stopping the run secondary

Chris Hoke made a comment that the front 7 on defense is primary focused on getting to the QB and that is why the defense is giving up so many rushing yards and high yards/carry. Their defense is rush the QB first and catch the running back while rushing the QB. It does make sense that over the past 4/5 years they've led the league in QB sacks but their rush defense has suffered. I remember a play form yesterday where Highsmith went right to the QB but the QB handed the ball off to a RB and Highsmith totally missed the RB and hit the QB. In the old days, we were good at stopping the run, but our sacks was not very high. Chris Hoke's observation makes very good sense.

 

It isn't the only reason they have struggled to stop the run, but it is part of the issue. Missed tackles are also a big part of the problem. That was most evident in the game against the Browns.

 

Chris Hokes observation is an excellent point.... if merely looking at it from a schematics standpoint. However, the reason Pittsburgh had to adjust from the Okie 3-4 (IDLs two gap while EDGE Players had one gap) to the Eagle 3-4 (basically the opposite of the Okie) is due to the NFLs rapid rule changes to open up Offenses to be more explosive and dynamic. As such, the best way to limit such explosive Offenses is to get the QB. Part of the solution is via an Elite Pass Rush. However and again, this is only solving half of the problem.


To fully be able to stop the run in the Modern NFL, you must have rock solid Interior Defensive Lineman with a rock solid level of depth. Take the San Francisco 49ers for example. While many praise the likes of Kyle Shanahan for creating the most dynamic and innovative Offense in Football, what is lost in the shuffle is his understanding of the NFL; quality and quantity are a must in the trenches. If that can be identified correctly and acquired quickly, that opens up quite a bit for the Defense as a whole. If anything, Pittsburgh is doing the same as we speak; DeMarvin Leal, Armonk Watts, Isaiah Loudermilk, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton and Cameron Heyward (currently on IR).



Pittsburgh's problem isn't just that they lack that dude who can be a consistent force (again, Cameron Heyward is on IR). Pittsburgh's current problem is that the depth of the Defensive Line simply isn't good enough to make up for it; scheme being irrelevant. This befalls on both Colbert and Tomlin for letting it get to this point; doubly so from 2019-2021. Two of those three draft classes are killing this team and 2021 is approaching this area sadly as well.



Omar Kahn and Andy Weidl are going to need another Offseason minimum, in best case scenario, to fix this. No matter the scheme, if the personnel is not up to par, no matter how good the scheme is, it will be doomed to fail. In short?!


"Fans talk schemes. NFL Coaches talk personnel"

-AskQuestionsLater.



The Modern NFL is about Personnel Matchups. Get the personnel first for the scheme and the scheme will take care of itself. Are there exceptions to this?! Yes; Matt Canada being a massive one. However, such Coaches are exceptions... not rules.

 

I think we have a little more depth on the interior, but we really don't have "the guy" there to put next to Cam... Hopefully Benton can be that guy at some point.

Our ILB's have so many guys in their face, I'm not sure finding the next James Farrior will even help.

That is why I'm thinking switching to a 4-3 would be better for run defense. Get an extra big body in there to plug the run.

 

That would take the strength of the defense, Watt and Highsmith, and take them off the edges. Does that sound like a good idea to you?

The 4-3 just doesn't fit their current personnel. They do need to be better up front. Losing Heyward has been a killer, so they really need to find his replacement.

 

We would also have to replace our ilb. They are generally larger in the 4-3 to make up for automatically being -1 at the line of scrimmage on every play

 

Problem is Heyward is long in the tooth and only has a couple more years in him being signed through 2025. I feel Benton can take his slot but it still leaves a void. They keep trotting Adams out there to start and he is just serviceable. It should be Benton and Ogunjobi starting although his foot injury is still a concern. They will have to address this in next years draft, Who knows when Heyward will be back this season.

 

Chris Hoke says it , and I've been saying this. GEEZZZZ How many tines have I brought this up. I have said this is why Lebeau was really let go, and was having problems. Because they were drafting for a different type of 3-4 then He believed in. We hardly ever rushed our DL.....they were meant to take on , and occupy space for the LB to flow. People say we haven't been good at stopping the run in a few years.....I say we haven't been good at stopping the run in since we changed this. The difference was at one time we could make people stop running, and so it wouldn't matter. Now when You can't really score very much.....You can't do this. Although I do understand why the change was done. Because the NFL was going into a more passing direction.

 

How much are the edge rushers worth when you can't defend the middle of the field or stop the run? Steelers are bottom of the league in defense.

This isn't sustainable.