Steelers Harrison Defends Dick LeBeau, Missing Picture
Sep 28, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) is congratulated by cornerback B.W. Webb (39) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers can barely defend their own end zone these days, especially after the thumping they received from the Cleveland Browns last Sunday, but one player is surely stepping up to vehemently defend his coach.
Harrison spoke after practice, and the PPG reported that Harrison stood up for his coach and was rather emphatic about it. Here’s what Harrison had to say:
"I hear coach LeBeau, a lot of people say he’s too old. That’s bull. The defense works. Players have to play the defense. Period. It’s on the players…. The scheme is the same, the calls are the same. The defense works. It’s been proven that it works for years and years. The defense has always been ranked in the top nine or 10 since coach LeBeau got here, except for the last year and now. The only thing that changes is the players… Let’s be plain and honest, let’s cut out all the bull — it’s about you dominating your man, period. That’s all there is to it. That is what Aaron Smith did. That’s what Casey Hampton did. That’s what they did. They dominated. Everyone wants to compare this defense to the 2008 defense. You can’t compare those two defenses. You can’t compare 2008 to any of our defenses we had. You had a whole different group of guys…. It bothers me because [Bill Cowher and Hines Ward are] calling us soft. I understand [why they said it], but we’ve got different players now than we did before. Right now, we’re learning what players can do and what players can’t do, and we’ll have to go from there."
Sep 22, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Bears won 40-23. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Look, you can say the scheme is a solid as you want. And, it isn’t too far from being sensible for a team to lock in on a scheme and build around it. The problem is when you draft they way the Steelers have the last few years, this defense will have the “right” players in place in about 8-10 years. Guess what. LeBeau will be gone by then, and the Steelers will be employing a different kind of defense with a different coordinator.
Harrison’s right about the 2008 team. That was a very special group of guys. And striking championship caliber gold like that doesn’t happen often – they fell one Mendenhall fumble short of nabbing another Lombardi trophy two seasons later. Some of those defenders were indeed beasts back then – Harrison included. But you can’t expect to pile up a beast of a team every single season.
So, if the players you draft can’t fit the scheme, do you throw the baby out with the bathwater and ditch all the players? Or, do you ditch the coach and find a scheme that fits the majority of your players? I would also have to argue that LeBeau’s scheme isn’t quite as sound as Harrison claims it to be. It’s clear that offensive coordinators around the league have figured out large swaths of this defense. How else can you explain stretches of dominance by this defense in the first half of games then a complete meltdown in the second half? Coordinators make adjustments. They look at the pictures. They figure it out.
It’s also not really on the players to have plays called that only rush ONE lineman or have the corners line up 10 yards off a receiver when it’s 3rd and 5. Yes, at some point player execution has to be accounted for. But, the problems with the Steelers D is much more than that, and James Harrison is a little off in his defense of his coach.
I’m not about to go turning this into a Colbert vs. LeBeau debate. But, that’s the one thing Harrison is missing – and something’s gotta give.