Don't completely rule out 4-3

[83-Steelers-43]

Don't completely rule out 4-3 Steelers defense

By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, April 2, 2007

The NFL is a no-nonsense league, and Mike Tomlin is a no-nonsense coach.

Whatever inclination Tomlin may have had to convert the Steelers from their traditional 3-4 base defense to a 4-3 in his first season was tempered by the fact that he doesn't have the personnel to pull it off.

2008? Maybe.

2009? Perhaps.

But not in 2007, not when the Steelers don't have enough speed-rushing defensive ends and an active, space-eating middle linebacker to do more than experiment with the 4-3.

"Really, I think my philosophy in terms of style of play falls in line with what's been done in Pittsburgh," Tomlin told reporters last week at the owners meetings, when he made it official that the Steelers will stick with the 3-4. "Whether you do it out of a four-man or a three-man line, the attacking personality and mentality is the same."

And convenient.

The Steelers' defense will continue doing what it does best, led by players best suited for the 3-4.

That doesn't mean the Steelers, who retained veteran defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, won't present 4-3 looks from time to time. Fact is, the Steelers already have.

Last season, when LeBeau moved ends Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel inside and turned outside linebackers Joey Porter and Clark Haggans into defensive ends on passing downs, the Steelers adopted a 4-3.

"Some successful defenses do it week-to-week," Tomlin said. "I think New England's done it for quite some time. Believe me, Dick's played some 4-3 or some four-down (linemen) packages.

"Football is football. I think sometimes X's and O's are overrated. It's about us putting our guys in position to play well."

Bottom line: The Steelers lack the personnel to play 4-3 all the time.

Even if Smith moved to defensive tackle full-time next to Casey Hampton, which he could do with relative ease, that would still leave the Steelers short at defensive end.

Keisel was impressive in his first year as a starting defensive end, but he isn't the prototypical pass rusher (such as Tampa Bay's Simeon Rice and the Colts' Dwight Freeney) needed to make the 4-3 work as an every-down defense.

The Steelers need more pass-rushing ends, or linebackers who can play end, or ends who can play linebacker. They are likely to address those needs in this year's draft.

At linebacker, James Farrior and Larry Foote would be the top candidates to start in the middle. But that would be asking them to play away from their strengths, which is attacking the run and making short drops in the passing game, and forcing them to play more in open spaces and make deeper drops.

Of course, Tomlin was smart enough to hint at the owners meetings that it wouldn't hurt if Steelers opponents were forced to prepare for both the 3-4 and 4-3.

The Steelers could take a page from the Baltimore Ravens, who confused the Steelers when they mixed up their pass-rushing schemes.

Baltimore, which combines elements of the 3-4 and 4-3, had pass rushers coming from everywhere.

Trevor Pryce, who played defensive end on most rushing downs, moved inside against the pass. Sometimes end/outside linebacker Terrell Suggs rushed from the oustide; sometimes he would loop inside. Pryce and Suggs also lined up together.

Just because the Steelers haven't changed their basic defense doesn't mean that Tomlin can't have the best of both worlds: a 3-4 foundation with its fair share of 4-3 looks.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_500679.html

[RoethlisBURGHer]

I would like the hybrid defense,just gives more wrinkles for the offense to look at.

[Borski]

I like the idea o a hybrid to, just not a 50-50 hybrid

more like 70% 3-4 and 30% 4-3

[Blitzburger]

I am a big fan of hybrid 'd'. The Patriots have been using it for years (though they stole it from the '95 Superbowl' era Steelers, along with so many of their best players), and the Panthers got the Superbowl recently using Julius Peppers as a lineman/end combo, which the Ravens started copying whe Marvin LEwis left as D. coord.

The Steelers under LeBeau already change their fronts alot, they just do it with their base personnel - taking Casy Hampton out, moving Porter and Haggans inside the OT's to form a 4-down front on passing downs. Hopefully Tomlin will keep this up, and do even more shifting with linebackers and the secondary too, since we should take advantage of having the best safety in all of football. That's the beauty of the 3-4 zone reads the Steelers do, they are incredibly versatile.

[stillers4me]

Always keep'm guessin'.........

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by Blitzburger

I am a big fan of hybrid 'd'. The Patriots have been using it for years (though they stole it from the '95 Superbowl' era Steelers, along with so many of their best players), and the Panthers got the Superbowl recently using Julius Peppers as a lineman/end combo, which the Ravens started copying whe Marvin LEwis left as D. coord.

The Steelers under LeBeau already change their fronts alot, they just do it with their base personnel - taking Casy Hampton out, moving Porter and Haggans inside the OT's to form a 4-down front on passing downs. Hopefully Tomlin will keep this up, and do even more shifting with linebackers and the secondary too, since we should take advantage of having the best safety in all of football. That's the beauty of the 3-4 zone reads the Steelers do, they are incredibly versatile.

Welcome to the board! By the way, AWESOME sig!

[Livinginthe past]

There is probably some very good reasons why every team doesn't just use a 'hybrid' D for the advantages noted above.

Its mentally taxing to learn all the extra positions that means your roster must contain enough intelligent, self motivated players to make it work.

Not many players have the raw physical measureables to be able to play many different positions in multiple schemes.

Personally, I believe its something you build toward over the course of a couple of seasons - to try and implement a hybrid because of all the extra 'wrinkles' involves doesn't take into account the potential for things to go very wrong on the field.

[aussiesteelers]

Originally Posted by Livinginthe past

There is probably some very good reasons why every team doesn't just use a 'hybrid' D for the advantages noted above.

Its mentally taxing to learn all the extra positions that means your roster must contain enough intelligent, self motivated players to make it work.

Not many players have the raw physical measureables to be able to play many different positions in multiple schemes.

Personally, I believe its something you build toward over the course of a couple of seasons - to try and implement a hybrid because of all the extra 'wrinkles' involves doesn't take into account the potential for things to go very wrong on the field.

That is one of the most intelligent things i've heard today. do you secretely work for nfl.com or espn. wait, your too smart for those guys!!!

[GBMelBlount]

Originally Posted by aussiesteelers

That is one of the most intelligent things i've heard today. do you secretely work for nfl.com or espn. wait, your too smart for those guys!!!

No. LITP is a secret agent (or maybe not so scret agent) for the PAT's. His goal is to mix us up and confuse us!.....But it is interesting....Oh crap, maybe LITP is OK and being honest. I respect someone who routes for someone else and is a smart, decent, honest contributor to SF. no subterfuge...front door.... However, we are gonna kick PAT's butt next year!

[JuniorSteelerfan]

Originally Posted by Borski

I like the idea o a hybrid to, just not a 50-50 hybrid

more like 70% 3-4 and 30% 4-3

I agree if we could accomplish it maybe nest year we could be the ones confusing the ravens!