Thoughts on the 2019 defense headng into the preseason.

[polamalubeast]

[Born2Steel]

Break out the bubble wrap.

[86WARD]

Still lack of pass rush from OLBs and still issues at Safety positions. Middle of the defense and up front seems good but one injury to Hayward or Tuitt and they are screwed. Huge lack of depth...

[Mojouw]

Who causes turnovers? If they can be about +8 or more, they make playoffs.

[polamalubeast]

Who causes turnovers? If they can be about +8 or more, they make playoffs.

Our defense just needs to learn to catch the Ball!

Our defense was in the middle in the league for the turnovers in 2016 and 2017 with 22 and 23 and 3rd in 2015 with 30 ..... I do not think the steelers are going to be bottom 5 in turnovers again.

[Mojouw]

Our defense just needs to learn to catch the Ball!

Our defense was in the middle in the league for the turnovers in 2016 and 2017 with 22 and 23 and 3rd in 2015 with 30 ..... I do not think the steelers are going to be bottom 5 in turnovers again.

Hope you are right. Turnover +/- is just so closely tied to playoff success. Last several SB participants and winners were all +6 or more in this stat. Extend it to playoff participants, and it is even stronger.

In my opinion, this stat is one of the most important stats for predicting and explaining wins and losses in the NFL. Get over about +6 or so, and you will be a playoff team more seasons than not. Get double digits in the + column, you are going on a deep playoff run.

[polamalubeast]

Hope you are right. Turnover +/- is just so closely tied to playoff success. Last several SB participants and winners were all +6 or more in this stat. Extend it to playoff participants, and it is even stronger.

In my opinion, this stat is one of the most important stats for predicting and explaining wins and losses in the NFL. Get over about +6 or so, and you will be a playoff team more seasons than not. Get double digits in the + column, you are going on a deep playoff run.

Agree...Last year the steelers was at -11...Only + 2 in 2017,even if the steelers was at 13-3

Our best season since 2011 was at only + 5 in 2016...Our last super bowl team were at +17 in 2010

I do not want a team that rely too much on turnovers, but we must at least be in the positive, since the yards in defense and especially in offense have never been a problem for the steelers.

[polamalubeast]

[Born2Steel]

Still lack of pass rush from OLBs and still issues at Safety positions. Middle of the defense and up front seems good but one injury to Hayward or Tuitt and they are screwed. Huge lack of depth...

I agree with you mostly. Just have a different opinion on our DL depth. I think Alualu and Hargrave are as good backups as you will find and not much of a dropoff if any. Buggs will play well here, IMO. I got to see way too much Alabama games this past season and he impressed. I'm a bit surprised he wasn't drafted sooner. That puts the DL at 5 quality players by my count and a strength to this defense. Just saying I don't think we would be "screwed" necessarily.

The safety position is scarily unknown today. Davis, Edmunds, Barron, Allen, Dangerfield, and a group of UDFAs. I'm not seeing the improvement at this point.

OLB at least has Watt. Ola is supposed to be a pass rush specialist. Bud will be good for 5-6 sacks. Sutton Smith better translate to the NFL or this could again be a weakness.

[polamalubeast]

If Butler would not put a LB on a WR it would help!

[Six Rings]

But they were 16th in points allowed and bottom 5 in turnovers.

For this year, like every year, I hope they will be better, not just on the stats since the stats have never been the problem since the steelers often inflates their stats on some games like sacks or other things, but the 'important is how they will do when they face an offense that can give a good test.

I do not want to hear to be patient with this defense because there has new players or a lot of young players in this defense, it's been several years I hear that before each seasons and we still have the same results years after years.A defense that we can not trust in an big position

Right 16th in points allowed and bottom five in turnovers. The defense has a good pass rush, and so-so pass defense with the back seven. A bit better than average vs the run.

[Born2Steel]

We already know how the 2018 defense did. Do you see any improvements headed into 2019? I do. FIRST Bush is exactly the guy they wanted and they got him. (+1) Nelson to replace burns at RCB. (+1) Justin Layne!(+1) Burnett and Bostic were both upgraded this offseason.(+1)

Today our starting CBs look like Haden and Nelson with Hilton in the slot. Backups look like Layne, Sutton, and Burns/Allen. I see this as improvement.

The DL is still the strength of this defense.

VW and Bush at ILB is better than VW and anyone else on the roster from 2018 at ILB.

OLB will hopefully have added 2 pass rush specialists to the room with Ola and Smith. Hype=production added to TJ Watt is a lot of fun.

The safety group is the only place I see no improvement over last season other than Davis in year 2 at FS is a positive, as well as Edmunds in year 2 is hopefully a positive also. Barron can only add experience to this room so that too is a positive. Marcus Allen could be the happy surprise we've been waiting on, OR maybe somebody else gets brought in FA this offseason.

Have to say I think the defense is looking better headed into the 2019 preseason than what we left 2018 with. Honestly.

[pepsyman1]

For the ranking, the stats have never been a problem for the steelers, since some game they will inflate their stats like sacks, yards allowed or even PPG ..... But how they will perform when they will have a good test? .. That's the question.

The stats were usually deceiving as well. We would look pretty good on paper in terms of stats but both Lebeau and Butler's teams spent the better part of the last 7 years folding and giving up points at the end of each half when they used to be good at shutting teams down that were forced to be one dimensional. The only stat I care about anymore is how many points they give up at the end of the day. Even with the current state of the game there are usually 7-9 teams each year that average giving up under 20 points a game with the top 3-4 teams getting lower still. Just get back to that and I'd be happy. That gives us a chance to win.

[Mojouw]

Edmunds, Nelson, Davis, Bush, Haden. SOmeone from that group has to emerge and start generating turnovers. Low points per game are awesome. But I just looked at the list from the past 3 seasons. Lots of defenses that don’t give up points, but also didn’t make the playoffs. The list of high + on the turnover ratio rankings and you are just staring playoff and SB participants.

Edmunds, Davis, Haden, and Nelson all have the tools to generate turnovers. Just have to make it happen.

[Six Rings]

which LB will be covering the other team's top WR this season?

It's an unbelievable but true statement. The Steelers sometimes ask their ILB's to cover WR's. Equally surprising is their 2 Defensive lineman Goal line package. Has Tomlin ever been asked this question as to why the Steelers get themselves into bad match ups?

[polamalubeast]

Remember,the steelers had 4 interceptions in the first 3 games of the 2018 season.....Only 4 others interceptions for the rest of the season in 13 games.

[Steeldude]

A lot depends on the coaching. If the coaching remains the same then expect a poor defense.

[DesertSteel]

A lot depends on the coaching. If the coaching remains the same then expect a poor defense.

Are you expecting them to fire Butler before the season starts??

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Remember,the steelers had 4 interceptions in the first 3 games of the 2018 season.....Only 4 others interceptions for the rest of the season in 13 games.

I still think that Teryl Austin will have an impact on the number of INT and forced fumbles that the Secondary generates this season. Look for them to increase.

Now, if we can also reduce the amount of turnovers on the offensive side of the ball, then the differential will improve substantially.

[teegre]

A lot depends on the coaching. If the coaching remains the same then expect a poor defense.

Porter gone. Butler “demoted” to LBs coach (where he was pretty good).

Austin as the secondary coach is different (and better)... and, he is essentially the new DC.

SUMMATION:
It didn’t remain the same. (It improved.)