Defense not helping the offense

[maddog78]

Amazingly, this defense is rated #2 overall in yards per game, 12th in points. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that the offense is #2 in TOP, on the field for an amazing 35 minutes a game.

These numbers, however, are far more disturbing.

3rd down pct - 47% (T-30th)
Sacks - 11 (T-24th)
INT - 3 (T-26th)
Fumble rec - 4 (T-16th)

This rested defense is still not getting off the field or taking the ball away from the offense. "Tackle the catch" is allowing offenses to get out of trouble and flip field position far too often, leaving the offense the task of driving the length of the field to score.

This Steeler defense over the past season and a half is the least disruptive Steeler defense I can remember since the 80's.

[steelfury02]

yes, remember not too long ago being able to say - 3rd down - here comes the heat baby and BOOM, it just happened like clockwork or would at least get the stop we needed on a regular basis

I'm holding onto the idea that at least having Harrison and Woodley on the field together will at least make them "solid" enough to make the stops and get at least a turnover and 1-2 sacks a game. Who knows

[SteelKid212]

Originally Posted by steelfury02

yes, remember not too long ago being able to say - 3rd down - here comes the heat baby and BOOM, it just happened like clockwork or would at least get the stop we needed on a regular basis

I'm holding onto the idea that at least having Harrison and Woodley on the field together will at least make them "solid" enough to make the stops and get at least a turnover and 1-2 sacks a game. Who knows

I miss those days with the 3 and outs. Now, during the games I find myself thinking, "I wonder if they're going to allow a touchdown, or a field goal on this drive"

Last week at the bungles I was impressed though. The deffense made the necessary stops on third. I noticed laregely due to errant throws from Dalton, because the Pass Rush kept shrinking the pocket and putting hands in his face. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A LITTLE PRESSURE CAN MAKE!

There is definetly a difference with both Woodley and Harrison in there attacking the QB.

[Steelerfreak58]

3 and outs are not happening like they used to, picks, stuffing the run. Dick needs to rethink his scheme when Troy isn't in there.

[steelfury02]

hell yes, not even turnovers as shown in the last time we faced Brady - but just "flat out face you aren't going to have a lot of time to make a decision so you better release it quickly unless you want a huge sack and now you've made a murstake defense"

Of course, the secondary has to play their A game - which this team I still think is capable of but they gotta show it

[tony hipchest]

damn our defense SUUUUUX!!!

i sure wish we had the ravens 5-2 defense (1st in penalties, last in time of possession and dead last in first downs allowed.)



its about time our offense start putting up points like the packers, saints, patriots, etc. the defense has carried this team for the last 20 years since bill cowher took over.

weve had 2 dynamic offenses over that span- 94-95 and 2001 when we were 3rd overall.

[maddog78]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

damn our defense SUUUUUX!!!

i sure wish we had the ravens 5-2 defense (1st in penalties, last in time of possession and dead last in first downs allowed.)



its about time our offense start putting up points like the packers, saints, patriots, etc. the defense has carried this team for the last 20 years since bill cowher took over.

weve had 2 dynamic offenses over that span- 94-95 and 2001 when we were 3rd overall.

Maybe those offenses work on short fields more often than ours. The Pats' D has given them 18 extra possessions, ours 7. The Saints and Pack get off the field much better on 3rd down than the Steelers.

Pats: 44% 3rd downs, 15 sacks, 7 INT, 11 fumble recoveries
Saints: 38% 3rd downs, 13 sacks, 3 INT, 3 fumble recoveries
Pack: 37% 3rd downs, 24 sacks, 9 INT, 0 fumble recoveries

Not helping that our special teams is crapping the bed and pinning us back, either.

It all goes together.

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

damn our defense SUUUUUX!!!

i sure wish we had the ravens 5-2 defense (1st in penalties, last in time of possession and dead last in first downs allowed.)



its about time our offense start putting up points like the packers, saints, patriots, etc. the defense has carried this team for the last 20 years since bill cowher took over.

weve had 2 dynamic offenses over that span- 94-95 and 2001 when we were 3rd overall.

Once Artie gets his head out of the 70's and allows the offense to take a few shots downfield then maybe we'll see that. If you want the offense to be more like the Saints and Packers then it needs to be more quick-strike and not dink-and-dunk all of the time. For those offenses scoring is the first priority, possession is secondary. It's taking the Steelers offense 10 minutes to score 3 points while they have the weapons to score 7 points in 10 seconds. Essentially, they're still trying to depend on defense because of Stiller "tradition," but that defense can no longer be counted on.

Here's an idea for a philosophy change for the Steelers: Score as many points as possible as quickly as possible. Worry about possession in the final quarter.

[maddog78]

This was in the Tribune Review:


"According to Pro Football Focus, Roethlisberger has thrown 26 passes of 20 yards-plus, exactly as many as Rodgers has and one more than Peyton Manning of Denver. Matt Schaub of Texas and Tony Romo of Dallas have tried just 21 such passes."

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by maddog78

This was in the Tribune Review:


"According to Pro Football Focus, Roethlisberger has thrown 26 passes of 20 yards-plus, exactly as many as Rodgers has and one more than Peyton Manning of Denver. Matt Schaub of Texas and Tony Romo of Dallas have tried just 21 such passes."

Do those statistics include yards after the catch? I'm talking about throwing the deep ball to Wallace more often than they've done.