How Do The Steelers Stop Baltimore Defensively?

I actually didn't get to see the first game against Baltimore. My Sunday Ticket To Go completely crapped out. From what I gathered a lot of it came down to simply getting outplayed in every phase of the game...not necessarily having a game plan that would have never worked.

So we saw a complete change in defensive strategy against the Pats, which was proven necessary based on past lack of success running a zone D against Brady.
With that having worked and all the LB injuries, do they go back to the zone against the Ravens? They have beaten them the same old way plenty in the past. They have also seen Ray Rice get away from them a few times too.
There were times last week when they had 6 DBs on the field. With Rice being the main threat to run or catch short passes and get a ton of YAC I am wondering if M2M would work and let the faster DBs keep him in check. Of course I could see them having more trouble bringing Williams down then.

On Talkin Steelers Football they were talking about some forms of 4 DEs (which Tomlin may have mentioned in his PC) and also Keisel doing more rushing from the outside.

It seems like we are finally seeing changes...some may be forced due to injury and some may be as the other thread here with the DL article suggests that we finally have the personel to make the changes necessary against some of the QBs. Makes me wonder how different the Super Bowl could have been if they had been able to Man up like they did last week.
Anyway, what does everyone think going into this week?

 

i think the biggest problem for sunday is how the steelers can give ben the time to throw. seems we are doing good vs teams doesn't have great puss rush , but with suggs and co. i hope ben can stay alive
:bye:

 

True, but I wanted to specifically start a thread about the Defensive strategy since they cannot afford to give up the amount of points they did on 9/11.

How they move the ball, score, and keep Ben alive warrants its own thread.

 

We had three int's and four fumbles against BAL. The defense will be fine if the offense doesn't lose the ball. Ben has gotten over his early season (and late last season) turnover blitz. He accounted for five turnovers against BAL. I think we will use a similar offense that was successful against the Pats. Quick passes are the best way to make your OL look good. The defense will not be a problem.

 

We turned over the ball way too much, especially in our end of the field. The first week was just a total blunder on our part. We can not turn the ball over this game. But as far as defensively, we got to create havoc in Flacco. We got to get to him more often then the 1st game and we cant give them the field position and the opportunities we gave them the last game. Im not as impressed with the ravens pass as I am with the run. Ray Rice is key to this game. If we stop him, we stop the play action and we can make them 1 demensional. Turnovers on offense and no rush defense lost us the game the first time around. It would be nice to have Hoke this game as well as Hampton. Hoke has a nose for the ball and seems to have a great ability to get into the backfield and stuff the run. We had a lot of missed tackles as well, we cant let that happen this week!

The key to winning the defensive battle this game:
*Stuff the run (we have to keep ray rice in check)
*Get to the QB (Gotta rattle Flacco's cage a little bit)
*Create turnovers (These games are usually won with the defense, giving our offense some good field position and more opportunities can really help us out)
*No missed tackles (or atleast limit them so they dont lead to bigger plays)
*Get off the field on 3rd down and watch for the screen pass

 

So basically... our defense has to out play their offense. Enough said! :hello:

 

Not to be a jerk but those are keys to every team every game.

 

The open question is how to achieve those keys. Not that any of us have those answers, but its fun to speculate.

I am not so sure they can completely make them go 1 Dimensional by getting a lead up on them...didn't they primarily climb back into the Arizona game on Rice's shoulders? Or did they just use him to get the TDs after slinging it down the field?

 

We need to score more from the Red Zone. Last week we gave away to many points. I remember a few years back that scoring from the 3-5 yard line was no problem but certain people have gone and we have had a problem in the area since.

 

I think we come out with a similar gameplan of the NE game. Baltimore O-line played way over their head against us in game 1 and we were not in game shape whatsoever and looked like we didn't even want to be there. We are a different team 8 weeks later and quite honestly, I think our O-line is better than theirs today. I would have never considered saying that through 4 weeks of the season...but we seem to have found a little something since Starks signed. If our CB's press and knock receivers off their routes early while the D-line applies pressure...I think Flacco will lose the game for them on his own. Just hope we can do it with Woodley and Harrison in street clothes which, unfortunately, seems to going to be the hand we are dealt.

Off topic and offensively....The difference in this game is that Baltimore has a defense that WILL apply pressure. We need our O-line to play the best game they have to date and give Ben a little time. We need quick passes...use Heath up the seam to take advantage of blitzing LB's and an open middle...throw a screen in every now and then to the flats to keep Outside LB's honest or to take advantage of them blitzing (I know...probably won't happen...and our screens look like rec league material when we do try them). Mix it up...short passes and use Mendy, Redman and Moore heavily to keep all 3 fresh. Set up the long ball and take 3 or 4 deep chances...but O-line has to make sure Ben has the time when they do go deep. Control the clock and keep their Def on the field as much as possible...and no freakin turnovers!

 

and 1 other thing...I think we have to mirror Ray Rice with someone fast that can tackle

 

A.Pressure Flaco
B.Taylor is on Boldin like stink on crap.
C.Troy in the box 80% of time to help with Rice.

Dick( ) has forgot more about football during the night than I will EVER know!! But thats what Id do.

 

I think we are going to see a lot of Troy blitzing and coming up to play the run. Who is fast enough to mirror Rice? Would they put that job on Troy this game? I think in years past they put that one on Farrior to varying degrees of success. I don't think one guy does it alone, but if they contain enough until help is there they can with the battle.

 

I think the key is not turning the ball over 7 times (or was it 6, can't remember). Do we really get blown out of that game or even lose if our offense doesn't give them the ball on every one of our possessions?

 

I don't think we need to be creative and come up with any new defensive schemes, necessarily. Perhaps have Troy more involved at the line of scrimmage to disrupt blocking schemes, but that's about it. But...we need to do what we do MUCH better--being in our gaps, tackling, etc.

The key to this game, I think, is stopping Baltimore's running game. If they run the ball as well as they did in week 1, it will make winning difficult.

 

we moved the ball on them the first time. we just didn't keep the ball 7 times. 3 step drops, keep them off balance. ben cannot hold the ball. make them run to the edges and chase our receivers and backs out of the backfield. wear them down this way. heath can back the lb'ers off with some catches. get the TE's rolling. play sound defense and we win. :swordsman: :hello:

 

As HC Dan Bylsma says "grind these bi$&$%s down.

 

I think stopping Ray Rice is the key. We need to get Timmons back at ILB, regardless of the situation at OLB. He is the only LB with the speed to stay with Rice, so we badly need him in the middle where he can go both ways. Put him at OLB and the Ravens will just run the other way.

I like moving Troy up to LB at times as well and letting Mundy play SS

 

silvester can spy rice

 

With a big pair of.... Linebackers?

 

You sir are in violation of emoticon abuse. :ugeek:[/quote:28yuoq2t]

coaches meeting the day before the game.

 

with a shotgun as they come off the team bus

 

Heath will be used as a in pass protection in this game. If they want to make short passes up the seams, they will have to be thrown to someone else.

 

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers...there, I said it.

Every Ravens game involves turnovers and the team that gets more usually wins. We need to create some turnovers.

I would also throw some screens. This should slow them down a tad.

And, no Mendenhaul! This guy is a walking turnover against the Ravens. Use Redman, please?

rutan