Butler over Lebeau

After a few years of viewing Steeler games enhanced by the “thoughtful discussion” at BTSC, I have come to believe that the Lebeau D is a thing of beauty, like an exotic car, but that it does not withstand very well the rigors of the typical season AND requires such a continuous stream of highly-trained, top-physically performing personel as to render it vulnerable to the vagaries of today’s NFL, year-to-year.

For instance, it is generally accepted that any injury to the incumbent starting NT, SS and either or both OLB, decreases exponentially the efficiency of the whole defensive squad. We have won despite injuries at DE, ILB, CB and even FS (although Clark was sorely missed in Denver); we saw with Troy, Snack, Deebo and Woodley missing significant time the last two seasons what happens when they do. With three of the four above-mentioned incumbents on the wrong side of 30, this reliance will be tested sorely in the next few years, driving a lot of our draft discussions here.

The adaptability of coach Lebeau within games, or for longer than an exceptional matchup (read NE game this year) to changing conditions lead us to believe that, more than other 3-4 teams, we will live or die with his system. It’s just a matter of discussion as to how long the “zombie state” i.e. the length of time Mr. Goodell’s parity-driven NFL will keep us down next cycle, will last.

Coach Dad, as he’s affectionately known in these parts, will turn 75 this September. Here’s to hoping that the deal with Butler will allow coach Lebeau to step down gracefully, and on his own schedule, as long as succession planning discussion is allowed. Coach Butler is the first part of such; the second might be for the FO to start debating internally the adaptability of future acquisitions (draft, FAs) to a defensive system that may have to evolve into something less exotic than the aforementioned exotic car.

The ride was great while it lasted, and we may yet view a few very interesting spins around the track over the next few years; I just don’t see the successors to Snack, Troy and Woodley/Deebo out there yet. Rather than see coach Lebeau have to change his marvelous ways in coming up with this system, I’d rather see him riding off into the sunset with one last ring next season, with succession solidly established.