Tomlin wants what everyone wants
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:34 am
http://www.steelers.com/article/112108/
Coach Mike Tomlin agrees. He agrees with the bloggers, the tweeters, the people in the chat rooms and those who call into talk radio shows. He wants the defense to be more dominant, too.
“(I assess the defense’s performance as) 3-2, just like I assess my performance thus far,” said Tomlin. “Ultimately, that’s all that matters. At times, I know they’d like to be more dominant. I’d like them to be more dominant, but we don’t always get what we want in the National Football League.”
One season ago, the Steelers had the most dominant defense in the land, a unit that tied a 35-year-old NFL record by holding 14 consecutive opponents under 300 yards of total offense, a unit that had 51 sacks and 29 takeaways, that scored three touchdowns and a safety, that was 54 yards rushing away from finishing No. 1 in the NFL in the four big categories – rushing defense, pass defense, total defense and scoring defense.
Add to those statistics the typical exaggeration of accomplishments with the passage of time, and the perception of the 2008 Steelers defense is of a unit that never allowed even a first down.
This season, there has been some dominance, but only in short spurts within games, and that has been buried beneath an avalanche of criticism accompanying the blown fourth quarter leads in the two losses so far – in Chicago and in Cincinnati. Add to those losses a couple of near misses in the wins over the Chargers and last Sunday in Detroit, and the perception of this Steelers defense is of a unit that cannot stop anybody.
After five games, the Steelers defense ranks second, 11th, tied for fourth and tied for 14th in the four big categories, but it’s fair to point out that 21 of the 98 points scored by their opponents have come from returns – two interceptions and a fumble. The defense has 15 sacks, which is on pace for 48; four takeaways, which is on pace for 13; and it has scored no points.
The belief is that the Steelers have dialed back their blitzes because of the impact of Troy Polamalu’s injury on both the pass rush itself and the coverage behind the rush, but Tomlin refuses to acknowledge that.
“We haven’t changed our personality,” said Tomlin. “We want to apply pressure to the quarterback. If you can do it with four, great. If you need more than four, then we’re willing to do that. I think consistent pressure on the quarterback is the key to playing good defense.”
Coach Mike Tomlin agrees. He agrees with the bloggers, the tweeters, the people in the chat rooms and those who call into talk radio shows. He wants the defense to be more dominant, too.
“(I assess the defense’s performance as) 3-2, just like I assess my performance thus far,” said Tomlin. “Ultimately, that’s all that matters. At times, I know they’d like to be more dominant. I’d like them to be more dominant, but we don’t always get what we want in the National Football League.”
One season ago, the Steelers had the most dominant defense in the land, a unit that tied a 35-year-old NFL record by holding 14 consecutive opponents under 300 yards of total offense, a unit that had 51 sacks and 29 takeaways, that scored three touchdowns and a safety, that was 54 yards rushing away from finishing No. 1 in the NFL in the four big categories – rushing defense, pass defense, total defense and scoring defense.
Add to those statistics the typical exaggeration of accomplishments with the passage of time, and the perception of the 2008 Steelers defense is of a unit that never allowed even a first down.
This season, there has been some dominance, but only in short spurts within games, and that has been buried beneath an avalanche of criticism accompanying the blown fourth quarter leads in the two losses so far – in Chicago and in Cincinnati. Add to those losses a couple of near misses in the wins over the Chargers and last Sunday in Detroit, and the perception of this Steelers defense is of a unit that cannot stop anybody.
After five games, the Steelers defense ranks second, 11th, tied for fourth and tied for 14th in the four big categories, but it’s fair to point out that 21 of the 98 points scored by their opponents have come from returns – two interceptions and a fumble. The defense has 15 sacks, which is on pace for 48; four takeaways, which is on pace for 13; and it has scored no points.
The belief is that the Steelers have dialed back their blitzes because of the impact of Troy Polamalu’s injury on both the pass rush itself and the coverage behind the rush, but Tomlin refuses to acknowledge that.
“We haven’t changed our personality,” said Tomlin. “We want to apply pressure to the quarterback. If you can do it with four, great. If you need more than four, then we’re willing to do that. I think consistent pressure on the quarterback is the key to playing good defense.”