SIMPLE yes or NO, do you enjoy watching Steeler D?

Yes, the Steelers allowed the fewest points against in 2010 and 2011. I don't know how you do better than that.

In 2011, we were 21st in points for and in 2010, we were 12th in points for. I enjoy watching the defense but get anxious watching them stall in the red zone.

 

I agree we weren't the best defense last year, but I don't know being the best defense in points allowed, yards allowed, and passing yards allowed can be thrown away entirely. Stats need to be taken with a grain of salt and adjusted for reality, and they need to pass the eyeball test. But that doesn't mean you just throw them completely away because some of your competition wasn't very good. The rest of the league played these guys too, you know.

So if we're not number 1, what are we? Apparently low enough to say our defense "just doesn't work anymore." We were #1 statistically, and we were... what, 25th really? 28th? 17th? I'd love to know just how far off these stats are.

Personally, I'd say the 49ers were better, because of the insane turnovers they produced. And they were still good everywhere else. Everyone else is a notch below (Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore, Jets), and I have no problem putting us right in there with that group. There's actually quite a dropoff in points after SF and us to the next couple of teams, and Baltimore got to face the Jets' offense instead of the Patriots'. Where do you guys put us? 15th? 12th? 32nd? I'd love the "we were only first statistically" crowd and the "LeBeau has been figured out" crowd to weigh in on this. Suppose we were 5th best. Is that not good enough, even without all the injuries?

 

Which losses from 2011 do you attribute to the defense, offense, or just overall better team?

BAL 35-7
TEXAS 17-10
RAVENS 23-20
49ers 20-3

 

overall better teams all of them , maybe except the rats at home where a good final defense could have won the game

 

NO, can't cover the picks.

 

I somehow missed this before. I would point out that it is not hard to rush 4 players in a 3-4. In fact, it's super easy. I would also point out that last year's best defense (SF), in addition to all other top defenses (BAL, NYJ, HOU) were 3-4 teams.

 

No

 

No...for primarily three reasons:

1. There is nothing more humiliating than watching our opponents run the ball down our throats. Last year we gave up 4ypc and the Broncos were at 3.9ypc this past Sunday. That simply won't do...and it is painful to watch.
2. We consistently give up third and longs. Very disheartening.
3. We don't have a good pass rush. Blitzburgh is long gone.

I admit that I have been spoiled by having the privilege of watching solid Steelers defenses over the years.

 

Man nothing comes close to how fun the Blitzburgh D, '93 through '95, was. Steelers Defenses were just as good in the 2000's, but not nearly as fun to watch. There are a lot of reasons for that, but that is just how I feel.

I'm not an expert, but I feel Lebeau was working with 50 blitzes back then, and now I see the same same 3 or 4 blitzes. Maybe that is just me, and I'm not sure why that it is?

Its not the same league anymore since then though. I think right now speed and deception is not enough. You need guys like Ngata or Suh who create mismatches no one can account for.

 

Yes. But only because they are OUR Defense...
Unfortunately, I don`t like watching ANY defense have to struggle with the new rules that favor the offense..
Just how, exactly, are you supposed to stop the reciever from catching the ball, when you more or less cannot hit them while they are catching the ball, to dislodge it?!?! (Ask Ryan Clark, who got fined 40 THOUSAND dollars, for hitting a receiver, so clean, that his coach, showed the play, to the rest of the team, as an example of the "proper" way to hit a reciever, and then... no, wait... Guess we can`t even do that)...
Or ask Silverback, who has been flagged for fighting thru uncalled chokeholds, to get to the qb, then gets flagged for "landing with his full body weight upon him"..., or hits another qb square in the chest, with his SHOULDER, and gets penalized for it...
Really?!?!
How can a defense POSSIBLY fight thru all this???
Other than the fact that the rules are stacked against them...
I like watching them, anytime except, when they have done their job, and put the offense in 3d and long, then give it up...
Or when they cannot protect a lead to win the game...
Both of which have been happening way too often... Rule changes, or not... I feel for them, but they need to simply find a way to get it done.

 

Not anymore not enough turnovers caused by the defense not enough pressure or sacks on the qb.