Defensive role players have shifted

[Stryker]

Hey guys,

I was just thinking from last year to this year, our Role players have shifted. Last year the CBs, Fitz, Hilton, Bush, Heyward, Hargrave, and the OLBs were the play makers. This year, we still have Bush, Heyward, the OLBs and Hilton, but Williams, Alualu and tuitt are stepping up. Here's how I currently assess the roles from last year to this year:

Heyward + Still playing excellent ball
Tuitt + Playing better than his usually banged up self
Alualu ++ Never thought he'd be an upgrade over Hargrave, but he is!
Bush + Given the green dot and running the show. Splash plays are coming, but solid tackling and good coverage is there.
Williams + Playing better than last year and leading the league in TFLs
Bud + Had a Pro Bowl caliber year last year, playing with even more speed this year.
Watt + All world DPOY candidate
Hilton ++ Right now the best player in the secondary and leading the team in TACKLES!
Edmunds + Has improved from all of his previous years. I expect more solid play out of him.
Nelson - 3 TDs let up last year, talk of him being a pro bowl snub, he's showing he needs some help this year
Haden - Slight negative. Making plays and improving each week, so I expect him to get his + back soon.
Fitz - He was a disruptive catalyst when we first acquired him. Now he's a guy. i want to see his normal 2-3 splash plays a game. Breaking up passes, or turnovers, or even big hits I'd take right now. He's been oddly quiet this season.

Sutton + is also playing above his level from last year.

We have really good roational players with Ola, Highsmith (who are better than Chick and Ola last year) vs Wormly and Buggs (who is a drop from Alualu as depth last year).

Haden is already improving, if Nelson and Fitz show any improvement, it will make this a truly special defense.

 

[CoolieMan]

the front 7 have been solid....Bush in coverage has been hit or miss...but he did have a big play Sunday...just keep our LBs off the fastest WR please

Hilton has been solid in run support and blitzing...did get caught eyeing the backfield and beat for a TD Sunday...still having a solid season to date

as you said, they others need to improve their play going forward....and this could be a very special defense

 

[Coryea]

Are they asking Fitz to do more? I remember in the off-season him saying he wants to do more in the defense, but I thought he was great in the center field type, read the qbs eyes playmaker

Sent from my SM-A515U using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[slashsteel]

I think they are moving Fitz around more which doesn't provide as much splash plays. (for now)

Bush is fine if you keep him off the upper tier TEs.

Alualu surprises me I thought he was just a guy easily replaceable. My perception has changed.

Probably my biggest disagree is Hilton being the best DB. He can get lost in coverage and isn't the cover corner the other two are. But hey love his play.

I think Haden is slowing but full effort.

I think Nelson is going through a minor rough period that I read has happened to the best of corners. I think he will rebound, hell last game he was in the right position just didn't make the play on the one TD. I am not highly concerned here.

 

[Hines57]

Alualu is a former first round draft pick. The guy can still play.

 

[Stryker]

Alualu is a former first round draft pick. The guy can still play.

It's about time he was utilized properly!

 

[madinsomniac]

Teams are avoiding Fitz a bunch.... make no mistake, qbs accounting for him absolutely adds to our front seven pressure... those bradyesque quick hits over the middle one million cuts type gameplans died when he got here... the splash plays will come as teams try to force things

 

[Hoot]

Generally, a primary read of the QB on a pass play is where the S commits. You want to go away from that over the top coverage.

I am not at all worried about Minkah. Dude is a stud and his feast will come. Think about who we faced. Watson was the most dangerous QB we faced and Texans were doing a lot of crossing rubs like NE did with Tom the Terrific cheatriot. They adjusted to it in the second half by not being blitz happy. As the season evolves and we catch more pass effective teams and the blitzes go up, he gonna get his splash.