What would you do to fix the Secondary?

Move Clark to SS, Move Deshea to FS and play Burnett or Lewis in the Nickel.

Let Clark act like Troy does pre snap. Deshea is a crafty vet that is good at recognizing plays, and less likely to be givng up big plays in a FS role.

The Steelers started to address the lack of athleticism with their aging secondary by drafting Lewis and Burnett last year. Now they should play them. Burnett made a stupid drop, but at least he was in position to defend a pass. Lewis looks strong, smooth, and fast so let him get in and make a few mistakes. He cannot be worse than these slow guys with limited agility and jumping ability. We need to know what we have before the draft. Surely a ist pick or 2nd pick will be a DB.

See, now that’s what I’m talking about. Changes need to be made and probably should have been sooner.

Gay seems best fit for a nickel corner where he can come in and blitz or fake blitz and drop into a zone. But, so far to this point, he’s proven to be a very boarderline starter at best. Let’s see what Burnett or Lewis can do out in there coverage. Admittedly, they weren’t great in preseason, but give them a shot against the Brownie’s on Thur.

This will be Townsend’s last year with the Steelers, he’s had a good career, but he’s lost too much of a step to be effective in coverage, so it’s probably not worth giving him much more PT unless there’s injury. Maybe that’s why we didn’t see much of him today.

Yes, Clark is a liability in coverage these days. He can make the big hit which is nice, but he seems to get out of position in coverage on deep routes and he likes to jump the short routes for the big hit. Probably need to think about a replacement FS for next year. Not sure one is on the roster now, though….Mundy looks like he is a similar player to Clark at best so he doesn’t appear to be the future, most likely just a ST player. Ty Carter always had limited speed and agility which made him a career backup. He’s had a nice career for the most part but it’s time to look for a younger more athletic replacement.

Safety will need to be an offseason priority for the Steelers either through the draft of via free agency (or both).

Ike Taylor has had a relatively poor year for a #1 CB. I’ve seen him get beat by a host of average to below average NFL WRs which is very disappointing (and not very swaggin’). Last time against the Brownies he was smoked by Mohammed Massaquoi…who dat? If I was the coaches, I’d sit Ike down and say, “look, this kid embarrassed you last time, and he’ll do it again in primetime. He’s sitting over there laughing at you thinking you are a joke…swaggin’…what are you going to do about it, son?”

First, check out this article I dug up. Ike is actually the most targeted corner in the league this year ( and is surrendering a huge number of yards. Larry Foote hasn’t improved the Lion’s pass d much either…

http://profootball.scout.com/2/926374.html

I’ve copied and pasted the gist though:

“Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers: Quarterbacks have gone after the seventh-year corner a 90 times this season, more than any other defender in the NFL. Taylor has allowed a league-high 54 catches (60 percent) for 679 yards and two touchdowns. He’s broken-up 11 attempts.”

And this was before today.

Honestly, I think you have to keep playing a lot of cover-2, and keep playing your safties back. Neither Carter nor Clark have the speed to give a blitz look and drop back into coverage. And obviously none of our CB’s is going to hold up in man for very long. The goal has got to be to keep the big play from happening.

Gay needs to be demoted to nickel. He’s a natural nickelback that works well in deep zone coverage where he doesn’t have to worry about receivers burning him with their speed – he’s much better at playing the ball than a receiver. Honestly, given the cushion he gives receivers he more or less plays zone coverage even when he’s in man.

Start Burnett or Lewis opposite Ike. Will they get burned? Absolutely. Will they learn from it for next year? Yes. And they might make a play or two. Whoever you decide not to start needs to come in during sub packages instead of Townsend. I love Deshea, but his playing days are behind him. The fact he was such an effective corner last year is a testament to his intelligence and tenacity.

This last bit certainly can’t happen given that Farrior has the speaker helmet and can’t come off the field, but we need to find some way to protect him during passing situations. He simply doesn’t have the legs to defend RB’s and TE’s anymore. This team should seriously consider making Timmons the helmet guy next year – he’s got the talent to be on the field every down, especially passing downs.

Anyway, a couple of thoughts.

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Simple as that. If Troy played every game this year, with this years offense we’d be unstoppable. Shame he’s missed nearly half the year, we’re not able to hold up without him.

it’s the best short term solution. the QB can’t take time to see the open wr’s down field if he’s trying to avoid being sacked. obviously it won’t work all the time (and from the looks of things only needs to be done during close games in the 4th quarter) but it’s the only way to cover up a poorly performing secondary.

and spend all your draft picks on defensive linemen and the secondary. The only reason I say defensive linemen is because ours are just old, but they aren’t the problem. Defense is optional for this secondary. Between letting receivers run free over the middle to watching Ike Taylor and William Gay constantly get beat on fly patterns to a group of guys that can’t catch the ball if their life depended on it, it’s a piss poor job and a sorry excuse for a NFL secondary. I think it’s clearly obvious to every Steelers fan now just how important and impactful Troy Polamalu is to this team. That guy makes up for a lot ( and I mean A LOT) of bad play by the rest of the secondary and really masks the weaknesses of the group with his play. Ask yourself this question: When Polamalu is out there playing, do you even notice Clark, Gay or Taylor? Polamalu is out there flying around and making every play. For a second, he alone makes you think that we have the best secondary in the NFL because he is that good. He’s amazing, and when he’s not in there, it sticks out like a sore thumb and our secondary gets exposed big time. Our front seven is fine. We have one of the best front sevens in the league. But that is offset with our atrocious secondary. We need to spend a majority of our draft picks next year on quality CBs because right now we have a good number of what should be special teamers starting in our secondary. William Gay is a special teams player. Joe Burnett is a special teams player. Ryan Mundy = same thing. Even Ike Taylor = special teams (yes, he is that bad. He is the most overrated corner in the league, and you are currently seeing why).

But I think the thing is that Ike has a bit of an attitude. He giving an half ass effort and most of us know it. It reminds me of the time coach Cowher sat his butt down for a while then he got the message. Too bad we dont have that luxury now. As for Gay. I saw holes in his game about two games into the season. We need close to top-notch secondary help from free agency next year or in the draft. Otherwise Troy does all the work. Go Steelers!

I have never before in my life been happy/not concerned about a Steeler player getting hurt until Gay got hurt yesterday. I am ashamed of it but I don’t want to see him on the field anymore. The guy couldn’t cover my 7 year old daughter!! Burnett came in and made a break on a ball but didn’t catch it, at least he was aggressive and made a play on a ball…Gay hasn’t made a play all year.

For me, get Lewis on the field opposite Ike Taylor (you can see why Cowher benched Taylor a few years back) and play press coverage on receivers and let them earn their catches. Force them to the middle of the field and drop LBs and safeties into those zones to make plays on balls. Also bench Townsend, Carter and Mundy, along with our friend William Gay. Finally the secondary coach has to go…what is he teaching these guys? Nothing!!

I watched B Mc play last night with Arizona and wished they had re-signed him this year or dropped a franchise tag on him or something. A lost season due to our D, I can’t believe I am saying that as a Steeler fan.