Pittsburgh Steelers: Creating the Blueprint for Optimal Defense in 2015
Make no mistake about it, the Pittsburgh Steelers will struggle on defense in 2015, but if all goes to plan, they are in the process of building something special.
That may be hard to believe with the losses they suffered during the offseason. Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau moved on to Tennessee, three starters—future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, sack leader Jason Worilds and cornerback Ike Taylor—retired and defensive leader Brett Keisel was not re-signed.
Although the outlook may look grim, the defense is loaded with young talent poised to make an impact. At this point, it is just getting them up to speed, according to nose tackle Steve McLendon:
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“I feel that we have the pieces, and the guys understand where we are trying to go,” McLendon told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I believe in my teammates, that's what I believe in. I don't believe in what anybody else says. I believe in what my teammates can do. We have a very talented room, and I am excited.”
Beyond the players, the Steelers have a new architect who learned from LeBeau, but he will also reveal some new wrinkles when the time is right:
“There will be some things that are different, yes,’’ Butler said (via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). “There are some things we did well last year. We have to try to try to marry the things that we did well last year and maybe some things that we haven’t done before here, we’re going to try to do those.”
When will these new looks be revealed?
“I’ll let the Patriots figure that out when we play them,’’ Butler said.
Butler is keeping quiet on what his defense will look like—and for good reason. He has a number of new pieces in place and is in position to surprise a lot of teams in 2015. But with that in mind, we can still speculate on what he and the rest of Pittsburgh’s staff must do to get the defense back on track.
Get Young Defenders Up to Speed
Under defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the Steelers had a longstanding philosophy of grooming young defenders behind veterans.
Rather than throw a rookie or second-year player into the fire, they would sit for a year or two and learn the position. It was a system that worked well for nearly a decade. Players such as Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel, Lawrence Timmons and others were slowly worked into the lineup.
With new defensive coordinator Keith Butler now in charge, there may be a shift in philosophy. Before training camp begins, we already know that the defense will look much different than it did last season as Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, Brett Keisel and Jason Worilds are all no longer on the roster.
An infusion of young talent is just what the team needs in order to improve next season, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. He identified the Steelers as one of the seven most improved teams this offseason in part because of their draft.
Entering the draft with a clear need on defense, general manager Kevin Colbert selected two outside linebackers (Bud Dupree and Anthony Chickillo), two cornerbacks (Senquez Golson and Doran Grant), a defensive lineman (Leterrius Walton) and a safety (Gerod Holliman).
| Player | Position | Round |
| Bud Dupree | OLB | 1st |
| Senquez Golson | CB | 2nd |
| Doran Grant | CB | 4th |
| Leterrius Walton | DL | 6th |
| Anthony Chickillo | OLB | 6th |
| Gerod Holliman | S | 7th |
Although all of these rookies won’t make an impact early—some may not even make the team—it is fair to assume that one or two could find a role early on.
Dupree and Golson—Pittsburgh’s top two selections—have the greatest chance of making an impact early not only because of their potential, but they also fill an immediate need.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com believes that although Dupree may develop into the better player over the long haul, Golson has a better chance of contributing early: “Golson seems like the type of playmaker that's difficult to keep off the field. If the Steelers use him correctly, he will rack up tackles and have a chance to defend multiple passes a game.”
Golson finished with 10 interceptions last season and could be the playmaker Butler needs in the secondary. It is a trait that the Steelers desire as both Grant and Holliman profile as defensive backs with good ball skills as well.
Besides the rookies, Polamalu’s understudy, Shamarko Thomas, will be a fixture in the secondary this fall. His combination of speed and physical nature of play will fit in well with what the Steelers want to do on defense, but he must prove he can stay healthy.
Besides the secondary, the front seven is loaded with players with three years or less of experience.
At linebacker, the Steelers will have four former first-round draft picks on the field at some point.
Jarvis Jones is in his third year and will enter the season as the starter ahead of James Harrison. Injuries got the best of the young linebacker early in his career, but he began to show his potential early last season.
Last year’s top draft pick, Ryan Shazier, also struggled with injuries, but he has the speed and playmaking ability that the Steelers desire. He can run from sideline to sideline and has the ability to drop into coverage, which will open up others to make plays near the line of scrimmage.
Rather than rotate him with Sean Spence and Vince Williams, the coaching staff should commit to Shazier, given his tremendous upside and all that he can offer the defense. Inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky expects him to realize that potential this season, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review):
“He played at a pretty fast pace (last year). How he played from whistle to whistle was pretty good,” Olsavsky said. “We picked him in the first round. When you get picked that high, it's for a reason, and we expect him to fulfill his potential.”
Another player with a huge upside is 2015 first-round draft pick Bud Dupree. Although he probably will not enter the season as a starter, he believes he will have a lot to offer the defense, according to Will Graves of the Associated Press:
"I can do a lot of things," he said. "Not just rushing the passer. I've always been a team first guy. That's not going to change no matter what they want to do with me."
Dupree’s attitude is exactly what the coaches want from their young players and it will only pay off as these defenders progress into the future. Defensive linemen Daniel McCullers and Stephon Tuitt are perfect examples.
| Player | 2014 Defensive Snap Counts | 2014 Defensive Snap Count Percentage |
| Stephon Tuitt | 398 | 40.2% |
| Daniel McCullers | 63 | 6.4% |
| Bud Dupree | 0 | 0% |
| Ryan Shazier | 258 | 26.1% |
| Vince Williams | 248 | 25.1% |
| Jarvis Jones | 229 | 23.1% |
| Senquez Golson | 0 | 0% |
| Doran Grant | 0 | 0% |
| Shamarko Thomas | 3 | 0.3% |
McCullers learned that being big doesn’t cut it in his first year and spent the offseason getting into shape. He lost 15 pounds and has impressed his teammates—who are very excited to watch him play—this spring.
While McCullers will compete for snaps, Tuitt will step into the starting lineup. Despite earning this role, he knows that he has a long way to go, reported Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:
“I have made some progress, but I am in my second year, and I still have a lot to learn,” said Tuitt. “I am with a group of great guys and have a coach who knows the game from the back of his head to the front of his head. I am here to work hard. I love it, and I am here to do what I have to do.”
The Steelers will enter training camp with an inexperienced, but talented group of defenders. As much as the organization appreciated its longtime veterans' efforts, it was time to move on and commit to the youth movement.
Pittsburgh’s roster is littered with potential, and as soon as the players develop, the defense will explode onto the scene. According to defensive backs coach Carnell Lake (via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) getting reps on the field is a great way to develop:
“That’s basically how I was raised in the NFL,” said Lake. “From day one, I was thrown in the fire. You make a lot of mistakes. If you can correct those quickly, and make some plays while you’re doing it, you can stay around a while.”
The mistakes will come early and probably often, but once the young defenders gain knowledge of the defense and adjust to the NFL game, the plays will start to come, and the defense will be better for it.
Rediscover Foundation to the Defense
When operating at its best, LeBeau’s defense had three goals: stop the run, prevent the big play and rush the quarterback.
The Steelers were at their best in 2010, which coincides with their last Super Bowl appearance. Since then, the defense slowly deteriorated, and the foundation it was built on began to crumble.
The rush defense—so dominant in 2010—dropped off slightly over the next two seasons before taking a sharp decline in 2013. Despite an overall increase in ranking last season, opponents still rushed for 4.4 yards per carry, a number much higher than what the Steelers would like to see.
| Year | Rush Yards Allowed (Rank) | Average Yards Per Carry Allowed (Rank) | Big Plays Allowed (Rank) | Sacks (Rank) | Points Allowed (Rank) |
| 2014 | 1,605 (6) | 4.4 (25) | 86 (27) | 33 (26) | 23.0 (18) |
| 2013 | 1,849 (21) | 4.3 (21) | 61 (3) | 34 (25) | 23.1 (14) |
| 2012 | 1,450 (2) | 3.7 (4) | 50 (1) | 37 (15) | 19.6 (6) |
| 2011 | 1,597 (8) | 4.0 (9) | 55(1) | 35 (17) | 14.2 (1) |
| 2010 | 1,004 (1) | 3.0 (1) | 42 (1) | 48 (1) | 14.5 (1) |
A weak defense against the run has a domino effect for the rest of the defense, as pointed out by Neal Coolong of Steelers Wire:
"It’s a chain-reaction. Give up four or five yards on first down, opposing offenses find themselves in “second and manageable” situations. That helps the ever-growing versatility of the average NFL offense to play to their strength and use it with the element of surprise.
Forcing teams into 2nd and 10 or 2nd and 9, it shortens the playbook, forces more deliberate offensive packages on the field and gives the defense more of an opportunity to attack.
Instead of spreading the field on an obvious passing down, an offense can keep balanced packages on the field for second and five. That keeps more aggressive defensive packages, and play-calling, on hold.
"
LeBeau wanted to play an aggressive style on defense, but couldn’t over the past few seasons. Not only did he not have the pass-rushers, but he didn’t have the run defense forcing the opposition into long-yardage situations.
Butler could run into the same problem this year, so it is important that he employ the personnel—and scheme—necessary to stop the run. Whether that is the inclusion of McCullers on obvious running downs or playing Thomas near the line, he must find the answer.
The inability to stop the run and lack of aggressive scheme can then result in big plays, evident with the 86 big plays allowed (rushing plays over 10 yards and passing plays over 25 yards, according to Sporting Charts) last season. However, the big plays aren’t exclusive to the passing game, according to defensive end Cam Heyward (via Ralph Paulk and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review):
“If you look at explosive, big plays, they came mostly on the run,” Heyward said. “When we stopped the ground game, we were much more successful against the pass. It's a proven fact that when we've had the best defense, we've stopped the run.
“If we stop the run early enough, that play action goes out the window. When we make them one-dimensional, we can light our hair on fire and get after the quarterback.”
“When we win the first two downs, we put them at a disadvantage. We've been stressing that and correcting the run defense, meaning guys are using their hands and getting off blocks.”
Even though it struggled for most of the season, the defense showed improvement down the stretch. After giving up 21 points or more in 10 of their first 13 games, the Steelers allowed just 16.33 points per game over the last three.
Getting back to fundamentals was a big part of this. During the final stretch, the Steelers allowed 84.0 rushing yards per game, picked up nine sacks and forced five turnovers. Of course, they limited big plays against as well.
Although Butler can come in and make dramatic changes to the playbook, that is not necessary. A few adjustments will make a difference, but not as much as playing sound, fundamental football.
Rely on the Front Seven
Several years ago, the front office embarked on a mission to rebuild the offensive line. After numerous high draft picks and multiple coaches, it all came to fruition last season.
Colbert has built the defense in the same manner—particularly the front seven. When the final depth chart is set, four former first-round draft choices will be in the starting lineup with a fifth—Dupree—as a likely contributor.
By the end of the season, the linebacker corps could have four former first-round selections on the field at the same time. The Steelers aren’t devoid of potential on defense, they lack proven NFL talent. The only way to find out what they have is to throw them into the fire, and Butler seems intent on doing so.
“We have a lot of [high] draft choices in that front seven,” Butler told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “We have to use those draft choices in those front seven, not only the linebackers but [ends Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt]. Those guys are talented guys. We have to use them too.
Unlike the LeBeau defense, Butler is prepared to utilize his young defensive ends in a new way. Rather than use them to occupy blockers to allow the linebackers to roam free and make plays, he may allow them to generate push and rush the quarterback.
That would be a wise move given the talent at the positon. Heyward tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks last season, while Tuitt flashed his playmaking ability with one sack and one forced fumble. Butler realizes what he has and doesn’t want to waste their talent:
“We can’t let them always take up for the linebackers, or try to take people on for the linebackers, we have to let them play football, too,” Butler added. “So, hopefully we can employ everybody in this defense, especially the front seven.”
Recognizing this talent and playing them to their strength is the first hurdle to overcome. That is what Mike Munchak did with the offensive line last year and what Butler must do with the front seven this year.
Heyward is ready to burst onto the national scene, and Tuitt will make a push to be a disruptive force, but between them, the duo of McLendon and McCullers should make the defensive line a strength.
McLendon’s value was noticed last season when he missed time with an injury. Although he is not a Casey Hampton-like player, he is a valued member of the defensive line and an important part of the run defense. However, his role may be reduced this year if McCullers can have a breakthrough season like his coach and teammates believe.
Strength down the middle is a good way to build the defense, and with nose tackle settled, the Steelers have to feel confident with what they have in Timmons and Shazier.
Timmons is a proven commodity coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance, and Shazier has the ability to be the best player on the defense. Throughout training camp last season and in his preseason debut, he proved that he could compete, now he must put it all together.
On the edge, there is some concern with Jones and Arthur Moats starting at outside linebacker. Neither has played as a full-time starter, so the presence of Dupree and James Harrison is important. Expect each to be involved in a heavy rotation as Butler tries to scheme up blitz packages to get his rushers to the quarterback.
This group has a lot to prove, but they have the pedigree to develop into a dominant unit. The Steelers will need them to perform, while the new-look secondary comes together. If they do, the defense will begin its ascent up the stat column, but more importantly, in the win column as well.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com and roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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