Matthew Thomas role on the defense

I think he will play alot of snaps for a UDFA, with Ola being on the reserve/injured list Thomas will probably be used as a pass rusher in addition to being ILB. They also have the Seminole package with Thomas and VW being on the field. Thomas has the size and athletic ability to help in covering Gronk, let Thomas carry Gronk down the seam with safety help over the top.

 

Unfortunately I think the OLB position as we knew in Pittsburgh is dead right now.
Just don’t seem like the defense uses them to rush the QB as in years past.
You’re probably right with Thomas.

 

I agree that we're going to see him playing outside quite a bit, especially with Adeniyi on IR, though they seem set on going with more exotic packages. I'm just not sure that using more 3-3 and 4-2 defenses with an extra safety is a great idea for a team that struggles to stop the run. That is an even bigger issue if Burnett is out because Edmunds is then forced to start.

 

I was talking about this a couple of games ago. We are using Thomas and Vince from the outside and moved Dupree to rush up the middle. Just confusion for offenses to try and decide who is coming from where. I think this actually could help on run defense too. Make those o-linemen guess who to block as we are moving people around. DEs, safeties, corners are all going to increase sack numbers this year I have a feeling. It really doesn't matter who as long as they get there.

 

I've not done the research but would be curious to see what the percentages are in terms of sacks middle vs outside (not positional, but where the rush was initiated..center/guard or tackle)? This could answer why the OLB position has changed in Pittsburgh. With the quick passing game that is the current NFL, outside rushers are asked to cover more and their distance to the QB is the longest. Shortest distance to the QB is up the middle...and because they're releasing the ball in 2.5 seconds...pressure in many cases is more valuable than sacks. This, and most QBs are worse with pressure up the middle vs the edge and when they're moved from their intended launching point.

Just my 2 cents and curiosity.

 

Where does tj Watt play?

 

Maybe he's off the field in some packages.

 

Who knows he was out all preseason, but again you are trying to look at it as a conventional 3-4. TJ could move around as well. There was talk of that last year. From time to time he may come off the edge, he may come from the middle, he may drop in coverage. Your guess is as good as the offense we are playing.

 

Would that be wise to have one of your best players not seeing the field as much as back up?

 

No... not at all wise. Watt, Heyward and Haden have to be on the field. Those are, by far, the best players the Steelers have on defense right now.

 

I think people forget that our OLBers were not always racking up huge sack numbers. Look at Greg Lloyd's sack numbers for his career: .5, 7 (first year as starter), 4.5, 8, 6.5, 6, 10 (only double digit year), 6.5, 1 (injured I think), 3.5, 1. If we take out his first year and the year when he was injured and his last year (being very kind to his numbers here), he averaged 6.5 sacks a year. Last year Bud had 6 and everyone wanted to run him out of town.

 

Lloyd was much better vs. the run and sealing the edge.

 

I wasn't meaning to compare the two overall. I'd take Lloyd ten times out of ten in that matchup. I was just pointing out that we often have unrealistic expectations for the sack numbers for our OLBers. Other than the three or four years with Woodley and Harrison tearing it up the only other guy I can remember consistently putting up big sack numbers from the OLBer position for the Steelers was Kevin Greene.

Edit: Gildon did pretty well there as well but we also had guys like Clark Haggans who was solid but never put up big numbers.

 

Agree... I'd take Haggans or Worilds (in their primes) over Dupree. Steelers have bungled two recent 1st round OLB picks, IMO. I hope Dupree proves me wrong... and he has a good season at ROLB.

 

It's not the sack numbers at all for me as far as Dupree goes....it's his lack of a plan B and a failure to execute and I also feel his physicality is lacking as well. C'mon dude at that size,get after it....

 

To this point I'd say Dupree is good in coverage, average at stopping the run and setting the edge, and below average as a pass rusher. I agree that he seems to have no plan B for pass rushing. It is a speed rush or no pressure.