Will the Steelers continue to play a 3-4 defense or switch to a 4-3?

Question

Dick LeBeau will be back...but Tomlin has roots in the cover 2. Will they attempt to merge these two trendy defenses?

Answer 1

They may attempt to shift towards a 4-3 but not this season. Tomlin has stated that he has a unique opportunity to work with a team that has a very good chance of winning the super bowl. He admitted it wouldn't be in the Steelers best interest to shake things up immediately. Who the Steelers draft may give us a better idea where Tomlin wants to go with the defense. Jarvis Moss DE from Florida was at one time compared to Jevon Kearse, but following an injury has been compared more to Simeon Rice. He is a 4-3 DE (tall and fast) but he also can play outside linebacker in a 3-4. The two positions in the two respective schemes are mostly interchangeable. If you remember after Jason Gildon left he played DE. I have a feeling if we do draft Jarvis Moss it will begin the shift to a 4-3. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, the Steel Curtain was a 4-3. It is just a matter of personel. Once we get the right guys Tomlin's defensive preference will be prevalent.

Answer 2

Well just look at our personnel. We just re-signed a 3-4 defensive end (Aaron Smith) to a contract extension which is odd if we are switching to a 4-3. We have the best 3-4 defensive tackle in Casey Hampton. Our Linebackers are suited for a 3-4 defense. Dick Lebeau is our Defensive Co-ordinator and the 3-4 defense is a staple with him . There is no way we can change to a 4-3 this year we just don't have the personnel. You just can't do it in one year it takes a few drafts and free agent signings to make the switch. Mike Tomlin is a very young coach and he probably isn't familiar with the 3-4 defense which is a reason he kept Dick Lebeau in the coaching staff for this year and maybe next year. But a switch in a few years is not out of the question as Tomlin was a Defensive Co-Ordinator and used the 4-3 with great success. But to have a good 4-3 defense you need two good pass rushing DE's, and a beast of middle linebacker all of which we don't have. We will see which direction we might be going with our defense during this years draft. If we draft a good Middle Linebacker with our first selection we may be switching. But either way our defense will be exceptional as it always is.

Answer 3

This is the question that I have been trying to answer for months!
The interesting part is that LeBeau is still apart of the defense staff. During Tomlin's first year of head-coach (my personal thought) is that he'll stick with the 34 defense but with the up-coming draft I see his staff selecting some speedy players for the 43 defense. I believe in the cover 2 defense if you have the right players. Right now the Steelers have half the talent needed. With LeBeau's defense knowledge I think he can experiment with both 34 & 43,Steelers defense will be very 'exotic' this year!

Answer 4

I have heard and reads things that they say we are staying with or 3-4 defense but switching to a 4-3 is definitely not out of the question. Tomlin has it in the back of his mind. If we switch to a 4-3 it will not suit us well because because that is what our linebackers were taken for, a linebacker rush. The 4-3 will let people like Troy Polomalu rush more often.

Answer 5

Dick LeBeau is amazing at what he does, one of the best. If Tomlin comes in and tries to change that then he needs to have his head checked out. Piittsburgh will stay the same, and if they do change then it wont be permanent maybe untill they get some more good linebackers after losing porter.

Answer 6

I'm a fan of the 3-4 D. But with Tomlin as head coach, I think that they're going to try the 4-3 and they are going to fail miserably and switch back.

Answer 7

i saw a press conference where they talked about that, Tomlin already said he wasnt going to change the defense up. So the 3-4 should still be there this season, but i wouldnt be surprised if they try new things every once and awhile to get an idea for the future

Answer 8

I cant see why they would keep LeBeau if they were going to run a different Defense. ESPECIALLY when the team is already used to, and has been successfull, using the 3-4.

Answer 9

a three-4 is extra useful for my area in case you have the employees obtainable to do it. To make a three-4 artwork, you want first and maximum acceptable, a nostril handle that eats up blockers. somebody like a Vince Wilfork. this is because of fact, needless to say, there are in basic terms 3 down linemen attacking the O-line. you want one guy who might reason plenty mayhem that the offense desires to commit 2 human beings to him. in any different case, that line of defense gets ruled and could not generate stress because of fact this is in certainty 5 human beings vs 3. Then, you want a minimum of one especially reliable shielding end who can do a similar. while that occurs, it leaves the different end with a a million on a million matchup against the main magnificent handle and delivers him a reliable hazard at slipping the blocker and sacking the quarterback. then you definitely want linebackers who are not merely athletic, yet clever because of fact they might desire to drop back in coverage specific cases and can desire to be interior the main magnificent spot to handle or harm up passes. This became the explanation why New England paid plenty money for Adalius Thomas. The thinking, became that interior the three-4 front, if the offense went to a three receiver team, he had the cost and athleticism to maintain up with various the extensive receivers (a minimum of for the 1st 10 yards or so). this facilitates New England to stay interior the three-4 with out having to sub interior the nickel equipment, merely in case it became a run and not a bypass because linebackers are extra useful at run protection than cornerbacks. additionally facilitates you to maintain a similar human beings on the sphere and not get penalized while attempting to replace gamers and a Peyton Manning-form participant rapid snaps the ball seeking to get 5 unfastened yards.

Answer 10

Ok I think they merge them a little but I think the team still focuses more on the 3-4. That is what the team is built for and what they play good in.