Dick LeBeau the Defensive Svengali????

Very very good article...sure makes you think.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49468506/ns/sports-nfl//

Personally I think it is a bit hard on LeBeau - I mean the fact that the defense has been able to shut down so many teams and that it shows up with being the best defense in terms of yards and often times points lends creditability to his defensive schemes. But the point of a great defense is to come through when you need it and create havoc at critical times. Also to show up against the best (ala Rodgers, Brady, etc.) which they haven't. I also think it points to how stubborn LeBeau has been with an inability to change schemes at times. I mean look at how well the defense played against NE last year with the man to man schemes - yet you rarely see that approach applied in other games.

Also makes you realize how lucky we have been to have Roethlisberger who at least gives you a fighting chance...as long as he has some time.

One thing for sure the article shoots some darts in the theory that the only reason the Steelers have won is because of its defense as well as those who still don't think Ben is an elite QB.

 

Fire DL now!! :roll:

 

Not sure if this is a sarcastic remark...but I said nothing about firing LeBeau. But I ask you what do you think constitutes a great defense. I think it is the following:

1.) Points allowed - Steelers .... maybe not this year, but over the years very good in this category - big time star for LeBeau here
2.) How you perform on 3rd down, LeBeau's defenses have always had issues in this area
3.) Ability to perform in the crunch or against the best - LeBeau's record is pretty crummy here as the article spells out

Another thing to remember is LeBeau benefited from a Steelers team that leaned heavily on drafting defensive players high in the draft during the early to mid 2000's. As we know, drafting on the offensive side of the ball has taken precedence in recent years - so the Steelers don't have the same type of horses that LeBeau has relied on in the past and the results are starting to look more and more sketchy.

 

The players know what it is, I think it was Woodly that said DL's defensive scheme revolves around winning one on one match ups and when you don't win or can't win those match ups then you have problems and that is why you see the run defense deteriorate as well as the pass rush, you have a weak line that gets no penetration and leaves blockers free to pick up the blitz. For the last 5 or 6 years it has been hold your breath in the 4th quater is the team isn't up by 3 scores because the article is correct, we watched Flacco go down the field 90 yards in 32 seconds and never see a 3rd down, that is really poor defense and looking at the compiled stats in that article it makes you wonder if he really is a great defensive mind. It now makes sence why the defense struggles without Troy, because Troy goes on instinct and that is what offensive coordinaters can't account for and it is something that can't be coached, he has gotten burned a few times like this but more often than not he makes a play.

 

It should be pretty clear to most fans who watch this team closely that the defense just isn't that good scehmaticaly. And that it was it is. Athleticism made up for its shortcomings in the past, but now that we have older guys and key players (ahem, Troy) injured, it shows its glaring holes. Not adjusting certainly doesn't help. But I do think it is time for some new blood with a new scheme that can adjust to teams in game calling the shots on D. Not sure Butler is that guy either (tho admitedly, I know nothing about him and I know he is next in line regardless), but maybe a new sub-coordinator will help?

Bottom line is that any Defense that repeatedly gives up 4th qtr leads cannot possibly consider themselves to be good. That is the point of this article obviously.

 

Always remember people, you must have the Jimmy's and the Joe's,
will always trump the x's and the o's. Smoking mirrors don't get it done,
Athletic talent does.

 

I think the defense would be much better if troy would ever play

 

i'm going with my thought of alot of role players and lack of playmakers.

 

I somewhat disagree with this. Look at Shanahan for example. That guy could turn a 300 lb woman into a pro bowl calibre running back. It doesn't matter who Shanahan has on the Oline or who he has at RB, they will run for 100 yards damn near every week. He switches RB's constantly and every single one of them perform.

Look at Andy Reid with QB's. No matter who he gets at QB, they perform. I'm not convinced McNabb was even a good QB. The second he left Philly he forgot how to throw the ball. Kevin Kolb looked like the next coming of Joe Montana, until he left Philly. Michael Vick was one of the worst passers in the league until he came to Philly, and while he's no Payton Manning, he is 100 times better at throwing the ball than he ever was before. This Nick Foles kid has looked like a stud every time he's come in and thrown the ball. Andy Reid can turn any QB into a good passer (Vick), and can turn a good passer into a great passer (McNabb).

Scheme definitely matters

 

This article does not take into account when the offense leaves the defense with a short field to defend. That has happened several times over the last few seasons.

 

But surely that can't be the case for his entire career. It's not just the last few years that the numbers have been bad, it's his entire career according to that article. There's no denying his defence excels in some parts of the game, but it is sorely lacking in other parts.

 

The same can be said for just about anything else, in the world. Nobody and nothing is absolutely perfect.

Every defense has holes in it.

 

I admit it, I had to look up Svengali.

I was into the article till he mentioned officiating in SB40. Damn it, I am sick of that talk...

All in all it just says what we all know is true, I mean that's why I was holding my breath and crossing my toes till time expired Sunday right?

Ultimately though, this D has given the Steelers a chance to win in the fourth quarter of almost every game over the past several years. Is the D overated, yeah probably - but sometimes you need to win games rather than not lose them...

 

I watched the steelers lose the game on the last possession by giving up 80 yard pass plays, 90 yard drives in 30 seconds, 73 yards in 2 plays and 23 seconds and that is only going back 2 seasons. Remember the 5 game skid when we were 6-2? 4 out of the 5 games we lead in the 4th qtr and the Chiefs game was horrible yet some blames the offense when we scored a TD to get the lead not once but 3 times and every time we scored the D came on the field and the the Chiefs march down like they we a playoff caliber team. We watched Colt Mcoy look pretty good against the D his rookie season, we watched Bruce Gradkowski look like an All-pro who could challenge P. Manning for passing records, and Brady has owned us for the most part. But even all that trouble the team still had swagger as the rushing yards allowed was next to nothing and that is what now hurts, teams couldn't get100 yards in a game but now we give it up every week, if you are a RB who is in a slump a game against the Steeler now is just what the doc ordered as Ziggy getting pancaked every run to the rigt is going to get you some big yards and a 8 yards per carry average if you stay with it. I want the Steeler to fix this disaster and if they can beat the skins by stopping then instead of outscoring them, then I'll be convinced they turned it around but until then it is a disaster.

 

The most sustained coaching success LeBeau has had started when he returned to the Steelers in 2004. Since then Pittsburgh has gone 101-46 (.687) with two Super Bowl wins.


Other than the NY Giants, what other team can say this? Then again, what else would you expect from MSNBC

 

To each his own!

 

This is a common theme among here. Anything negative about the Steelers, and people attack the source instead of the material. It's such a cop out. If you can't dispute what's written in the article, just attack the guy writing the article. Makes sense.

The fact is clear as day, Dick Lebeau's defences over the years have had some serious concerns and to this day he hasn't improved on those concerns. Why do you think Ben has had to make so many 4th quarter comebacks over his career.

 

there is give and take in any defese. you strengthen one part and another is weak. injuries of key players, and not just this year, Takes only. this isn't DLB fault or the schemes fault. when you have to play a backup, the defense most of the time will have to adjust, not only to the offense but, to help out the backup because you know it is a weakness. so do they. they know you will have a weakness somewhere else because of it, not just that area.

when the rules were different, we stopped the run first, which is usually pretty successful as a scheme. it's proven.
we were a zone blitz team. we had that type of corner, a run helper and a hitter. the hitter part is part of that scheme. make them pay for the catch and cause turnovers and not just interceptions. again pretty successful.

sure there are holes in the scheme nowdays because of the rules. we have drafted corners that have a better man to man quickness and coverage. our elder statesman is still a zone blitz corner. the other 3 are very young and new to sundays on the field. offenses are way ahead right now with the rules changes. we are new to the man coverage, because we rarely did it. it weakens other area's we were used to having our way with. the run game. the blitz. our LB'ers are asked to do alot more now. they were not drafted for that in most cases. that Takes away too. injuries have decimated this defense. they may be on the field but alot of these guys are not healthy. that Takes away. we can't have all take and expect this to run smoothly.

sure there are weaknesses in a defense over time, but when at full stregnth, this has always been one of the best. it's in need of rebuilding and is in that process, whether we like it or not. it's not going to be a 1 season thing either. the vet stars that we were counting on are not at full stregnth and the veteran backups we have in place are under preforming. add that to trying new things to combat weaknesses at positions with ,new rules that help offenses emensly, and it's easy to see why we are struggling a bit.

over time though we can still hang as we have proven on most sundays.

 

DL has been a great Steeler coach and one of the best defensive coaches the game has seen, but like everything in football, his defensive scheme has been figured out.

he doesnt have the same talent he has had in the past, but he still has some pretty good players. his zone blitzing schemes are just getting picked up more and that is giving the other teams way too much time to pass.

we all can see that their secondary isnt great, but its not horrible either. its asking a lot for those guys to cover their man for 5, 6 and 7 seconds while the qb can just sit back there and go through his progressions with no pressure.

the 3-4 has been great, but i think they dont have the players for that anymore. they are more suited for a 4-3 and thats my biggest beef. change is good and sometimes its neccessary and i believe its time for a change and if DL is willing to make it than the Rooneys need to.

 

Dick Lebeaus live interview for the Redskins game... http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio ... a8c832d2b9