Nickel Help/Confusion

[SteelKnight]

Hey guys,

I have a few questions about our nickel defense.

1. Who comes out for the third CB? In the past, I thought it was Hampton with the steelers running a 2-4-5. I remember Hampton saying last preseason that he was going to start playing more nickel packages but I don't know what became of it.

The reason I ask is I saw Timmons seem happy that he will be playing the nickel...wich makes me think the Steelers will be keeping Hampton in and using a 3-3-5 and sitting Farrior while letting Timmons be the middle LB. He seemed to imply it was some sort of new role for him. I guess he used to sit and Farrior was the MLB.

2. I assume the Steelers only run their nickel when they are pretty sure it is a passing down...not just because there are 3 WR in there. If it were just the 3WR then if I were the other team, I would just skip the fullback and use 3WR all game and that would leave Hampton on the bench the whole game and let my running improve (that's if they are benching Hampton...but that goes back to question 1).

Thanks

[SteelKnight]

I will say they will have to use the nickel against Cinci and Baltimore...or play zone. Both teams have a decent 3rd WR and you don't want to keep either Troy, Clark or a LB assigned 1-1 with Mason or Bryant. The LB would be beat. Maybe Clark could handel it. I think Troy could but that would limit his unpredictibility wild card role.

[SteelKnight]

any experts?

[SteelKnight]

Nobody answered the question. I guess we'll see in the game.

[DanRooney]

Originally Posted by SteelKnight

Hey guys,

I have a few questions about our nickel defense.

1. Who comes out for the third CB? In the past, I thought it was Hampton with the steelers running a 2-4-5. I remember Hampton saying last preseason that he was going to start playing more nickel packages but I don't know what became of it.

The reason I ask is I saw Timmons seem happy that he will be playing the nickel...wich makes me think the Steelers will be keeping Hampton in and using a 3-3-5 and sitting Farrior while letting Timmons be the middle LB. He seemed to imply it was some sort of new role for him. I guess he used to sit and Farrior was the MLB.

2. I assume the Steelers only run their nickel when they are pretty sure it is a passing down...not just because there are 3 WR in there. If it were just the 3WR then if I were the other team, I would just skip the fullback and use 3WR all game and that would leave Hampton on the bench the whole game and let my running improve (that's if they are benching Hampton...but that goes back to question 1).

Thanks

Yes unfortunately Farrior is in there in our nickel package.All you have to do is watch the replay of him whiffing on 3rd and 4th and long against the Bengals 3rd string runningback in the first game...or the second game. Or how about that 4th and 5 where Ray Rice gained 40 yards where we could have sealed the game .

In most 3-4 defenses, you usually have a 2-4-5 as your nickel package. For ours, it use to be Keisel-Smith as the lone linemen, which is why Casey is normally rotated out. Last year, they did this with Keisel-Hood after Smith was injured and sometimes Kirschke-Hood when Keisel needed a rest. Hood will take over full time on passing downs because of his superior pass rushing ability.

LeBeau sometimes uses a 1-5-5. Here you're supposed to have a guy that can take up two or more lockers up front which is probably why Hampton is expected to play more in nickel. Smith was normally used in our 1-5-5 but because he's been injury prone for the past few years, I think we want to keep him healthy as long as possible since he's winding down towards the end of his career.

The 1-5-5 is a fantastic formation for our personnel. Have Hampton as the down lineman and Harrison-Worilds-Timmons-Gibson-Woodley as the ready blitzers. No team would know who was coming and all have the athletic ability to drop into coverage if need be. With Farrior in our nickel package, we didn't have that luxury because he was as slow as a DT.

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by DanRooney

Yes unfortunately Farrior is in there in our nickel package.All you have to do is watch the replay of him whiffing on 3rd and 4th and long against the Bengals 3rd string runningback in the first game...or the second game. Or how about that 4th and 5 where Ray Rice gained 40 yards where we could have sealed the game .

In most 3-4 defenses, you usually have a 2-4-5 as your nickel package. For ours, it use to be Keisel-Smith as the lone linemen, which is why Casey is normally rotated out. Last year, they did this with Keisel-Hood after Smith was injured and sometimes Kirschke-Hood when Keisel needed a rest. Hood will take over full time on passing downs because of his superior pass rushing ability.

LeBeau sometimes uses a 1-5-5. Here you're supposed to have a guy that can take up two or more lockers up front which is probably why Hampton is expected to play more in nickel. Smith was normally used in our 1-5-5 but because he's been injury prone for the past few years, I think we want to keep him healthy as long as possible since he's winding down towards the end of his career.

The 1-5-5 is a fantastic formation for our personnel. Have Hampton as the down lineman and Harrison-Worilds-Timmons-Gibson-Woodley as the ready blitzers. No team would know who was coming and all have the athletic ability to drop into coverage if need be. With Farrior in our nickel package, we didn't have that luxury because he was as slow as a DT.

Thanks. Good read. Did they sometimes run a 3-3-5? It sounded to me like Timmons is taking over nickel duties. In order for them to be sitting Farior, it would likely have to be a 3-3-5. As for this 1-5-5, it will be fun to watch if we do it.

[DanRooney]

Timmons is always in there on nickel regardless. I'm sure they have used a 3-3-5 but that kind of defeats the purpose of the nickel package having 3 slow linemen up front. You want to have some sort of pass rush going on to hurry the QBs progression up front.

I found this a few minutes ago and article it's pretty spot on

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com...1-5-5-revealed

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by DanRooney

Timmons is always in there on nickel regardless. I'm sure they have used a 3-3-5 but that kind of defeats the purpose of the nickel package having 3 slow linemen up front. You want to have some sort of pass rush going on to hurry the QBs progression up front.

I found this a few minutes ago and article it's pretty spot on

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com...1-5-5-revealed

You still have your usual excellent Steelers pass rus with the 3 men occupying and Harrison and Woodly rushing but instead of having a WR you ave a 3rd CB with the 3-3-5. The way Timmons said he was looking forward to it...maybe I should listen again. Maybe I misinterpreted it.