Team speed on defense

I have to say, at least in my opinion, yesterday's game was really satisfying to see how quickly our defense swarmed to the ball. It almost looked reminiscent of the mid 2000's glory days where we had the #1 defense every single year it seems.

This defense is FAST, and I'm liking it. Heck we even have a nose tackle that can run a 4.7 lol. Have we ever had a defense with this much speed? They're lacking in experience but I think in 1-2 years this defense will be at the top of the rankings once again. At least in the top 5.

A healthy Shazier, healthy Dupree and Sean Davis beginning to know where he should be in this offense definitely makes them faster. Tyreek Hill trumps them all with speed.

I just want to see the Steelers O line and D line control the line of scrimmage and that should be the difference in a win.

Fire Arians wrote:

I have to say, at least in my opinion, yesterday's game was really satisfying to see how quickly our defense swarmed to the ball. It almost looked reminiscent of the mid 2000's glory days where we had the #1 defense every single year it seems.

This defense is FAST, and I'm liking it. Heck we even have a nose tackle that can run a 4.7 lol. Have we ever had a defense with this much speed? They're lacking in experience but I think in 1-2 years this defense will be at the top of the rankings once again. At least in the top 5.

No, they've never had a defense this fast in the front 7. Troy and Ike were fast in their days, but the speed the front 7 has is pretty incredible.

One thing I loved seeing is Tuitt constantly talking to Hargrave as they were lining up. Great leadership and to think what we'll have next year with Heyward coming back.

I liked the for their time the 70s defense speed and I'm really liking the defense speed now lets find some more speed in the 2017 draft.

everyone is fast anyone can blitz, the offense get us a 2 TD lead now turn this fast defense loose.

strip sack fumble or pressure the QB into a INT that is what I'm talking about.

Gotta give Colbert credit, he set out to rebuild the defense and may have found future studs in Dupree, Hargrave, and Davis.

Bud can close on a tackle with the best of them, the speed he has for his size.  For what it's worth, I thought his penalized hit on Moore was brutal, violent, yet legal as the rules are written. (AD can set me straight on this)
Hargrave can play run and pass.  Davis is sharp and reads running plays well.


Nice to say our defense can swarm to the ball and hit.

Comfort in the base packages after a full season is allowing them to showcase their speed. This defense next year with a beast OLB FA or draft pick is going to be one of the best in the league. Senquez Golson and Justin Gilbert are going to add a ton of depth at the secondary. We either draft or pick up an OLB in FA that can bookend Dupree and the defense will be rock solid. The rookies have survived their trial by fire and got progressively better every game. Ross Cockrell has basically locked down his starting roll with his play this season a snag for the FO on the cheap.

What we are seeing is Butler and Tomlin's vision for the D come to light. I for one am really excited about Sean Davis. He's a smart kid. I feel bad for Thomas since I really wanted him to succeed knowing his personal story but Davis is the future at SS. We're not quite where the D was in the mid 2000's but I do think the defense is on its way up for sure. I'm really liking what I'm seeing from Bud too. I think he would have had a monster year if he had been healthy all year long but he is healthy and looked great yesterday.

FrancoLambert wrote:

Gotta give Colbert credit, he set out to rebuild the defense and may have found future studs in Dupree, Hargrave, and Davis.

Bud can close on a tackle with the best of them, the speed he has for his size.  For what it's worth, I thought his penalized hit on Moore was brutal, violent, yet legal as the rules are written. (AD can set me straight on this)
Hargrave can play run and pass.  Davis is sharp and reads running plays well.


Nice to say our defense can swarm to the ball and hit.

Yeah it's coming along nicely. We had a nice draft this year. Burns has had some growing pains but he'll get better. Like you, I'm a big Davis fan and I like Hargraves too. He reminds me one of our old time guys since he was a small school product. Plus with him, the guy is very happy to be a Steeler, I remember him saying he had grown up a fan and we were who he wanted to play for. If the D plays at a high level and the offense keeps on contributing, this could be a very great team. We eventually will need Ben's successor but I trust our scouts.

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

FrancoLambert wrote:

Gotta give Colbert credit, he set out to rebuild the defense and may have found future studs in Dupree, Hargrave, and Davis.

Bud can close on a tackle with the best of them, the speed he has for his size.  For what it's worth, I thought his penalized hit on Moore was brutal, violent, yet legal as the rules are written. (AD can set me straight on this)
Hargrave can play run and pass.  Davis is sharp and reads running plays well.


Nice to say our defense can swarm to the ball and hit.

Yeah it's coming along nicely. We had a nice draft this year. Burns has had some growing pains but he'll get better. Like you, I'm a big Davis fan and I like Hargraves too. He reminds me one of our old time guys since he was a small school product. Plus with him, the guy is very happy to be a Steeler, I remember him saying he had grown up a fan and we were who he wanted to play for. If the D plays at a high level and the offense keeps on contributing, this could be a very great team. We eventually will need Ben's successor but I trust our scouts.

Mettenberger may be a very viable successor to BB. He has a gun for an arm is big like Ben he can be a solid pocket passer on this team. The guy played for some pretty garbage teams and was forced to play as a rookie on one. I am looking forward to see what he can do in camp and preseason. I think a lot of Steeler fans will be surprised by him.

What I like about this defense is that they don't only have speed. They have speed AND are physical.

I love the speed and physicality. We've got a good foundation in place, and are literally a couple pieces away (in my opinion) from being great. Next year's draft is really important.

Come Sunday the speed will need to be on top display along with patience, and discipline (especially Mitchell)

Heard an excellent segment on Steelers Nation Radio when Tunch Ilkin said the Steelers defense has a great mix of speed and power at each level. He brought up Tuitt (power) and Hargrave (speed), Timmons (power) and Shazier (speed), Mitchell (power) and Davis (speed). His assessment, that I agree with, is that it started to really pull together during the games late in the season and now into the playoffs.

I really feel that even if we don't go to the Super Bowl this year we've still got chances in the next few years with the foundation that's in place. So long as we keep the key pieces in place, and fill the few voids that we have. This team could really be deadly.

I agree we need an OLB with speed and hopefully Harrison style attitude.Otherwise he will just be Jarvis Jones. We also need someone to replace Mitchell. Too many late hits from him. I may be in the minority here but I don't see Cockrell being all that solid.

I agree with everything else as far as a great base. I think we draft OLB ,Oline depth,Dline depth,Safety and QB. Not necessarily in that order.

solardave wrote:

I agree we need an OLB with speed and hopefully Harrison style attitude.Otherwise he will just be Jarvis Jones. We also need someone to replace Mitchell. Too many late hits from him. I may be in the minority here but I don't see Cockrell being all that solid.

I agree with everything else as far as a great base. I think we draft  OLB ,Oline depth,Dline depth,Safety and QB. Not necessarily in that order.

I concur. I'd try to get a pass rushing OLB in the draft, and and then start addressing the D-Line depth immediately thereafter.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I agree we need an OLB with speed and hopefully Harrison style attitude.Otherwise he will just be Jarvis Jones. We also need someone to replace Mitchell. Too many late hits from him. I may be in the minority here but I don't see Cockrell being all that solid.

I agree with everything else as far as a great base. I think we draft  OLB ,Oline depth,Dline depth,Safety and QB. Not necessarily in that order.

I concur. I'd try to get a pass rushing OLB in the draft, and and then start addressing the D-Line depth immediately thereafter.

Yeah this year with Heyward out we found out we are thin. With him and Tuitt out we we couldn't stop the run. I don't follow college football so I wouldn't venture a guess as to which OLB might fall to us but I trust Colbert and the rest of the draft crew. Last couple year's crop as far as LBs has panned out pretty good.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I agree we need an OLB with speed and hopefully Harrison style attitude.Otherwise he will just be Jarvis Jones. We also need someone to replace Mitchell. Too many late hits from him. I may be in the minority here but I don't see Cockrell being all that solid.

I agree with everything else as far as a great base. I think we draft  OLB ,Oline depth,Dline depth,Safety and QB. Not necessarily in that order.

I concur. I'd try to get a pass rushing OLB in the draft, and and then start addressing the D-Line depth immediately thereafter.

Anyone good at #32?

Fire Arians wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

solardave wrote:

I agree we need an OLB with speed and hopefully Harrison style attitude.Otherwise he will just be Jarvis Jones. We also need someone to replace Mitchell. Too many late hits from him. I may be in the minority here but I don't see Cockrell being all that solid.

I agree with everything else as far as a great base. I think we draft  OLB ,Oline depth,Dline depth,Safety and QB. Not necessarily in that order.

I concur. I'd try to get a pass rushing OLB in the draft, and and then start addressing the D-Line depth immediately thereafter.

Anyone good at #32?

That's the attitude and it can happen this year.

Re-watching the Dolphin game like a coach (stop, rewind, freeze, slo-mo) which I don't routinely do, showed me that Stephon Tuitt can develop into a player who could be included in a discussion of the best D-lineman in the
NFL.  Same for Bud.  For being rookies, Hargrave and Davis look great.

As mentioned above, a couple more pieces on this D at the right positions, and this defense will be re-built, stocked with many young promising players.

Gonz, I know you've done a good job breaking down Artie Burns.....you're right, he is a little "sloppy" with his technique.

Steelers are all of a sudden suppose to worry about some scat back with speed? Let Harrison or Dupree tee of on him once on a pitch run and we'll see how he reacts to that after.

OX1947 wrote:

Steelers are all of a sudden suppose to worry about some scat back with speed? Let Harrison or Dupree tee of on him once on a pitch run and we'll see how he reacts to that after.

I'd be worried about him, kid's a playmaker and he's been proving that week after week and has only gotten better. He can make plays offensively, and on special teams. It would be foolish not to take him seriously. He's made a lot of defenders look silly this season.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

Steelers are all of a sudden suppose to worry about some scat back with speed? Let Harrison or Dupree tee of on him once on a pitch run and we'll see how he reacts to that after.

I'd be worried about him, kid's a playmaker and he's been proving that week after week and has only gotten better. He can make plays offensively, and on special teams. It would be foolish not to take him seriously. He's made a lot of defenders look silly this season.

He got racked on a kickoff, I think it was at the 10 yard line. After that he wasn't the same.

Steelers got smart in the KC game and put some regular players to cover in the kicking game.

stlrtruck wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

Steelers are all of a sudden suppose to worry about some scat back with speed? Let Harrison or Dupree tee of on him once on a pitch run and we'll see how he reacts to that after.

I'd be worried about him, kid's a playmaker and he's been proving that week after week and has only gotten better. He can make plays offensively, and on special teams. It would be foolish not to take him seriously. He's made a lot of defenders look silly this season.

He got racked on a kickoff, I think it was at the 10 yard line.  After that he wasn't the same.

Exactly. Assumed it would be Bud or James, but Vince will did the trick.

Nice article (with video examples) on the defensive turnaround notes that speed is a factor

Back To Blitzburgh

Instead of leaning on one or two big-name game-changers like Von Miller or Ndamukong Suh, Pittsburgh has relied upon the even play of a bunch of savvy veterans and young, play-with-their-hair-on-fire athletes. It’s taken some scheming, but defensive coordinator Keith Butler has squeezed every drop of production he could out of a group lacking a true superstar. There are no great defenses left in the playoffs, but Butler has at least created a good one by dialing up the blitz....

Through eight weeks, Pittsburgh relied mostly on three- and four-man pressure schemes. They blitzed (sent five or more rushers) just 25.7 percent of the time, per Pro Football Focus, and the result was about what you’d expect: The Steelers were dead last in sacks, with just eight.

Butler recognized that three- and four-man rushes just weren’t going to get the job done, and so he started upping the pressure. From Week 9 to their finale against the Browns in Week 17, Pittsburgh racked up an NFL-best 30 sacks, including an eight-sack performance against the Browns in Week 11. The return of Dupree, who had 4.5 sacks in the last four regular-season games, certainly helped, but the biggest change over the back half of the year was that they blitzed on 43 percent of their defensive snaps (third most in the NFL)....

While Pittsburgh has no true standout rusher this year, what it does have in spades is pure athleticism in its back seven, and that speed is often the difference between a pressure and a sack. Butler sends big, explosive athletes hurtling toward unprepared backs and tight ends and dares them to figure out how to stop his defenders.

https://theringer.com/nfl-playoffs-p...825#.3j9hug9ns