Putting On The Blitz Is Fashionable In Today's NFL

[tony hipchest]

interresting take by prisco where naturally the steelers are a part of the story and has some good wisenhunt quotes along with gruden, shell, and linehan:

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9602331

The Pittsburgh Steelers won a Super Bowl last year using their 3-4, style of blitzing defense. It is a defense they've used for years, mostly with a lot of success, but a few years back there was some thinking that it had been figured out some. That's where change has helped. The Steelers have evolved in terms of how they blitz, who they blitz and how they play coverage behind it. It's still Blitzburgh, but different.

Other teams are using more and more of the 3-4 as well. Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt thinks he knows why.

"It's the athletes," he said. "You see these 265-pound, 275-pound defensive ends and they aren't strong enough to anchor all the time, so they rush or they have them dropping into coverage.

"That's why the 3-4 is back the way it is."

He said his offense and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have a huge advantage facing other teams' blitzes because they work against their own every day in practice.

"It makes it easier in games to see all the blitzes we do from our guys," Whisenhunt said.

[SteelerFanInCA]

I can see how going against our D everyday would prepare you for what's to come. I believe going against our D helps the O to stay sharp and crisp.

[stlrtruck]

I look at the "copying" of our defense like this - In Tampa, there are certain clubs where men dress up as women - but that doesn't make them women. Teams can try to run our defense but that doesn't make them the Steel Curtain.

And with our offense, Ben should be prepared for a variety of off-shoots that came about due to the success that the Steelers have running it.

Let's face it, the longevity of success that the Steelers have had during Cowher's tenure is a big part to the departation of players and assistant coaches. However, other teams don't realize that it's not the necessarily the individual player and/or coach - it's the DAMN SYSTEM!

Heck, sometimes I think they could put me in there somewhere and they'd still have success. Now that's impressive.

[Haiku_Dirtt]

Thx T.

Keisel's numbers will be impressive exactly for this reason. O-lines have their hands full with Aaron and Casey. His speed and elusiveness will put him in QB's faces all season.

As to why our success has improved over the last few years with the 3-4 in one word - LeBeau. A second word - Troy.