Transitioning to a good defense team

I like where this team is heading from offense minded team with the best wr, rb and top Qb in the league for years which didnt amount to anything but media drama to a defense minded team. We now have some diffrence makers on defense with a little better QB play either from Ben next year or Mason improving this team has a better chance in the future to win a championship than the killer Bs era. If you think about even this year aside from the New England first game whooping this team even though not pretty could be easily sitting on 7 and 1 record because of this defense,we barely lost to 3 of the best teams in the league (SF by 3, Seattle by 2 and Ravens by 3) not bad

 

I'm not so sure about how long of an era this will be. We have some aged players that won't be here long.

 

Our defense sucks but boy they get turnovers. So I guess they are good lol

 

Good Day petekoutromanos.

I am partially with you on this.

Yes, it seems that our "D" is coming around. That is great. However, we need a strong "O" to complement them otherwise we have just flip-flopped the problems. I stated this in another thread. I feel we are close to putting this thing altogether. However, the "O" is young, I do like the pieces that we have in place but the question is how long is it going to take to get to the level of B,B, and B?

It really seems that Minkah has been the catalyst for the "D" to have gotten jump-started. Plus the fact that we have what? Eight first rounders on that starting "D" line-up. They have been underachieving for quite some time now. Once again, Fitzpatrick seems to have somehow jump-started our "D". Now we have to start getting more TD's vs. FGs. Plus no more self-destructing blunders on "O". That was a catchable ball that went off of JuJu's hands yesterday that lead to a turnover. Too many of them this year by our "O" which has cost us games. Like you stated, we really should be at 7-1 right now if not for these type of gaffs on the "O". STEELWINDS

 

If the Colts made that FG, I doubt if I am reading this post about how our Defense is coming around. Seems they were finding receivers in the end zone wide open and moving at will down the field for the winning fg. We couldn't stop them. They stopped themselves. I agree we are getting better with pressure on the qb and turnovers vs last year. It just bothers me that when we really need to hold a team from moving the ball to get into scoring position we fall flat. It was great we got the pick 6 as they were again getting ready to score and put the game further out of reach. Maybe its scheme, communications still, I don't know but at time our players were still figuring out where to go when the Colts were getting ready to snap the ball. I just don't know what to call this defense right now. Winning ugly is still winning so I'll take it.

 

Personally, by today's standards, I would say this defense has been great. Getting a bit better every week with the ususal "Keith Butler Special" of course. Here is a good comparison in the "New Era 1985 Bears" in the New England Patriots.



New England's Defense got the brakes beat off of them. Having zero takeaways against Lamar no less. Rival or not, Pittsburgh is the only team to have forced Lamar into 3 turnovers through the air in addition to one on the ground.


To sum this up, Pittsburgh is the only team Lamar has given up three turnovers or more. The issue in that game was more than just JuJu as me and you both know. That is besides the point though.



New England's defense got exposed.... BIG TIME. Yes, I did just say that. Biggest takeaway is that it has to do a lot more with Baltimore sticking to the Ground Game than others are giving Baltimore credit for. Lamar's abilities add another dimension because New England's inability stop the Ground Game ultimately set Lamar up beautifully.



Side note: Lamar Finished with 169 yards. Mason had 191 but is ripped for it. Again, coaching and execution matter... A LOT.

 

That is a Keith Butler issue. As I said in another thread, playing not to lose only works when you have not just a healthy lead but little time on the clock. Pittsburgh did not have that at all in yesterday's contest and yet both Fichtner and Butler soldiered on as if it was okay. Had we lost yesterday, nevermind the players, the ENTIRE coaching staff would have gotten mutiple proverbial boots parked up where the sun does not shine.

 

you're not wrong. This team is on pace to finish with 44 takeaways which is absurd lol. (22 at halfway point)

to put into perspective we finished 2014 with 21, 2015 with 30, 2016 with 23, 2017 with 22 and 2018 with 15.
picked off garoppolo twice, jackson 3 times, rivers twice

 

The defense finally made a big play and a stop late in the game on the Marlon Mack 3rd and 1 play to keep the Vinateri kick at 43 yards and give the Steelers time even if he had made it. I kept saying that eventually the law of averages would kick in and the Steelers were gonna find a way to win a few of these close games and they have done just that yesterday and really the last few weeks during this 3 game win streak.

 

I'm enjoying the wins, but struggling to beat a guy who has thrown about 8 passes in the last 2 years doesn't really impress me much. Slow down a team like the next opponent, and then we can talk about how great this defense is.

 

I think they give the Rams a good game. Goff not that good when pressured, hopefully they won't emphasize the run.

 

The one thing holding this defense back from being something truly special is communication. If they could become one unit and act as one they could be great. Yet the gaps in communication and knowing where and when to be in a certain spot just isn't there.

I want to highlight two plays, one from week one, one from Monday against the Dolphins. Same type of play, different players, similar result. 1st game against the Pats, Collinsworth comments that the Steelers are making an effort to have Barron cover White. White goes in motion behind the line, Barron gets a late start following, is out run and appears to give up and stop. White continues on, ball is snapped, Brady throws it to him and he swings toward's the 1st down and sideline. Barron gives a pretense of trying to get in the play but it was over before White went in motion. It was the beginning of ppl calling Barron lazy.

Now same situation on Monday night. Dolphin's send a man in motion only this time it's VWILLIAMS who is supposed to cover him, again a step late in following is being out run and slows up behind Watt, ball is snapped, swing pass to motion man who is unguarded and walks into the endzone.

In both instances a veteran player one of which has been the signal caller is not communicating to his team that he lost coverage and there is a free man. Both times there should have been a one word check that calls Watt off his blitz to cover the man or get in the passing lane while Barron/Williams slides into Watts spot.

Same type of deal in the secondary. To many times guys are defending a zone or area with no threat to it while allowing a completion that they could have defended.

If they can play as a complete unit it will be something to see.

 

Hey Thorn.

I agree we were getting oh so close to having a “Complete Unit”. That goes for both the "O" and the "D". Now, go figure, like I said, we lose the three Bs basically around the same time. The new "O" (whether that includes Ben or not, I hope it does.) has some great potential IMO. I must be in the minority regarding Mason. I am really starting to like him. He is getting invaluable playing experience. The young man has fortitude. He, along with the other many new young faces on “O” that need experience are all doing it together. They have the making of a strong unit. Let us see how they mature. Mason just needs to find his "comfort level" for the most demanding position on the field (no knock on any other position).

However, I am also impatient. I want it now. The chemistry has to keep growing each week and fast if we are going to make this a worthwhile season. I am not down with that "Oh it is a rebuilding year stuff." I do not ever look at any year in that way. Football comes once a year and I am not willing to sacrifice even one year for the sake of "rebuilding". What is the point of following them each and every year if we are going to treat any season as a 16-week training camp.

On another note, too bad for Brown and Bell (A.K.A. Dumb and Dumber.) If we had them, plus the new faces on "O".... Just Wow! They truly blew it here in Pittsburgh and they know it. Both had HOF candidacy written all over them. Now I am seeing bits and pieces of news bytes (not sure if fake or real) about them wanting to come back. If they were here, even minus Ben, we would have some strong veteran leadership to complement our upcoming new look “O”. STEELWINDS

 

I am disappointed in our defense, although like others have said
They have improved and are getting turn overs. Thank you Minkah.
I see quite a few problems surfacing. Our inability to stop the running game
is paramount. Our inability to pass defend Bush /Hilton/ Edmonds has me wondering
if this is being practiced. My God Mike Hilton couldn't cover a good high school player.
Our CB's continue to give too much cushion. Maybe by the end of the year these areas will
have improved. Unfortunately it maybe too late. Why is Cam Sutton not playing more?

 

I am jumping for joy that AB and Bell are gone. You may have heard the old saying there
is no I in team. We will be much better going forward without these type of players no matter
their individual talent. This team needs coached up in all phases of the game. We have to play with urgency
from here on out. Players need to step up and play as a unit.

 

I love how the team is getting pressure and of course turnovers, even with Tuitt out. The one thing this team has shown year after year is how lost they look on 3rd and long. We just watch Hoyer come right in off the bench and hit guys for long gains.....guys pretty open. I have no clue what the problem is but if we ever get this fixed we have a chance to be a very good/great defense.

This defense is in a small window we have a ton of money tied up at DE and 2 of our biggest playmakers Watt and Minkah will both be looking for a big pay raise the next 2 seasons. Our defense is set to make 93mil next season that is a lot but we have guys like Barron(8mil) and Chick(6mil) that we can trim to make room for either a Bud resigning or a replacement. Either way the window is closing on this side of the ball.

 

No defense is great anymore but by todays standards the pats are great and we are pretty good and getting better.... And the colts did not move right down the field... They converted on a third and 25 phantom pass int call....