No Hope for a New Defensive Coordinator

Just wondering what everyone thinks about Lebeau. I know if he doesn't get more turnovers, sacks and interceptions next year he will be the scapegoat next year.

I am a big supporter of DL and was glad he came back from his dreadful time as a head coach. But at 74 years old I believe he is done as a Defensive Coordinator. I mentioned in another post that I haven't seen any of his zone blitz schemes this year. We have more talent at cornerback then we've had around here in a long time (remember the Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott years). So I wonder why we haven't seen them. The cross dog blitz up the middle from the inside linebacker position should go out with the bubble screens.

Just wondering what the masses think?

 

I'm big on keeping Lebeau around for next season. He didn't get the turnovers and didn't play his cards right in the Denver game but he still had the number 1 scoring D in the league again. No way do you just toss that aside.

 

I think that LeBeau will go out on his own two feet. The FO loves him, and his success cannot be questioned.

 

I just hope Lebeau doesn't pull a Paterno and stick around for as long as he can based on past reputation alone.

When he does leave, I know that Keith Butler will be the top candidate to replace him, but here's a darkhorse for you...CARNELL LAKE. I think Lake did a great job with the defensive backs this year, he's a smart guy, has a very high football (especially defensive football) IQ and he's somebody the players respect. Thoughts?

 

You gotta wonder how much long Bulter is willing to wait for DL to retire. Sooner or later he'll jump to another team you'd think.

 

I agree! Besides too many major changes in one season could have the "Cleveland Browns" effect on a team

 

Lebeau is not as creative as he once was, but I think it is partially because he doesn't have the players he once had for 2 reasons IMO:

1. Everyone is taking 3-4 players now. A guy like JJ Watt might have fell to round 2 or 3 if this was 1995.

2. Steelers are still successful they are consistently picking lower in the rounds.

The league has caught up to his defense, and Lebeau can't do much about it with these rule changes favoring offenses. Scheme can't do it alone now. It is all about the players. That is no reason to get rid of him though.

 

Hear. Hear.

 

Lebeau needs to come up with more blitzes using his players from the secondary, he relies too much on Harrison and Woodley to get all the sacks.

 

So true, if teams are going 3 wide I would love to see a lot more CB blitzes....

 

I still can't think of anyone better. It's true that it's harder to get the players we want through the draft because the 3-4 is so popular now, but we still do well there. He had the top defense again this year, whatever the competition. I put complaining about LeBeau along the same lines as complaining about Polamalu.

 

love lebeau...he can stay as long as he wants to

 

Lebaeu is a Steeler legend and he will stay untill he decids to leave and I'm ok with that.

I was disappointed with our lack or responding to the roll out up passes that Denver lanched up the middle on us. Alot of the reason those passes were sucessful is because we had no pressure on Denver's QB ;I hate the Peebow hype so I'll refrain from using his name. A healthy dominate NT (Big snack is getting to old) and Keisel and mabe Smith as our 5 tech guys and that game is way different.

 

Criticism of LeBeau, ...gee, you guys are bored.

 

Two words:

TIM TEBOW!

 

I agree here. I think that LeBeau probably saw the writing on the wall with Arians - and wants one more shot at winning it all with this defense. I would not be surprised if he spends the next year helping to prepare KB or whomever will take over to help with continuity, and then retire at the end of next year. Let's hope he can go out with a trophy in his hands.

 

Let' not act like LeBeau and Arians are similar at all. The Steelers won't ever fire him unless he starts to stink, which he isn't so far at all. "Writing on the wall" makes it sound like Arians' firing had something to do with LeBeau, like a warning. Arians "retired" because HE stinks. It's no warning to anyone else. LeBeau had the #1 defense again this year, with a TON of injuries and a bunch of players everyone on this board complains about. He failed to adjust to the Broncos on that play in OT like he should have (I assume -- maybe it's on Mundy). So he made a mistake. If Ike makes a freakin' tackle, maybe no one even notices because we win.

 

Once our defense struggles to keep points off the board for 4-5 years in a row then I think it'll be time for a change.

However, those wanting DL to leave will be happy to know that this will be his last year with us as he'll retire after we win the Super Bowl next year!

 

The sacks and turnovers were down becuase we never had harrison and woodley healthy together. The beginning of the year harrison still wasnt 100% from his back. When those two are healthy and going full speed why would you need to blitz anything but lbers.

 

We beat INDY by 3, we beat jacksonville by 4, we beat Bungles by 7, we beat Chiefs by 4, Brownies by 11 and 4..... In those 6 games we scored 101 points TOTAL. They scored 71. We shouldve killed them but we didnt. My point is those teams werent scoring and neither were we. Why did our offense have us in the position to lose in overtime or the last drive of the game? We should ve never played Denver in the first place. And shouldve beat Ratbirds the 2nd time, which wouldve made the playoff picture completely different. But wouldve, could've, should've but we didnt.

Yet some people still wanna blame DL? He had a make shift defense all year and yet still was #1. DL is a legend and I will welcome him back as long as he wants to come back.


One good thing came out of this season, BA is gone. :swordsman: