Tomlin Says Nose Tackle Position Is ‘Being Minimized Globally’

[polamalubeast]

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/03...ized-globally/

[Born2Steel]

Great article! Thanks for posting. How much is 'obvious' and how much is downplaying our intentions for the draft. We HAVE to get better on the DL, everyone knows that. If we list the guys who can help us on the DL in this draft, I think it's a fairly long list. Now list the CBs that look like day 1 help this season and the list gets much, much shorter. Not saying we absolutely must take CB in the 1st 2 rounds, just that if one of our guys is there, he must be the pick. On the DL, we can get NT, DT, or DE since we're talking about running sub packages 70% of the time. I would like to see more success with our pass rush too.

[polamalubeast]

[SteelMember]

...poker bluff

[BlackAndGold]

[steelreserve]

Yes, as a "nose tackle person," I'd say that anyone who is looking for a one-dimensional run-stopping lineman is out of touch. There is such a thing as a nose tackle who also creates disruption, and that's been the idea the whole time.

[Mojouw]

Yes, as a "nose tackle person," I'd say that anyone who is looking for a one-dimensional run-stopping lineman is out of touch. There is such a thing as a nose tackle who also creates disruption, and that's been the idea the whole time.

But then you are talking more about taking a larger 4-3 DT and converting them into a 3-4 NT. Which is fine and has been successfully done on many occassions. Tomlin and Colbert and Butler have all made statements that seem to indicate they are more opening to considering this type of thing more than in previous years.

I figure what we are really talking about is 2 different things. Wexell nailed it in his tweet.

1. Is the classic 3-4 fat guy NT - the 0 technique to get all fancy and pretend we all know what the hell we are talking about.
2. Is the 1 or 3 technique "pass rushing" 4-3 DT. These typically come in a matched set, with one guy being disruptive and the other being a brick wall.

I "think" what Tomlin and co are saying is that there is no reason to draft option #1 in the early rounds of the draft. But I think Option #2 is open for discussion assuming they can ALSO take snaps at DE or whatever you want to call that 2 down lineman thing the Steelers do in the nickel.

But that is just my opinion and could be way off. But anyone who goes to Billings Pro Day, sends Joe Greene to dinner with his family, etc and then wants me to believe that NT is not really on their minds - well I have this bridge in Brooklyn I'm looking to sell also.

[hawaiiansteeler]

...poker bluff

[steelreserve]

I figure what we are really talking about is 2 different things. Wexell nailed it in his tweet.

1. Is the classic 3-4 fat guy NT - the 0 technique to get all fancy and pretend we all know what the hell we are talking about.
2. Is the 1 or 3 technique "pass rushing" 4-3 DT. These typically come in a matched set, with one guy being disruptive and the other being a brick wall.

That's exactly it. There isn't a hell of a lot of use for the first one, and no way at all you should take one in the early rounds. It is a limited role.

We basically need the second one out of a 0/1 technique kind of player. A guy who lines up as a "traditional" 3-4 nose tackle but can also break down the pocket. Those players exist, but there are damn few of them. Billings or a couple other guys in this draft might be one. And needless to say, any player capable of doing that is either going to be athletic enough to take some snaps at DE, or valuable enough to leave out there in a 3-3-5 nickel instead of a 2-4-5.

[polamalubeast]

The Nose tackle position will become like the Fullback position.....It will disappear and Tomlin, Butler and Colbert realized that.

[tube517]

The Nose tackle position will become like the Fullback position.....It will disappear and Tomlin, Butler and Colbert realized that.

Their mistake!

- - - Updated - - -

[Dwinsgames]

The Nose tackle position will become like the Fullback position.....It will disappear and Tomlin, Butler and Colbert realized that.

not gonna happen .

[hawaiiansteeler]

That's exactly it. There isn't a hell of a lot of use for the first one, and no way at all you should take one in the early rounds. It is a limited role.

We basically need the second one out of a 0/1 technique kind of player. A guy who lines up as a "traditional" 3-4 nose tackle but can also break down the pocket. Those players exist, but there are damn few of them. Billings or a couple other guys in this draft might be one. And needless to say, any player capable of doing that is either going to be athletic enough to take some snaps at DE, or valuable enough to leave out there in a 3-3-5 nickel instead of a 2-4-5.

Billings is more of an interior DT, he's much shorter than the Steelers prefer their DEs to be...

[steelreserve]

Billings is more of an interior DT, he's much shorter than the Steelers prefer their DEs to be...

Yeah, I'd be hoping his role would be more of a "good enough to leave on the field anyway" NT and less subbing for our other good players. We need a backup for them too, anyway.

[katmandu]

We basically need the second one out of a 0/1 technique kind of player. A guy who lines up as a "traditional" 3-4 nose tackle but can also break down the pocket. Those players exist, but there are damn few of them. Billings or a couple other guys in this draft might be one. And needless to say, any player capable of doing that is either going to be athletic enough to take some snaps at DE, or valuable enough to leave out there in a 3-3-5 nickel instead of a 2-4-5.

Oh! Billings is ALL THAT and more !

The kid is FAST for a NT ! Watch @ 1:57 point chasing a WR down the sideline !

[katmandu]

..................

“Mean” Joe said:

“Today I’m just looking at those defensive lineman, this is my first time out in two years, so what a better place to come than hometown, this is like hometown.”

“(Billings) He has the body type for the position, he’s strong, he’s quick and I saw a little nasty in him”

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/201...defense-needs/

[hawaiiansteeler]

Mike Tomlin says Steelers will play nickel defense "70 percent" of the time

By: Daniel Sager

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent much of the 2015 season playing in a nickel scheme; five defensive backs, two down linemen.

Don’t expect that to change in 2016.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that he expected the team to line up in nickel “at least 70 percent” of the time, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

This isn’t a huge surprise, given Pittsburgh’s struggles in pass defense last season. The Steelers ranked 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed, which is down three spots from their 27th ranking in 2014. That is a trend that Tomlin and the Steelers are hoping to reverse this coming season.

To put it another way, put money on the Steelers drafting a cornerback early in April’s NFL Draft.

This revelation also could place less of a premium on the Steelers finding a top-flight nose tackle to replace Steve McLendon, who signed a three-year contract with the New York Jets last week. Unless the Steelers can find the next Aaron Donald in the draft, there isn’t much of a reason to put a run-stopping tackle on the field on obvious passing own situations.

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/201...t-of-the-time/

[Psycho Ward 86]

Oh! Billings is ALL THAT and more !

The kid is FAST for a NT ! Watch @ 1:57 point chasing a WR down the sideline !

Good lord, that's not even human