CBS Power Rankings

[GMDino]

(07-29-2015, 09:21 AM)Stewy Wrote: Yeah, I'm kinda confused by the Steeler love aside from most media outlets always being on their jock year after year due to bandwagoning.  They have had MAJOR changes on defense. 

Two huge retirements in the secondary....
Regardless of Troy P's skill degradation, he knew the defense, where everyone was supposed to be was a coach out on the field and was the heart and soul of the defense.  Yet his loss is minimized by just about everyone..........baffling.
LeBeau gone.  I don't see many touting the importance of this.  Mostly media and Steeler fans dismiss the importance f losing one of the greatest defensive minds.......ever and replacing him with a guy who's never called a game in the NFL.  Ummmm hello?

Personally I think the Steelers defense is going to drop 8-10 slots, and teams are going to pass all over them.  Distant third in the division is my prediction.

Losing Taylor counts as a win not a loss.  The Steelers kept hoping they could milk one more decent season out of him rather than start to look for a replacement.  Now they HAVE to and whether they get it done this season or not at least the change is being made.

And yes Troy knew the defense, but too often last season he couldn't get to where he needed/wanted to be to make it work.  I don't think anyone WANTED him to slow down or get old, but it happens.  I'm old enough to have see the great defense of the 70's gradually wear down and fade away.  You have to accept that these guys will eventually move on.  Doesn't mean we have to LIKE it, but we can accept it.

Butler will keep a lot of LeBeau's defensive scheme but also add some new twists and tweaks.  The old guys will feel at home and the new guys will have a chance to learn a hybrid system.  That will help with the change there.

I'm not saying they won't suffer this year.  Change in inevitable in the NFL.  But even in the heyday of the Steelers' D over the last decade or so they have had some bad passing defense.  They have always been a stop the run team first and then get to the QB to help out the DBs.  That sometimes lead to really bad times in the secondary.  I'm just hoping they can scheme enough to keep it close *IF* the offense is as good as it looks to be on paper.