CB Numbers Game

[Chidi29]

It's about average. 4 players only had 1. 36 had less than 5. He was at 37th with 28 other guys.

He had the least MT and most SOLO TACKLES for a Steelers starting DB's (including Clark and Polamalu) in 2010 which is a pretty solid when you put the two together.

How many stops did the other players have?

[shutdown]

*REMOVED*

[Chidi29]

Let's face it guys, as Steelers fans, we don't like to see any team advancing the ball on us. However, with the changing philosophy of the league, where it is more of a pass first mentality, we are still focused on shutting down the run. Our defensive philosophy and scheme is to stop the run.

Is it time to let the run defense slide a bit and focus more on better coverage and pass defense? I don't think it is a secret in this league that we are vulnerable to the spread offenses. It sure is frustrating when we can't shut down 3rd downs and can't get the defense off the field.

It's easy to say that now. Not as easy to say when we're suddenly seeing offenses have success against through the ground game. The top teams in the league can also run the ball too.

[Chidi29]

I mean the corners that had less tackles.

[shutdown]

I mean the corners that had less tackles.

My bad. PFF defaults to 25% of the snaps which is unfair to players who play ALOT more.

When I up it to 50% of defensive snaps McFadden moves to 18th with 13 others. Anyone with less or equal missed tackles, none of them have more stop's than him, almost all have 50% or more less stops.

When I sort by STOP's by CB's who play 50% of defensive snaps or more, he's actually top 7.

[Chidi29]

My bad. PFF defaults to 25% of the snaps which is unfair to players who play ALOT more.

When I up it to 50% of defensive snaps McFadden moves to 18th with 13 others. Anyone with less or equal missed tackles, none of them have more stop's than him, almost all have 50% or more less stops.

When I sort by STOP's by CB's who play 50% of defensive snaps or more, he's actually top 7.

I figured he was that low because of corners that didn't play a lot and didn't have the chance to miss more tackles.

Top 7 seems more appropiate for B-Mac

[GBMelBlount]

Let's face it guys, as Steelers fans, we don't like to see any team advancing the ball on us. However, with the changing philosophy of the league, where it is more of a pass first mentality, we are still focused on shutting down the run. Our defensive philosophy and scheme is to stop the run.

Is it time to let the run defense slide a bit and focus more on better coverage and pass defense? I don't think it is a secret in this league that we are vulnerable to the spread offenses. It sure is frustrating when we can't shut down 3rd downs and can't get the defense off the field.

VERY FRUSTRATING INDEED.

But our defense has been ranked tops in the NFL overall the last several years and arguably is the reason for our great seasons, deep runs into the playoffs and super bowl wins / appearances...

While frustrating, it works.

[fansince'76]

It's easy to say that now. Not as easy to say when we're suddenly seeing offenses have success against through the ground game.

Exactly. I still have nightmares about Fred Taylor absolutely gashing us at at will back in '07 after Aaron Smith went down for the year and Priest Holmes doing the same in '03. If our run D is misguidedly ignored in an attempt to bolster our secondary play, Ray Rice, Cedric Benson and Peyton Hillis will all begin to regularly rip us a new one too.

[Craic]

B-Mac ain't the answer either, but if you want to see a spike in big plays from the opposition, ship McFadden and start Gay again.

MOST of my frustartion comes from the fact that we have all these young CB's on and off the roster, and none of them seem to be up to the task. We're not asking them to replace Rod Woodson here, it's Bryant McFadden and William Gay, for Chrissakes!

McFadden, I agree with you. But I think what your eyes saw, wasn't Gay's fault. It was the coaching staff's fault for trying to make a 5' 10" 190 LB receiver cover a 6' 6" 265 pound TE in the endszone.

Three TD's.

1st one. Gay was in the perfect position. Gronkowski was just too tall so Brady could throw the ball up over Gay's reach. http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-england-patriots/09000d5d81c1fc79/Gronkowski-19-yard-TD-reception

2nd one. Faked the run. Gay stepped up to assume his run responsibility. It was simply a well designed play. http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-england-patriots/09000d5d81c2100d/Gronkowksi-hauls-in-2nd-TD

3rd one. Confusion between Gay and Troy P. Neither of them ended up covering their man. But the other thing is, Gronk. comes up on Gay, and swats him off like a fly. That's what happens when you give up 75 pounds to a guy who is running straight at you.

Am I saying Gay is a great CB? Not at all. But I am saying if you go around the league and look at depth charts, he is the best number 3 of any depth chart you will find. Gay's not our problem. McFadden is the problem. That any the continued failure to not release Timmons into coverage to take on the big TE's instead of a 5' 10' CB.

[suitanim]

You're really all over the place and kind of hard to understand but i'll focus on 1 point.



If you're not sure, don't insinuate. Take a second or third attempt to understand. I can't help you understand, but insinuating sets you up for failure. I mean what I said. 2008.

William Gay in 2008 played 475 snaps at CB

Bryant McFadden in 2008 played 472 snaps at CB

Gay also played a bunch in the nickle.

Gay played more than McFadden in 2008. Regardless of what your "starts" tell you, the snap counts show how many plays each player was actually on the field.

Overall Gays performance in 2008 was equal if not better than McFaddens. His completion percentage was the lowest the Steelers have seen in a long time (44%). It is logical to think the reason the Steelers didn't go after McFadden as aggressively as some thought they should was because Gay had such a strong 2008 campaign and they felt he could fill the shoes. This was confirmed with him earning the starting spot in 2009. In hindsight was it a mistake on the Steelers part? Yes. As Chidi said, did they stake steps to ratify it by bringing back McFadden? Yes. Could that too have been a mistake? Sure....

OK, let's try this again. The Steelers let McFadden go, yes. But I also didn't see anyone making a play for Gay, not even Steelers West who know the team so well. And the Gay experiment worked SO well that the Steelers....................turned around and re-signed McFadden. Gay has been available the last two years as a free agent, and he keeps signing one-year deals. That screams stop-gap.

When will we fill that gap? B-Mac should be the nickel, and we should have a solid and capable #2 CB across from Ike. Ain't happened since Townsend.