Random Questions and Thoughts on the 2019 Steelers

[Mojouw]

These didn't seem to fit anywhere else, so I thought I would drop them here. Hopefully, people more clever and knowledgeable than me will have answers or thoughts.

1. So, has the scheme changed or is Sean Davis dumb? Or is Minkah Fitzpatrick just that much better of a football IQ? This is jumping off the lack of communication breakdowns referenced in the main Minkah Fitzpatrick thread.

2. Does anyone else feel like the defense as a whole has been simplified and they aren't doing as much goofy stuff because they are just getting such high level play/execution across the board? Perhaps you can't have a ton of miscommunication when all you have to do is line-up and beat the guy across from you.

3. How much of the defensive improvement is related to having 4 CBs who can be relied on? I have to assume that not having to "hide" Sensabaugh and your dime defender is a pretty big deal.

4. Why did Chuks play at RT over Banner? Or did I just not see that right?

5. Would Sean Davis come back to the be the third safety? Dimebacker? Would he be good in that role?

6. Has Bud Dupree been replaced by a Terminator? Seriously, this guy did things on every pass rush yesterday that he hasn't done for 4 years prior. Unbelievable.

7. What would the team be able to and willing to pay Sutton and Hilton?

8. What has Washington been doing differently the past few weeks? Or is it nothing and he is just getting the ball thrown his way?

9. Who do you think is designing and implementing the defense each week?

[86WARD]

For all your defense move questions, I don’t feel like much has changed other than some of the personnel. I think with Bush and Fitzmagic, they are able to do things they were trying to do with players that weren’t in position or talented enough to do those things. I also think it’s communication...I think that everyone appears to be on the same page.

Watt is being Watt. Dupree is doing the same things he’s done last year only this year he’s not running past the QB. He’s finishing his moves and making the plays...guy is really playing lights out and earning his next deal. I think it’s starting to click for Baron too. He started off slow but I think he’s coming along. The addition of Baron, Bush, Nelson and Fitzpatrick is just leaps and bounds better than Burnett, Matakevich Sensabaugh/Burns/whoever and Davis. I mean that right there can correct a whole lotta problems.

Not sure that Butler has all of a sudden clicked into the coordinator of the year but he’s got the players he needs to make his system work.

I keep feeling more and more like Hargrave and Dupree are gonna have to stay...lol.

[steelreserve]

Yes, it is that Davis was that stupid.

Swapping him for Fitzpatrick was a huge part of it, but let's not forget Nelson either. We have four competent DBs, instead of Haden plus a bunch of bullshit. I think Edmunds is one of those guys who can be pretty good if he is able to do his own thing, but looks terrible and lost if he has to babysit numbskulls and try to compensate for their mistakes.

Bush also helps a lot - we clearly need at least one of those LBs with sideline-to-sideline ability. Having two tanks doesn't work.

Washington, I wonder if his success is more like, Rudolph is finally starting to be less afraid to throw the ball 10 or 15 yards down the field, so he benefits from that. In other words, he's doing the same thing he's been doing, but now the ball is actually coming his way.

Overall, I do not see huge schematic changes on either side of the ball being responsible, so much as better players and/or players who have figured out their role better after a few games.

[GoSlash27]

On the defense side, I think it's simply a result of trust in the safeties. Much like a certain retired safety who shall not be named, Fitzpatrick is able to diagnose a play and instinctively get himself in the right place. I wouldn't say that Davis is "stupid" per se, but he can't feel the flow of a play at speed and has to think about what he's going to do, which makes him react slowly. Anyway, trust in the back end helps the corners and LBs focus on doing their jobs without worrying about anyone else's responsibilities. That makes them all faster.
IMO Washington isn't doing anything differently. He has always been the deep threat. Now that Rudolph is taking shots to him, it's paying off.
I think Keith Butler is designing and implementing the defensive game plan, and has been the entire time. I don't think it's changed much over the season either, I think they're just executing better due to their confidence in each other.

[Hawkman]

On the defense side, I think it's simply a result of trust in the safeties. Much like a certain retired safety who shall not be named, Fitzpatrick is able to diagnose a play and instinctively get himself in the right place. I wouldn't say that Davis is "stupid" per se, but he can't feel the flow of a play at speed and has to think about what he's going to do, which makes him react slowly. Anyway, trust in the back end helps the corners and LBs focus on doing their jobs without worrying about anyone else's responsibilities. That makes them all faster.
IMO Washington isn't doing anything differently. He has always been the deep threat. Now that Rudolph is taking shots to him, it's paying off.
I think Keith Butler is designing and implementing the defensive game plan, and has been the entire time. I don't think it's changed much over the season either, I think they're just executing better due to their confidence in each other.

Sure helps when get a strong rush from your front 4/5.

[st33lersguy]

I specifically remember scouts raving about Fitzpatrick's intelligence along with his versatility so I think he has a gifted football IQ.

[GoSlash27]

Sure helps when get a strong rush from your front 4/5.

That's true, but it also goes both ways. The pass rush is improved when the secondary is playing at a high level.

[Fire Goodell]

Fitzpatrick just has better instincts for the game, which is more important than academic smarts. On the field you have to make decisions (and the right ones) in the matter of milliseconds

[steelreserve]

Davis may not be "stupid," just "football stupid."

[BlackAndGold]

These didn't seem to fit anywhere else, so I thought I would drop them here. Hopefully, people more clever and knowledgeable than me will have answers or thoughts.

1. So, has the scheme changed or is Sean Davis dumb? Or is Minkah Fitzpatrick just that much better of a football IQ? This is jumping off the lack of communication breakdowns referenced in the main Minkah Fitzpatrick thread.

2. Does anyone else feel like the defense as a whole has been simplified and they aren't doing as much goofy stuff because they are just getting such high level play/execution across the board? Perhaps you can't have a ton of miscommunication when all you have to do is line-up and beat the guy across from you.

3. How much of the defensive improvement is related to having 4 CBs who can be relied on? I have to assume that not having to "hide" Sensabaugh and your dime defender is a pretty big deal.

4. Why did Chuks play at RT over Banner? Or did I just not see that right?

5. Would Sean Davis come back to the be the third safety? Dimebacker? Would he be good in that role?

6. Has Bud Dupree been replaced by a Terminator? Seriously, this guy did things on every pass rush yesterday that he hasn't done for 4 years prior. Unbelievable.

7. What would the team be able to and willing to pay Sutton and Hilton?

8. What has Washington been doing differently the past few weeks? Or is it nothing and he is just getting the ball thrown his way?

9. Who do you think is designing and implementing the defense each week?

Imo,

1. Hard not to point the finger at Davis since they've been no miscommunication talk since the Fitzpatrick addition. Davis is a smart guy(speaks 3 different languages) but that doesn't translate to the football field.

2. Better players, and better communication. When it comes to defense, specifically in coverage every player has to be on the same page. If they miss assignments they'll be blown coverage's, something we have not been seeing. Bush(still makes rookie mistakes at times) and Fitzpatrick have cleaned up the middle of the field.

3. The corners have been fantastic but that front four is relentless.

4. Chuks is more athletic. Banner struggles in space, solid mauler in the run game though, reason why he plays as a #3 TE.

5. I don't care to see Davis anymore for reasons above(miscommunication). The defense is playing lights out and Sutton has been playing great as the dimebacker. Imo Sutton could legitimately start, he's been shutdown on the field

6. Bud is healthy and also Joey Porter is gone. Keith Butler know how to coach edge linebacker's.

7. Already talked how Sutton has been been playing well. Not sure what they do with Hilton, he's such a good piece for the run defense. The Steelers have some tough decisions to make with these upcoming free agents.

8. Washington is just getting the ball, also gaining confidence. I'm waiting for the game when Rudolph hits him in stride for a big TD.

9. Tomlin and Butler.

[Mojouw]

I should have been clear -- I did not mean to disparage Sean Davis intelligence as a fellow human being. Just that he isn't a smart dude for 60 minutes on Sundays.

[pczach]

These didn't seem to fit anywhere else, so I thought I would drop them here. Hopefully, people more clever and knowledgeable than me will have answers or thoughts.

1. So, has the scheme changed or is Sean Davis dumb? Or is Minkah Fitzpatrick just that much better of a football IQ? This is jumping off the lack of communication breakdowns referenced in the main Minkah Fitzpatrick thread.

2. Does anyone else feel like the defense as a whole has been simplified and they aren't doing as much goofy stuff because they are just getting such high level play/execution across the board? Perhaps you can't have a ton of miscommunication when all you have to do is line-up and beat the guy across from you.

3. How much of the defensive improvement is related to having 4 CBs who can be relied on? I have to assume that not having to "hide" Sensabaugh and your dime defender is a pretty big deal.

4. Why did Chuks play at RT over Banner? Or did I just not see that right?

5. Would Sean Davis come back to the be the third safety? Dimebacker? Would he be good in that role?

6. Has Bud Dupree been replaced by a Terminator? Seriously, this guy did things on every pass rush yesterday that he hasn't done for 4 years prior. Unbelievable.

7. What would the team be able to and willing to pay Sutton and Hilton?

8. What has Washington been doing differently the past few weeks? Or is it nothing and he is just getting the ball thrown his way?

9. Who do you think is designing and implementing the defense each week?



I'll respond to your questions to answer them as I see them.

1. The scheme is the same. I'm sorry to say that Sean Davis just doesn't appear to have what it takes mentally and instinctively to play at a high level. And for the record...Yes....Minkah Fitzpatrick is just that much better of a football player. He is what you get when great physical talent meets preparation and recognition, uncanny natural instincts to the game, and complete commitment and hustle. Notice the way he hustles on every play and never takes anything for granted on the field. As some have mentioned throughout the board, every ball on the ground or in the air is a live ball to him until the officials make it very clear that it is over. It's attention to detail in every aspect of the game. He is elite in that regard, and it appears he has leadership and great communication skills. He's everything you want in a player from everything I have seen from him to this point.

2. I don't think the defense has been simplified at all. I think it is a combination of things. The front four is making everything seem simpler for everyone on the field, particularly on passing downs. This defense has shown an ability to get constant pressure with their pass rush using only their front four. Specifically, both OLB's are just bringing it right now and collapsing the pocket. That ability means they don't have to blitz as often. When they do blitz it is more likely to be successful because the blocking schemes are more likely to give help to the OL with chipping by the RB's or keeping TE's in to help block. When they do that, it also takes potential weapons out of the pass patterns, giving the quarterback less options, and the defenders a greater numbers advantage to help cover. If the TE's and RB's are staying in to block, the LB's still have to play their assignments, but they are close to the LOS and can more easily take away the check down, drop to assist in pass coverage, or they can read and react to the quarterback by rushing the QB or moving up to tackle him if he gets out of the pocket and tries to run. The quick pressure of the front four also helps everyone in coverage. It's a lot easier to cover a receiver for 2.5 seconds than it is to cover them for 3.5 seconds. The shorter time takes longer developing routes completely off the table because the QB doesn't have enough time to let the receivers complete their pass patterns. DB's start jumping routes because they know the ball is coming out fast. The defense starts playing downhill and strangling the offense, making the field area to defend much smaller, plus because there are more defenders than receivers they have the ability to double certain pass catchers to further take away offensive options and it makes everyone's job easier on the defensive side of the ball. In football, every part of the defense has an affect on the other parts of the defense. They all work together and if they are dominating the LOS, everything is easier for everyone.

3. Having 4 reliable corners makes it much easier to match up with offenses. Most defenses have problems because even of they have a couple good CB's, the offense still has good matchups against the other CB's....just as we know by watching our own secondary struggle to match up with any team with WR depth. It also allows the team to more effectively sprinkle in man coverage, which again gives the numbers advantage to the other parts of the defense to stop the run and frees up the other defenders to cover the other options on the field more easily.

4. I'm not 100% sure. I think they moved Feiler in for Foster at G and they liked Chuks at RT in that matchup for this game, because I thought I read that they wanted their best pass protectors on the field for this game. Finney is who they benched for this game I believe.

5. At this point...I have no idea. The defense transformed without him in there. Edmunds looks much better as well. I don't know what their plans are for him, but it isn't looking good for his future with the team.

6. Bud Dupree is balling. They are running 2 and sometimes 3 guys at him to chip him or knock him off his rush. He is healthy, and he has been a force.

7. Sorry, capology isn't my thing...… I'd have to do a lot of digging to get some ideas, but I really don't know off the top of my head.

8. He made a couple plays, and he has his confidence back. Sometimes players just figure it out, or they finally get sick of listening to what people say about them and they just go out and ball. He's doing the later, plus Rudolph does seem to look him up on the field which inspires confidence and a sense of responsibility to his friend and quarterback. I think he is finding his legs in the NFL and will be a much more dependable and dangerous target going forward.

9. I think it's Butler. I have no reason to think otherwise. I'm sure Tomlin has everything run by him and wants to be involved, but if things are working, head coaches let the coaches do what they do. They only intervene in critical situations of the game where they can control the playcalling or decide how aggressive they want to be defensively based on the parameters of the game.

Just some thoughts. It's a lot more complicated than I describe. There's a lot going on during an NFL game. It's complicated stuff. I'm always interested in what others think as well.

[teegre]

As I averred months ago, Teryl Austin has unofficially replaced Keith Butler as the DC, and Butler has become the OLB coach (where he has thrived).

Plus, Minkah Fitzpatrick gets everyone is position. At ‘Bama, he used to attend coaches meetings, because Nick Saban considered Minkah to be a “coach on the field”. You saw Minkah’s leadership even on his first game (he was getting guys lined up correctly).

More later.

[Dissolv]

OLBs are rushing way more than last year. I think the LB's were being pulled into coverage in part to try to help protect the DB's, which were just having massive issues. We have the talent to get sacks and stuffs without blitzing, which I don't recall being the case for........wow, I can't remember that far back. I'm thinking Harrison's heyday?

I don't know who is calling the shots, but I do know that we are getting an extra defender back there for passing, while allowing our best pass rushers to do their thing -- which is working better than when we blitzed last year. That's a massive improvement -- basically more coverage AND more rush success on any given play. Add the fresh new ball hawking safety from our 2020 draft class, and good things just start happening.

[EzraTank]

I specifically remember scouts raving about Fitzpatrick's intelligence along with his versatility so I think he has a gifted football IQ.

Yep, his college coach Saban said he's one of the smartest players he's ever coached ... so there is that. Fitz is like Troy though. No matter what "system" you put him in players like that just "feel" the game and will make plays.

Dupree is simple ... he's playing for the:

https://media.giphy.com/media/5u0uZecUZlUsM/giphy.gif

[Mojouw]

Are their guys not playing for the money?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I should have been clear -- I did not mean to disparage Sean Davis intelligence as a fellow human being. Just that he isn't a smart dude for 60 minutes on Sundays.

Its not lack of intelligence for 60 min IMO. Davis is very intelligent by all accounts and has mastered 3 languages. He was also played at both safety and corner at Maryland and if you look at his draft profile it talks about being really a safety that can play some big corner if needed, has the size and speed, is a raw talent with big upside. I guess the upside hasn't materialized.

But I also think (actually know) that there are guys that are football junkies, who know the game on both sides of the football, who get so comfortable with the game that they see formations and motions on the offensive side of the football and understand the situation of down and distance. They then make judgements and reactions, which those who haven't experienced this on the football field refer to as "instincts". They aren't instincts, they are the subconscious mind making split second evaluations and the player make a conscious decision. I coached a couple 17 year olds with these qualities this season and they don't pass the "eye test" on a football field, but they sniff out screens, reverses, draws, and people say...."that's a smart football player".

IMO, Minkah Fitzpatrick is that junkie, a "gym rat" that knows what is going on more than 90% of those on the field. Sean Davis isn't that on the football field. He's a guy that maybe should play best at SS or be a #3 safety.

[steelreserve]

Its not lack of intelligence for 60 min IMO. Davis is very intelligent by all accounts and has mastered 3 languages. He was also played at both safety and corner at Maryland and if you look at his draft profile it talks about being really a safety that can play some big corner if needed, has the size and speed, is a raw talent with big upside. I guess the upside hasn't materialized.

I don't think anyone means Davis is a stupid person off the field, or turns into a bumbling idiot the moment he steps on a football field. His instincts on the field are a half-second slow, that's what it means. And at the pro level, that's death. Nothing you can do about it. Sorry, too bad, close but no cigar.

I kind of liken it to ... there are certain video games I've played, particularly fighting games, where I'll hesitate for a split-second when confronted with something unexpected, and by then it's all over. Like - I've always had super-fast reactions at everything, and am usually really good at video games, so in theory I ought to be great at fighting games (and in fact, compared to any random schmuck who picks up a controller, usually do pretty well). BUT, there is just something about the way things happen in these particular games, and my immediate gut-level reaction to what is happening, that is just like taking a half-step in the wrong direction. No matter how many times I practice it, as soon as I am faced with an unexpected situation, my instinct defaults back to that, the wrong half-step. There are other people who naturally have the right instinct in that situation, and they will always be better than me, and that's that. I will never win a pro fighting game competition and that's just the way it is.

Davis' college profile checks out in a way that makes his NFL struggles no surprise. IIRC, he started as a safety, struggled there, got moved to CB and struggled, then we drafted him with the idea of converting him to a safety. In reality, he was a guy whose instincts were too slow, but natural athleticism got him by until the level where everyone else was a great athlete too, only with better instincts. Then he was screwed. We've had quite a few players like that.

[SteelMember]

As I averred months ago, Teryl Austin has unofficially replaced Keith Butler as the DC, and Butler has become the OLB coach (where he has thrived).

Plus, Minkah Fitzpatrick gets everyone is position. At ‘Bama, he used to attend coaches meetings, because Nick Saban considered Minkah to be a “coach on the field”. You saw Minkah’s leadership even on his first game (he was getting guys lined up correctly).

More later.

I thought it was interesting during the Rams game, the announcers (for how bad their rapport was) that they consistently talked about the Steelers secondary on how they were "sorting out" their assignments much better on the bunch formations.

Guys are lining up and understanding their assignments .vs the rub routes with much more confidence. That, and the confidence they now have knowing there's (reliable) help at safety to make more breaks underneath routes. There were a lot of deflected balls because of that. Some of that obviously goes to MFF, but I think Austin has fingerprints on the overall scheme improvement as well.

So, better players... yes, no doubt that helps. Coaching has been a contributor as well, imo. The eye test says, no matter who gets the credit, they all seem to be having more fun out there with the results they're getting.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I thought it was interesting during the Rams game, the announcers (for how bad their rapport was) that they consistently talked about the Steelers secondary on how they were "sorting out" their assignments much better on the bunch formations.

Guys are lining up and understanding their assignments .vs the rub routes with much more confidence. That, and the confidence they now have knowing there's (reliable) help at safety to make more breaks underneath routes. There were a lot of deflected balls because of that. Some of that obviously goes to MFF, but I think Austin has fingerprints on the overall scheme improvement as well.

So, better players... yes, no doubt that helps. Coaching has been a contributor as well, imo. The eye test says, no matter who gets the credit, they all seem to be having more fun out there with the results they're getting.

Agree, wherever Austin has gone, his DB's have great results turning the football over. I think he is doing more here than just helping Tomlin with challenges. Still, I think its Butlers defense, but the difference is the coverage on the secondary and LB's, so the pass rush has time to get to the QB.

Added this season were Bush, Barron, Nelson, Fitzpatrick and on coverage downs Sutton. And a successful DB coach in Austin. Its paying dividends, but not as well when Barron is jogging.

[teegre]

I thought it was interesting during the Rams game, the announcers (for how bad their rapport was) that they consistently talked about the Steelers secondary on how they were "sorting out" their assignments much better on the bunch formations.

Guys are lining up and understanding their assignments .vs the rub routes with much more confidence. That, and the confidence they now have knowing there's (reliable) help at safety to make more breaks underneath routes. There were a lot of deflected balls because of that. Some of that obviously goes to MFF, but I think Austin has fingerprints on the overall scheme improvement as well.

So, better players... yes, no doubt that helps. Coaching has been a contributor as well, imo. The eye test says, no matter who gets the credit, they all seem to be having more fun out there with the results they're getting.

:nod:

1. The players are in the right spots. A lot of credit goes to Minkah (you can see him yelling things out to other players). Some credit also needs to go to the coaches.

2. The players seem to “know what to do”. This is coaching. As you stated: the stacked formations usually give defenses trouble; yet, the Steelers do very well against those formations.

3. The players are taking calculated risks. When Haden knows that he has safety help on a play, he will dive for the INT. (Otherwise, he just plays sound defense.)

4. Minkah, Haden, Nelson, Sutton, and Hilton are talented. Talent wins. Period. (Edmunds is talented; ask his college coach. He just needs to figure it all out.)

[Mojouw]

I won't quote all the posts about it but wanted to just extend what the last few posts have been touching on. All of what you guys said, plus anyone notice how there are no more "breakdowns" in communication or 10 or 12 man defenses?

Seems like because they have talent at key positions, they are not frantically substituting and/or asking guys to do "odd" things on certain downs. I think some of the mistakes in communication were because guys were like "We are going to do what?!" and "My job is what?!"

Just a stray thought. Either that or Butler learned to talk faster. Maybe he took auctioneer classes in the off season.

[Steeler-in-west]

Fitz has better awareness and anticipation than Davis or anyone else we’ve had back there in a while.

noticed watt and Dupree are using their hands to swipe away lineman’s arms more. Using better angles and spin moves now - that’s coaching.

Of course Bush and Baron pair much better with VW than Bostic did, that should not go unnoticed as well. I think it’s just overall better play by better players this year:

if I can add that the loss of brown and bell hurts and helps. Helps our focus and hurts with less big plays on the field

[teegre]

I won't quote all the posts about it but wanted to just extend what the last few posts have been touching on. All of what you guys said, plus anyone notice how there are no more "breakdowns" in communication or 10 or 12 man defenses?

Seems like because they have talent at key positions, they are not frantically substituting and/or asking guys to do "odd" things on certain downs. I think some of the mistakes in communication were because guys were like "We are going to do what?!" and "My job is what?!"

Just a stray thought. Either that or Butler learned to talk faster. Maybe he took auctioneer classes in the off season.

It’s sort of like Troy’s rookie vs sophomore seasons.. but, on a team level.

As a rookie, Troy was overthinking things... until they told him to “just play football.” Voila!!! everything became simple, and his instincts took over.

Last season, this defense was overthinking things... until they were told to “just play football.” Voila!!! everything became simple, and their instincts took over.

[HollywoodSteel]

I specifically remember scouts raving about Fitzpatrick's intelligence along with his versatility so I think he has a gifted football IQ.

This is 100% true. It’s not as much Sean Davis being bad (although I do think he can be slow to assess and react, and possibly doesn’t communicate very well on the field) it’s that Minkah is something special.

It helps to have good pieces around him, no doubt, but Minkah elevates the defense from really good to scary good.