Doom or Boom Friday

The Steelers secondary has a couple questions coming into this year ( Sutton and Pierre ).

I'm sure we can all agree that the best pass D is a great pass rush but with Dupree gone how much attention does Highsmith receive?

Nelson and Hilton and Dupree are gone.

Last season Steelers Pass D finished

3rd and yards
1st in completion % against and rating

It is hards to repeat those standing but with the change can the Steelers Pass D hit top 3 numbers again or do we see a tumble to ~10th.

I think top 5 is possible but can't shake the losses.

I say ranked 10 is realistic.

 

I have 2 agree. Most are like Offense this ,and that. I'm really worried about the D.

 

Top ten is the floor with our horses. Ben & Najee will help them stay fresh.

 

Though the secondary may have some questions I don't think it's as dire as some think. Both Sutton and Pierre have shown promise so far. I know they're both playing expanded roles this year but they've shown no reason to doubt their readiness.

Nor am I worried about the pass rush. I'm going to get blasted for saying this but how much of Dupree's pass rushing success was because the offenses concentrated so much on Watt? Highsmith should enjoy the same benefits of playing on the other side of Watt as Dupree did last year. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Highsmith ends up being an upgrade over Bud. Really, I can see our overall passrush being improved over last year because of our ILBs joining in the QB feeding frenzy.

As Roonatic stated, IF our running game can be even average this year our defence should be able to stay fresh enough through the first 25 games ,(preseason through the SB) of this year.

I'm sorry if I sound pessimistic by calling it 25 games but I don't think we'll get that 1st round bye in the playoffs.

 

My only question would be the 1st round 3rd round Dupree Highsmith.

It took Dupree 3 years at least. Can we expect that from Highsmith in year 2?

 

they switched sides with BUD and then he played better. highsmith doesn't seem to have that problem. besides that, they are two different players. just because it took one guy that many years doesn't mean it will take the next guy that long. 1st and 3rd mean nothing either. they either can or can't. i think we have better backups as well in roche. we have better depth for our DL as of now too. this all helps. inside LB should become a strength now, which wasn't in the past. we have guys that can cover if vince isn't on the field. i may be being optimistic but i think this defense could be better then we had by midseason if the injury bug doesn't hit us in so many spots.

 

I Hope You are correct, but the Highsmith I watched wasn't very good at run stopping. It take more than just pass rush.
Again I hope You are correct in all of this.

 

I don't think there is anyway we could be better, but I'd take as good.

 

There is absolutely nothing that we have seen so far that would suggest that Highsmith will be an upgrade over Dupree in 2021. Nothing.

Dupree is bigger and more athletic. He had far more experience than Highsmith has right now. He was also far better defending the run and dropping into coverage, though he did the latter far less the last two seasons.

More importantly, look at how the overall defense declined after Dupree's injury. Teams were able to focus far more on Watt and it showed. I liken it to Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward. Ward was the far better player, but Burress was damn good, too, and a physical mismatch for many opponents. They made each other better. The same was true of Dupree and Watt the last two seasons.

I like Highsmith. He showed flashes and I think he will be a very good player, but let's not get silly.

Sutton has been around a while and hasn't been more than a fourth cornerback most of that time. Pierre is an undrafted free agent who hasn't really played much yet. Those are significant downgrades from Nelson and Hilton.

 

I guess there is a 1st time for everything. Since I agreed

 

Me too.

 

LoL. Stars must be aligned just so...

 

The great Bud Dupree, i must have missed it.

 

Great is subjective, but yes, it seems you did miss the last two seasons. Perhaps you should re-watch those games. You missed some damn good play from a guy wearing #48.

 

"Good games" says it all Scribe, nothing special as we'll find out i reckon.

 

I know you are desperate to support your ongoing narrative regarding Dupree, but it simply isn't supported by the evidence of the last two seasons. I do expect his production to drop. He's coming off a major knee injury and going to a team where he will have no pass rush help at all. Put Watt on the Titans and his production would drop, too.

That said, losing Dupree hurts. It diminishes their starting lineup. Dupree is better than Highsmith in every way right now. He's a more effective pass rusher. He's far better against the run and in coverage, areas in which Highsmith is still learning. He simply has a superior upside, too. Dupree is a better athlete than Highsmith. He had finally tapped into that talent consistently the last two seasons.

This isn't to say Highsmith can't be a very good player, but right now, he's far behind Dupree. That showed in the overall decline of the defense after Dupree was injured.

If the Steelers end up signing Watt and Fitzpatrick to long-term deals, they made the right decisions with Dupree. I said all along that they should put the tag on him for 2020, then let him go. I was right about 2020. The knee injury and the big money he got elsewhere made letting him leave a no-brainer. That said, it also made the team weaker than what it was with him in 2020. I am certain we will see that in 2021.

 

Yap yap yap. Lots of opinion in this subjective narrative.

 

Some people are so wounded over buds first couple seasons that they won’t allow themselves to think rationally regarding him.

 

1st round freak of nature Dupree played like a 3rd rounder for 3 years. It helped us land TJ so there is a blessing.

 

My argument is/was we won't miss Dupree after his unfortunate injury. I'll stick to it for now. Defense will be a sack leader & control the run somewhat with or without the fabulous linebacker from Kentucky.

 

We missed him after his injury last season.

 

He was missing before his injury in a few games while we were winning last year.

 

IDK. Dupree was pretty much unstoppable at times last year. The defense was never the same once he got hurt. Even TJs play dropped off.

Dupree's first few years were mediocre. His last 2 were exceptional.