Lovie Smith Fired - Let's Grab Him as Defensive Coordinator

[Riddle_Of_Steel]

I am with STEELERCANADA. Dick Lebeau can stay in the burgh as long as he wants.

BUT-- this defense does need some serious updating. The 10 yard cushion thing was old about 10 years ago, when elite QBs (or even mediocre ones like Jay Cutler-- whome we have never won against) like Brady and Manning would pick it apart 5 yards at a pop-- like being bled to death by thousands of paper-cuts. Against the Pats in 2010-- I thought we had rounded a new corner, and we would start playing more aggressive coverage. Instead, we went back to what was not working-- the 10 yard cusions.

With a diminshed pass rush, and playing the cusion coverages, this defense could not create turnovers., get off the field on 3rd down, or prevent other teams from scoring (look at where our defense ranked in THOSE areas-- not quite #1....).

If you look beyond the #1 yardage ranking, there are LOTS of areas this defense needs to improve at. Lebeau and his defense are NOT untouchable.

We had the #1 ranked defense too when Tebow lit it up for 316 yards and 3 TDs.

At least two of our losses this season can be laid squarely at the defense's feet. They could not stop the Charger's Spurlock (who?) at all. He looked like Deion Sanders in his prime out there in our secondary-- taking all teh advantage of the infamous 10-yard cushion coverages. They could not stop a dinged up Dez Bryant or Tony Romo either.

Sure, we were missing most of our CBs, but injuries are a part of the game too. The offense does not get a break from the fans for injuries-- the defense should not either.

[Riddle_Of_Steel]

I do think we should consider switching to the 4-3 defense.

Heyward - McClendon - Ta'amu - Hood
Woodley - Timmons - Spence

We have the personnel, we have two agile MLBs, and a Dline better built for the 4-3 or Tomlin's Tampa-2. Not sure if that is Lebea's "thing" though.

If Lebeau retired, I would see Lovie Smith as a great option, but one that probably won't be available to us because there are other more desperate teams right now.

[VictoryFormation]

Dick Lebeau has been the DC for what, nine-ten years? Every player on that defense that has been with the Steelers since his rookie season knows no other defense. Plus, if we changed over to a 4-3, we would have to partially, revamp the defense, bringing in different players that are better suited for the new D. The best time to make that drastic of a change in the defensive scheme is when a team is rebuilding.
The 3-4 can be as physical as the 4-3. Replacing that big, fat 4th down-lineman with a big athletic linebacker allows the player at that position to do much more. Lebeau's basic alignment puts two linebackers up on the line of scrimmage, which simulates a five-man line. Plus, the strong safety lines up five yards behind the line, on the strong side, rushing, or blitzing the QB at times. When the zone-blitz scheme is going full speed, that defense is brutal, and tough for any offense to work against.

[Fire Arians]

come on man

[Hawaii 5-0]

Tomlin all but guarantees that LeBeau will be back



It promises to be a busy season for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin after an 8-8 season. (AP file photo)

Wed Jan 2, 2013.
By Mike Bires

PITTSBURGH – During his season-in-review press conference today, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin heaped praise on Dick LeBeau but didn’t exactly return the favor in regards to Todd Haley.

Tomlin said it’s too early to speculate if there will be any changes on his coaching. He will meet with assistants later this week and early next week.

But when told that LeBeau wants to return as defensive coordinator, Tomlin said, “I think everybody is aware that I’m happy with the work of Dick LeBeau. A special man, a special coach.”

But when asked about Haley, Tomlin said "It was about 8-8, like all of us. I’m a black-and-white kind of a guy. He was an 8-8 coordinator. I was an 8-8 head coach. I don’t think that’s what either of us desire to be.”

The only assistant Tomlin has to replace is offensive line coach Sean Kugler, who is leaving to become the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso. Kugler cleaned out his office at team headquarters this morning.

Kugler will not be taking any Steelers assistants with him to UTEP.

Tomlin is meeting with his team for the final time at 2 p.m. today and will start a series of exit meetings with his players. Some of those exit meetings will be held later today and them resume on Wednesday and continue on Thursday.

As far as the 2012 season that ended with an 8-8 non-playoff record, “We didn’t do enough particularly in the closing moments of close football games.”

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/st...9bb30f31a.html

[SteelersCanada]

Well, another year without turnovers and sacks.

[maddog78]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

Well, another year without turnovers and sacks.

All depends on Troy and Harrison. When Troy is all over the place, turnovers happen. He finally returned to that form the last two games and voila, six turnovers.

Harrison was getting better all year, too, which helped the pass rush as he requires more attention.

[mikegrimey]

Lovie Smith isn't coming here, but I'd love to see our players go after the football like the Bears did under him.

[steelfury02]

Originally Posted by maddog78

All depends on Troy and Harrison. When Troy is all over the place, turnovers happen. He finally returned to that form the last two games and voila, six turnovers.

Harrison was getting better all year, too, which helped the pass rush as he requires more attention.

We need Troy to be Troy we saw the last couple of weeks. We need Woodley to reclaim his 2nd year magic. We need a CB to step up and contribute towards TOs. We need someone other than Harrison to wreak havoc. Turnovers are the key.

Hopefully if that happens, the offense can take advantage of it.

[harrison'samonster]

Originally Posted by maddog78

All depends on Troy and Harrison. When Troy is all over the place, turnovers happen. He finally returned to that form the last two games and voila, six turnovers.

Harrison was getting better all year, too, which helped the pass rush as he requires more attention.

I completely agree. If these two are still around, which looks very possible, having them healthy will make a huge difference.