What is going on with the PIT D? (1 Viewer)

[Horses Mouth]

NFL-wise PIT D is currently ranked #2 at Yards Allowed/Game = 277.

However, in any category that counts for FF purposes they are bottom third through 4 games.

Sacks: 7 for #21 ranking

Interceptions: 0 for #32 ranking

Def TDs: 1 for #11 ranking (with a bunch of teams)

Fumble Recovered: 1 for #25 ranking

Probably, like a few of you, I burned a mid-round pick on these guys and the WW is thin for a replacement.

The lack of interceptions is mind boggling.

What's going on with these guys? Can we expect a turnaround? They've been a top 10 DEF for as long as I can remember and in my league they are hardly starter material at this point.

 

[Dought Man]

They are being gashed right up the middle. Not a good sign. Can't stop the run, not pressuring the QB and the secondary looks pedestrian. I'll hold for one more week.

 

[Captain Hook]

They are OLD (for an NFL defensive unit) and starting to show it

Sometimes teams change from year to year - this may be one of those although there is still a lot of talent on that team so the judgment may be premature

 

[Shutout]

Age.

The double-edged sword to all the great ones looks similar. When you get to a point to where every player on a perennial elite defense is a household name then its time to move on because what makes them great also illustrates that they have been around a long time.

This team lacks continuity on the o-line which leads to less leads to play from for the defense which also means havingt he defense out on the field more and that translates into simply being tired and wearing out.

 

[jurb26]

For the 1st time since I can remember, the Steelers can't stop the run. I've been a Steeler fan all my life and I don't think I can recall the last time they had this problem. When you can't stop the run you play on your heals and the wheels begin to fall off. The secondary has always been pedestrian, now it's being amplified by the lack of pass rush and gushing holes in the run game. I'm not ready to say they are done yet, the 2 teams that gashed them the most are Balt and Hou. Both are very good teams. Overall the D does look old, slow and out of sync though.

 

[shader]

Really exciting matchup for the Titans this week. Big Ben could be out, Pittsburgh is reeling, and the Titans have been throwing the ball extremely well. A win for Tennessee puts them at 4-1 with Indy and Cincy coming after them. Should be a great matchup.

 

[greggorymac]

They'll right the ship. Aside from weeks 8 (NE) and 9 (BAL), none of the remaining offenses they play are scary. The D will pay off if you stick with them.

 

[Godsbrother]

I don't think age is the sole reason for the decline. First off I don't think that a team ages all that much in 7 months. Also some of the young stars on defense have not been playing very well at all (Timmons, Woodley).

Personally I think it is more of a case where they have been out of position, missing tackles and opponents are starting to figure them out a bit.

 

[Shutout]

I don't think age is the sole reason for the decline. First off I don't think that a team ages all that much in 7 months. Also some of the young stars on defense have not been playing very well at all (Timmons, Woodley).

Personally I think it is more of a case where they have been out of position, missing tackles and opponents are starting to figure them out a bit.

Interesting you say that. During one of the games yesterday an announcer said that Football players on defense age in dog years (made a reference of coming back and feeling two-three years older). It just takes a toll, especially on defense. and even their "younger" guys have been playing several years now and have been playing deep into the playoffs. The Steelers, because of the playoffs, have played the equivalent of an extra season over the past 4-5 years.

Sometimes the REASON players are out of position is because they no longer have the speed and agility to get INTO position. I''m not a Steelers fan or a hater; just calling it how it appears to me and right now they look slower and less imposing.

 

[jurb26]

I don't think age is the sole reason for the decline. First off I don't think that a team ages all that much in 7 months. Also some of the young stars on defense have not been playing very well at all (Timmons, Woodley).

Personally I think it is more of a case where they have been out of position, missing tackles and opponents are starting to figure them out a bit.

Interesting you say that. During one of the games yesterday an announcer said that Football players on defense age in dog years (made a reference of coming back and feeling two-three years older). It just takes a toll, especially on defense. and even their "younger" guys have been playing several years now and have been playing deep into the playoffs. The Steelers, because of the playoffs, have played the equivalent of an extra season over the past 4-5 years.

Sometimes the REASON players are out of position is because they no longer have the speed and agility to get INTO position. I''m not a Steelers fan or a hater; just calling it how it appears to me and right now they look slower and less imposing.

I agree. Things change fast in the NFL. More often than not a fall from grace is rapid and very unpleasant unfortunately. Being a bit older can magnify the minor bumps and bruises that happen over the course of a season. It's not just about "loosing a step." It's the compounded effects of the game over time. Again, I'm not ready to put the final nail in the coffin but they do look old and slow... leading to out of position and beat on plays.

 

[amaizingblu]

Anyone got any stats on how all the 3-4 defensive schemes are fairing this year?

 

[The_Man]

To me, a lot of the problems look like they are starting up front. O lines are blowing up the Steelers D line, and getting into the LBs, preventing them from running free to the ballcarrier. ON that long Foster TD run yesterday, the entire Pittsburgh D line was caved in so bad, that Foster cut back and then could almost walk to the end zone.

Also, Farrior looks like he is 100 years old. From the couple of Steelers games I've seen this year, he just looks like a guy who can't do it anymore.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

In fairness, keeping texans to 17 points is all things considered a pretty good defensive effort, especially considering how the offense hasn't been doing them any favors. The lack of pass rush is baffling however.

 

[Dizzy]

In fairness, keeping texans to 17 points is all things considered a pretty good defensive effort, especially considering how the offense hasn't been doing them any favors. The lack of pass rush is baffling however.

In all fairness, the Texans held themselves in check yesterday; bad penalty wiped out a blocked FG/TD, bad penalty wiped out the pick-6, and Schaub flat out missed a wide open Arian Foster in the end zone.I'm a PIT homer, and to me they look exactly on defense like Warren Sapp called it after week #1, old and slow. For years they have depended on forcing teams to become one dimensional... but now that you can RUN ON THE STEELERS (can't believe I'm saying it), everything opens up.

That Foster TD run was very telling... poor tackling, no make-up speed.

 

[The Jerk]

Baltimore had a lot of success chop-blocking the defensive line in Week 1, and Indy and Houston both used the same techniques to similarly good rushing results. Until the Steelers come up with an answer/adjustment, teams will continue to rush better. They may need to adjust with their linebackers to get penetration behind the chop blocks, but I'm not a defensive coordinator so I'm not sure if that will help.

On yesterday's Foster 42 yard TD, Woodley took himself out of the play by getting too far upfield, and while Foster's cut was sick, Polamalu was there and could have made a tackle for a 4-5 yard gain. Could it be age and/or injury? Yes. It could also be a factor of being worn out in the fourth quarter due to being on the field too long. The offensive woes of the Steelers are not helping this aging defense get sufficient rest during the game.

I think what we are seeing is it isn't just one thing. It's several different things, which is arguably worse. There are some cupcakes on the schedule, but the offensive line problems aren't going away any time soon.

 

[The Jerk]

I'm a PIT homer, and to me they look exactly on defense like Warren Sapp called it after week #1, old and slow. For years they have depended on forcing teams to become one dimensional... but now that you can RUN ON THE STEELERS (can't believe I'm saying it), everything opens up.

After all the angst over Brady, Brees and Rodgers picking apart the secondary -- as if that doesn't happen to anyone else -- it's interesting that everyone is worried about the Steelers defense while (I believe) they are #1 in pass defense.

 

[The Hank]

I'm a PIT homer, and to me they look exactly on defense like Warren Sapp called it after week #1, old and slow. For years they have depended on forcing teams to become one dimensional... but now that you can RUN ON THE STEELERS (can't believe I'm saying it), everything opens up.

After all the angst over Brady, Brees and Rodgers picking apart the secondary -- as if that doesn't happen to anyone else -- it's interesting that everyone is worried about the Steelers defense while (I believe) they are #1 in pass defense.

They are # 1 in Pass Defense because teams are having so much success running the ball. Very deceptive stat, as the Texans were able to make the necessary completions through the air when the needed to at will.

 

[Godsbrother]

I'm a PIT homer, and to me they look exactly on defense like Warren Sapp called it after week #1, old and slow. For years they have depended on forcing teams to become one dimensional... but now that you can RUN ON THE STEELERS (can't believe I'm saying it), everything opens up.

After all the angst over Brady, Brees and Rodgers picking apart the secondary -- as if that doesn't happen to anyone else -- it's interesting that everyone is worried about the Steelers defense while (I believe) they are #1 in pass defense.

They are # 1 in Pass Defense because teams are having so much success running the ball. Very deceptive stat, as the Texans were able to make the necessary completions through the air when the needed to at will.

One sad stat from yesterday's game is the two leading tacklers were the safeties. That tells me the front 7 is not getting it done.

 

[The Jerk]

I'm a PIT homer, and to me they look exactly on defense like Warren Sapp called it after week #1, old and slow. For years they have depended on forcing teams to become one dimensional... but now that you can RUN ON THE STEELERS (can't believe I'm saying it), everything opens up.

After all the angst over Brady, Brees and Rodgers picking apart the secondary -- as if that doesn't happen to anyone else -- it's interesting that everyone is worried about the Steelers defense while (I believe) they are #1 in pass defense.

They are # 1 in Pass Defense because teams are having so much success running the ball. Very deceptive stat, as the Texans were able to make the necessary completions through the air when the needed to at will.

As a Steeler fan, I realize that. I still think it is sadly ironic that the pass defense has not been the direct downfall of the defense so far in 2011. It's diametrically opposed to most of the past few years in which the stout run defense inflated the Steelers pass defense numbers, making them look worse than they were since teams both abandoned the run and usually trailed so they both chose to and needed to pass often.

 

[stbugs]

I'm holding them because they do still have some nice matchups. With the shutout of the Seahawks and the TD at the Colts, they were fine for me for 2 of 3 weeks and I plugged in the Titans this week.

Personally, I think the offense has been the biggest issue. They have done just about zilch compared to last year and it is showing on the defense. They got gashed against the Ravens, but who doesn't when your offense has 7 turnovers. They shutout Seattle and if their offense wasn't horrible they could have had a great game against the Colts. Look at the drives. In the first 9 possessions, the Colts scored 2 FGs and one TD, one FG drive started at midfield and one FG drive started at Pitt's 12 and the TD was a defensive TD. If Pitt's offense does anything, then the defense really only has one bad drive, but still only give up a FG. The only other score was with 2 minutes left in the game right after 2 Pitt offensive drives that were 3 and outs against the vaunted Indy defense.

Pittsburgh's offense has averaged about 14 ppg. While Baltimore has a solid defense, they should be scoring a lot more than that. Last year they scored almost 10 more ppg even with Roethlisberger only playing 12 games. Problem is that I don't know if their offense will improve. I do think that against bad teams they are still a good play. They just can't be played every week like they used to be.

 

[ThreeThousand]

Baltimore had a lot of success chop-blocking the defensive line in Week 1, and Indy and Houston both used the same techniques to similarly good rushing results. Until the Steelers come up with an answer/adjustment, teams will continue to rush better. They may need to adjust with their linebackers to get penetration behind the chop blocks, but I'm not a defensive coordinator so I'm not sure if that will help.

On yesterday's Foster 42 yard TD, Woodley took himself out of the play by getting too far upfield, and while Foster's cut was sick, Polamalu was there and could have made a tackle for a 4-5 yard gain. Could it be age and/or injury? Yes. It could also be a factor of being worn out in the fourth quarter due to being on the field too long. The offensive woes of the Steelers are not helping this aging defense get sufficient rest during the game.

I think what we are seeing is it isn't just one thing. It's several different things, which is arguably worse. There are some cupcakes on the schedule, but the offensive line problems aren't going away any time soon.

Minor beef here - I think you mean cut blocks. Chop blocks = illegal. Cut blocks = legal.

 

[Horses Mouth]

One sad stat from yesterday's game is the two leading tacklers were the safeties. That tells me the front 7 is not getting it done.

that is quite eye-opening.

 

[GoBirds]

Was thinking about grabbing them off waivers for next week, maybe not after reading this.