Play the run first

[wide_awake]

Last night Collinsworth said that Dick LeBeau said his lineman don't have great stats because they are told to "play the run first". Said they don't get a lot of sacks because of that.


Obviously the Steelers get pressure, but is it mostly through blitzing linebackers? Does that scheme work because they are a 3-4?

How is that similar/different from what Blache does here in DC?

[Biggie]

Most of their pressure/sacks does come from linebackers. Hence why Harrison had 16 sacks last year.

The difference between Steeler blitzes and ours is that theirs actually get there.

[shally]

it works because:

they have Great Players

Hampton is a force in the middle
All the linebackers can blitz exceptionally well
All of the defense tackles exceptionally well
Polamalu is a player for the ages

[Goskins11]

Last night Collinsworth said that Dick LeBeau said his lineman don't have great stats because they are told to "play the run first". Said they don't get a lot of sacks because of that.


Obviously the Steelers get pressure, but is it mostly through blitzing linebackers? Does that scheme work because they are a 3-4?

How is that similar/different from what Blache does here in DC?

The steelers seem to have more speed on the field. Maybe that's why it works for Pitts. The skins wouldn't even have enough LB's for 3-4. I wouldn't mind seeing a 3-4 with better linebackers and big al in the middle. What do you guys think?

[Goskins11]

it works because:

they have Great Players

Hampton is a force in the middle
All the linebackers can blitz exceptionally well
All of the defense tackles exceptionally well
Polamalu is a player for the ages

Horton is kinda like our polamalu. He is all over the field. i hope horton really turns out to be a hell of a player.

[JsMaViSd]

it works because:

they have Great Players

Hampton is a force in the middle
All the linebackers can blitz exceptionally well
All of the defense tackles exceptionally well
Polamalu is a player for the ages

correct.

/thread

[akhhorus]

Last night Collinsworth said that Dick LeBeau said his lineman don't have great stats because they are told to "play the run first". Said they don't get a lot of sacks because of that.

Obviously the Steelers get pressure, but is it mostly through blitzing linebackers? Does that scheme work because they are a 3-4?

Absolutely. The Dlinemen are being used to tie up blockers first, and the Lbs shoot the gaps. Thats the basis of the 3-4 Cover-3 that they run. It all starts with Hampton in the middle who ties up 2-3 blockers every play. What makes it effective is that he has 2 OLbs who can beat just about any OT in the NFL and he has enough athletic ILBs to keep the entire Oline off balance from where the blitz is coming.

How is that similar/different from what Blache does here in DC?

Blache used his Dlinemen as the basis of his pressure since he runs a zone scheme that requires his Lbs to cover a vast majority of the time. The problem is that Blache tells his Dline to play the run first also, which kills their ability to rush the passer.

The steelers seem to have more speed on the field. Maybe that's why it works for Pitts. The skins wouldn't even have enough LB's for 3-4. I wouldn't mind seeing a 3-4 with better linebackers and big al in the middle. What do you guys think?

I've been saying that they should do that for awhile. Play Wilson and orakpo at OLB(where their coverage skills wouldn't really matter) and Rocky+Fletcher at ILB.

[BurgundyNGold]

I've been saying that they should do that for awhile. Play Wilson and orakpo at OLB(where their coverage skills wouldn't really matter) and Rocky+Fletcher at ILB.
You'll also note that the Steelers almost exclusively use their safeties to cover TE where Blache (and most 4-3 base sets) put that on the SLB (*cough* Orakpo! *cough*).

[akhhorus]

You'll also note that the Steelers almost exclusively use their safeties to cover TE where Blache (and most 4-3 base sets) put that on the SLB (*cough* Orakpo! *cough*).

Yeah, they use both safeties and the ILBs for that to free up the OLBs to make plays.

[Moe]

LeBeau is also tremendous at covering the hot read gaps when he does send blitzers, which causes the QB to either toss into a potential INT or hesitate and look for another read which gives his guys another 2 steps to get pressure.
As was noted by Collinsworth (who I think was tremendous last night, so much better than Madden), their DB's play inside lean coverage which opens gaps on out patterns but that's a tougher throw than anything inside, especially when under pressure. Of course, Tennessee also showed than when you block them, there are lanes aplenty if you get time.

[sinskin]

I've been saying that they should do that for awhile. Play Wilson and orakpo at OLB(where their coverage skills wouldn't really matter) and Rocky+Fletcher at ILB.

We also have the DL players to cover this scheme as well. (AH, Monty, Griffin, Golston, Alexander, and even Daniels)

[guess88]

We also have the DL players to cover this scheme as well. (AH, Monty, Griffin, Golston, Alexander, and even Daniels)

That actually sounds like a stud 3-4. I can see Orakpo being a sick OLB in a 34 system. Maybe this is just in preparation for Cowher to get here next year?
:thinker:

[Hr fan]

3-4 or 4-3? Shula developed the 3-4 because he had a lot of good LBs and few good DLs. To make it work like Pgh the 3 DLs have to basically tie up 5 OL. Then the LBs can shoot the gaps on the run, and the OLBs create outside pressure/outside run contain. The goal is stop the run while creating pressure limiting the time to pass from a base set.

Blache ascribes to the 3-4 philosophy with his front 4, but does not use his LBs agressively. They are contain/cover in a read react mode. The Ss are in the box or out of the play (Landry). By using 4 DL where Pgh uses 3, and putting the FS in a deep cover mode Blache becomes passive (read/react) where he loses 2 men compared to Pgh, so except for runs up the middle or deep passes his D schedme is inferior, given that the talent is relatively equal. It is bend not break (Blache) vs make things happen (LeBeau).

[shally]

Horton is kinda like our polamalu. He is all over the field. i hope horton really turns out to be a hell of a player.

horton doesnt have anything like the closing speed of Polamalu.. TP is still a legitimate 4.35 ??? i have to say, i dont usually believe hype like that, but he is able to close faster than any safety i have seen play in a long time.. and that includes ed reed or our own #21

still, if horton's recognition skills continue to improve, he could be a tremendous player.. he tackles very very securely...

[shally]

Absolutely. The Dlinemen are being used to tie up blocke


I've been saying that they should do that for awhile. Play Wilson and orakpo at OLB(where their coverage skills wouldn't really matter) and Rocky+Fletcher at ILB.

i cant tell you how excited i would be to see a lineup that included BOTH Wilson and Orakpo as edge rushers FROM THE LB SPOT. put Haynesworth in the middle, Alexander and Jarmon at the Ends and turn everybody loose.. i think it would be a nightmare for opposing coaches

[syphy]

i cant tell you how excited i would be to see a lineup that included BOTH Wilson and Orakpo as edge rushers FROM THE LB SPOT. put Haynesworth in the middle, Alexander and Jarmon at the Ends and turn everybody loose.. i think it would be a nightmare for opposing coaches


I've been thinking about this a bit myself. I'd love to see us do it. Would be a great scheme to shift into to hopefully confuse the opposing o-line. line up in a 4-3 with Rocky or Blades playing olb and shifting inside with orakpo dropping from to de to olb. Great opportunities come with that kind of flexibility.

[NCskinsfanatic]

horton doesnt have anything like the closing speed of Polamalu.. TP is still a legitimate 4.35 ??? i have to say, i dont usually believe hype like that, but he is able to close faster than any safety i have seen play in a long time.. and that includes ed reed or our own #21

still, if horton's recognition skills continue to improve, he could be a tremendous player.. he tackles very very securely...

I'd take our #21 over Polamalu shally...maybe it's bias or nastalgia but to me Sean was as complete if not more so than Troy...who's also had the last 2 seasons to continue to develop.

[TrueOracle]

I'd take our #21 over Polamalu shally...maybe it's bias or nastalgia but to me Sean was as complete if not more so than Troy...who's also had the last 2 seasons to continue to develop.

Shally was on the pipe when he wrote that. TP couldn't carry ST's jockstrap from the factory.