SteelDogFan
12-23-2007, 10:08 AM
Without Parker and Smith, Steelers aren't championship-caliber
By Greg Cosell - SportingNews
Let's start on defense. In general terms, the philosophy of longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is this: Stop the run on early downs with physicality, put the opponent in long-yardage passing situations and then attack the quarterback with a wide array of blitz schemes and pressure packages. That has been the Steelers' defensive modus operandi for what seems like forever.
There's a progression to this approach, kind of like a mathematical equation. The basic theorem, the initial piece of the puzzle, is defending the run. That's where Smith comes in. In the Steelers' base 3-4 defense, Smith is the left defensive end. His job description is simple: Physically beat the offensive linemen in front of him and shut down the point of attack in the run game. It's grunt work, more grit than glitter, but the necessary foundation of all that the Steelers want to do.
Go back a couple of weeks to the Steelers' loss to Jacksonville at home, a week after Smith suffered his season-ending biceps injury. He was replaced by Travis Kirschke. The Jaguars ran 75 offensive plays in that game and controlled the ball for almost 38 minutes. I can't remember the last time an opposing team dominated like that in Pittsburgh. Jacksonville out-Steelered the Steelers. The game-winning drive in the fourth quarter was most telling: eight plays, six of which were runs. Three of Fred Taylor's runs on that drive, culminating with the 12-yard touchdown, went to the right, directly at Kirschke. He did not hold up.
That was a significant red flag for the Steelers' defense -- and it vividly revealed the value of Smith.
I know what you're thinking: The week before against the Patriots, the Steelers had Smith but did not have Polamalu, and they could not slow down Tom Brady and company. That's true, and just as troubling for Pittsburgh in a different way. The Patriots are unlike any other NFL team in terms of their offensive approach. They pass, not run. In fact, against the Steelers, they called 33 consecutive passes beginning in the second quarter. For a defense, the run-stopping element is largely irrelevant.
What must worry the Steelers is that they blitzed an excessively high percentage -- 37 out of 55 snaps, 67 percent -- and they did not sack Brady once. In fact, they did not force him to speed up his game or to misread a coverage. Overall, in the last four games, Pittsburgh has only two sacks.
Bottom line: The Steelers have significant defensive concerns, and the loss of Smith severely limits their core philosophy.
On the other side of the ball, it's my analysis of Roethlisberger that dictates my conclusion regarding Parker as the most critical piece of the offensive puzzle. I have studied Roethlisberger carefully over his four years in the league, and I am continually bothered by his maddening inconsistency.
That inconsistency results from his tendency to be impatient in the pocket, moving when it's not necessary. I can't tell you how many times I have seen Roethlisberger leave the pocket when there are no bodies around him. My sense is that he ultimately is not comfortable as a pocket quarterback. Talk to defensive coaches around the league and they will tell you that he struggles with coverage from the pocket.
Because of that, Roethlisberger has the playmaker mentality: Get outside the pocket, run around, make something happen. There's no question spectacular plays can be made that way, and Roethlisberger has authored many of those. He has great ability to maintain his focus downfield when he's on the move, and he throws the ball with excellent accuracy on the run. Those certainly are positive traits, ones that make him difficult to defend, but you can't be an elite NFL quarterback unless you are consistent week-in and week-out from the pocket. Roethlisberger is not.
The Steelers' offensive foundation must be the running game, and Parker gave them both the sustaining and explosive element. With him now out with a broken leg, the temptation will be to put the offense in Roethlisberger's hands. That would be a mistake.
Without Parker and Smith, the Steelers are not a championship team on either side of the ball.
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Rebutal
Even though his points are well grounded he neglets to state one of those out-of-the-pocket plays set up a TD in the SuperBowl and about 4 more helped get the Steelesr to the superbowl in the first place.
He also does not state the fact that the Steelers are a power running team first and have just adapted this style to compliment Willies style of running the ball. It will be nothing for the Steelers to go back to the way they ran their O when Bettis was there. As a matter of fact Rod Woodson said exactly the same thing. That the plus of having to use davenport more may end up helping the Steelers in the long run.
(i actually think they should have been using him like the Saints used Duce M).
As for the defense he does not mention the fact that Dick is one of the best minds in football and even if he has to go to four down linemen he will. The loss of Aron is a big one though I hope the other players can pick up the slack.
By Greg Cosell - SportingNews
Let's start on defense. In general terms, the philosophy of longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is this: Stop the run on early downs with physicality, put the opponent in long-yardage passing situations and then attack the quarterback with a wide array of blitz schemes and pressure packages. That has been the Steelers' defensive modus operandi for what seems like forever.
There's a progression to this approach, kind of like a mathematical equation. The basic theorem, the initial piece of the puzzle, is defending the run. That's where Smith comes in. In the Steelers' base 3-4 defense, Smith is the left defensive end. His job description is simple: Physically beat the offensive linemen in front of him and shut down the point of attack in the run game. It's grunt work, more grit than glitter, but the necessary foundation of all that the Steelers want to do.
Go back a couple of weeks to the Steelers' loss to Jacksonville at home, a week after Smith suffered his season-ending biceps injury. He was replaced by Travis Kirschke. The Jaguars ran 75 offensive plays in that game and controlled the ball for almost 38 minutes. I can't remember the last time an opposing team dominated like that in Pittsburgh. Jacksonville out-Steelered the Steelers. The game-winning drive in the fourth quarter was most telling: eight plays, six of which were runs. Three of Fred Taylor's runs on that drive, culminating with the 12-yard touchdown, went to the right, directly at Kirschke. He did not hold up.
That was a significant red flag for the Steelers' defense -- and it vividly revealed the value of Smith.
I know what you're thinking: The week before against the Patriots, the Steelers had Smith but did not have Polamalu, and they could not slow down Tom Brady and company. That's true, and just as troubling for Pittsburgh in a different way. The Patriots are unlike any other NFL team in terms of their offensive approach. They pass, not run. In fact, against the Steelers, they called 33 consecutive passes beginning in the second quarter. For a defense, the run-stopping element is largely irrelevant.
What must worry the Steelers is that they blitzed an excessively high percentage -- 37 out of 55 snaps, 67 percent -- and they did not sack Brady once. In fact, they did not force him to speed up his game or to misread a coverage. Overall, in the last four games, Pittsburgh has only two sacks.
Bottom line: The Steelers have significant defensive concerns, and the loss of Smith severely limits their core philosophy.
On the other side of the ball, it's my analysis of Roethlisberger that dictates my conclusion regarding Parker as the most critical piece of the offensive puzzle. I have studied Roethlisberger carefully over his four years in the league, and I am continually bothered by his maddening inconsistency.
That inconsistency results from his tendency to be impatient in the pocket, moving when it's not necessary. I can't tell you how many times I have seen Roethlisberger leave the pocket when there are no bodies around him. My sense is that he ultimately is not comfortable as a pocket quarterback. Talk to defensive coaches around the league and they will tell you that he struggles with coverage from the pocket.
Because of that, Roethlisberger has the playmaker mentality: Get outside the pocket, run around, make something happen. There's no question spectacular plays can be made that way, and Roethlisberger has authored many of those. He has great ability to maintain his focus downfield when he's on the move, and he throws the ball with excellent accuracy on the run. Those certainly are positive traits, ones that make him difficult to defend, but you can't be an elite NFL quarterback unless you are consistent week-in and week-out from the pocket. Roethlisberger is not.
The Steelers' offensive foundation must be the running game, and Parker gave them both the sustaining and explosive element. With him now out with a broken leg, the temptation will be to put the offense in Roethlisberger's hands. That would be a mistake.
Without Parker and Smith, the Steelers are not a championship team on either side of the ball.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Rebutal
Even though his points are well grounded he neglets to state one of those out-of-the-pocket plays set up a TD in the SuperBowl and about 4 more helped get the Steelesr to the superbowl in the first place.
He also does not state the fact that the Steelers are a power running team first and have just adapted this style to compliment Willies style of running the ball. It will be nothing for the Steelers to go back to the way they ran their O when Bettis was there. As a matter of fact Rod Woodson said exactly the same thing. That the plus of having to use davenport more may end up helping the Steelers in the long run.
(i actually think they should have been using him like the Saints used Duce M).
As for the defense he does not mention the fact that Dick is one of the best minds in football and even if he has to go to four down linemen he will. The loss of Aron is a big one though I hope the other players can pick up the slack.