to the players AND the coaching staff.

 

They scored on those drives with such ease, but that was it. I mean we played to me the best defensive game of the year Thursday night, but the jury’s still out of our defense. If we can beat teams like the Pats, Jags, and Chargers or even two of the three, I’ll be a believer in the D.

 

Big reason was the scripting for the first drive. The other drive was an in-game adjustment that had a lot of those rub route concepts that the defense wasn't ready for.

They adjusted and you see what happened the rest of the game.

 

Hargrave as well as Davis have quietly been playing very solid.

 

I agree Sensabaugh is better than Burns and we are playing much better with him in there. Still Sensabaugh is the weak link and I get it since he is opposite Haden and I am not trying to pile on him but with what happened to Burns we have to expect this. I am hoping with each week Sutton is getting more ready and will take over here but for now Sensabaugh is out best option.

As for this offense helping the defense you are right. If this offense keeps playing like this it will turn opposing offenses one dimensional and that is a big advantage to any defense. The last couple years there has been a ton of talk about how this offense should be a 30+ scoring team and should be the part of this team that carries us, right now we are seeing that.

 

The past few weeks the inside push from the guys up front is much better and both Watt and Dupree are getting off the ball and bringing it from the outside.

The combination of outside and inside pressure will help when we face a couple of the better QB'S ( Brady n Brees) both of whom are pure pocket passers and the pressure up the middle will be key. Neither of those two will stand there waiting to throw the ball and take the type of hit Watt put on Newtons shoulder.

I agree with some of the other comments that in today's NFL all the advantages are to the offense. I don t think we will ever see defenses shutdown teams completely. Giving up 21 is the new giving up 9 or 10.

 

That is a good point. I do wonder how different that game would have been if the Panthers had been able to stick with the run more. The pick-six and the dominance by the offense made it impossible for the Panthers to be patient.

 

Better hope our offense keeps humming, against Pats, Chiefs, and Saints
our pass defense scares me.

 

I'm just as concerned about the run defense, though it is clearly better than it was last year. One of the problems the Saints, Patriots and Chiefs present is that they can all run the ball as well as pass it.

 

Our OLB's seem to be only pass rushers. They don't look to set the edge and defend against the run. Both Dupree and Watt have rushed the QB and have gone right by an RB with the ball who runs for a big gain on that side. I think we are depending on our ILB's to make that play but they are just not quick enough to get over there.