After this remarkable turnaround, do you want Haslett back now?

[SonnyandSam]

Another thing. Our version of the 3-4 is supposed to be a mirror of Pittsburghs. Can anyone say that it has in the entire 3 years? Our linemen are supposed to occupy the blockers while the LBers make plays. Yes, they make plays, but usually after the back has hit the hole. Rarely do you see a RB get to the 2nd level on the Steelers because their LBers have such great discipline and control their gaps. Their LBers seem to be able to get more pressure on the QB. I see Polamalu jumping gaps while our safety is playing 15 yards off the LOS. I was thinking this defense would play an attacking style reminiscent of the Steelers, but in ALL THREE years, I haven't seen that.

Your points lead right into my point of view. Do we have ANY of the playmakers that the Steelers had in the past 5 years (not counting this year)? Do we have a Polamalu? A Harrison? A Timmons? A Hampton? A Keisal? Or even a Clark? No. We simply do not have the talent to play an aggressive Pittsburgh style defense. We do not have the linebackers that can pass rush and cover as well and we certainly do not have the safeties to cover deep or double cover receivers.

Doesn't matter if we do not have Dick LeBeau. Even LeBeau cannot scheme with players who are not capable of doing multiple things well and can cover receivers.

[KDawg]

If I had my way, Haslett would be gone.

But it's not my decision. And, we'd have to have someone willing to take the job. We probably could find that part of the equation. But now we're relying on Shanahan, who believes in continuity to a fault to can Haslett after a six game run (and counting). I just don't see it happening.

[Mahons21]

What is a coach supposed to do when their best corner is awful at man? How do you scheme around that?

What is a coach supposed to do when his free safety is consistently caught out of place? How would you scheme around that?

Why if players have shown they cannot effectively run the most vanilla of plays properly (ie cover-2 man under) would you want to make things more complicated for them by running more complex plays?

What is a coach supposed to do when everytime he plays an above average TE, there's no one who can cover them 1 on 1?

What is a coach supposed to do when everytime he rushes four, there's literally zero pressure? Yet everytime he brings more than that he leaves his below average secondary more susceptible to big palys?

It seems a lot of members of this board think there are some very easy solutions to these issues, I would be interested in hearing some of the ideas, and how they play to ALL our players strengths.

[olejoe]

A coach isn't going to be any better than the players he has to coach. Haslett has done an good job with the material he has to work with. Same could be said for the offense.

If you don't like Haslett because he has an inadequate pool of players, then its the FO you don't want back. They are the ones that gave him the material to work with.

[HeluCopter29]

Jim Haslett is a very good D coordinator. What he has done this year has been vastly underrated because of lack of early success. I'm willing to give him season 4, but he's on the hot seat.

[Painkiller]

What he has done this year has been vastly underrated because of lack of early success. I'm willing to give him season 4, but he's on the hot seat.

and for a guy that started a poll thread asking if Haslett's firing should be "seriously considered" after losing my mind when we lost to the Bengals....I have to say I'm with you.

Credit has to be given where it is due, and much of our success since the bye has to do with his scheming and coaching up of the defense. Now if we hadn't had this remarkable turnaround this year, no way I would support another year of Haslett. Bottom line, he's earned another shot if he wants it.

[DC9]

If I had my way, Haslett would be gone.

But it's not my decision. And, we'd have to have someone willing to take the job. We probably could find that part of the equation. But now we're relying on Shanahan, who believes in continuity to a fault to can Haslett after a six game run (and counting). I just don't see it happening.

For me, he's been impressive the second half of the season... which begs me to questions 1) whether it's really him and 2) why he wasn't motivated to do this all along.

That said... I think you treat this like any other player... if someone out there is available and you as a HC have a higher grade on him than you do, Haz... then he must go. That would be a short list at the moment though. Rivera or Sweet Lou Spanos would do it for me... but I would have to think on Rob Ryan. Crennel? Absolutely not.

[thomasroane]

Your points lead right into my point of view. Do we have ANY of the playmakers that the Steelers had in the past 5 years (not counting this year)? Do we have a Polamalu? A Harrison? A Timmons? A Hampton? A Keisal? Or even a Clark? No. We simply do not have the talent to play an aggressive Pittsburgh style defense. We do not have the linebackers that can pass rush and cover as well and we certainly do not have the safeties to cover deep or double cover receivers.

Doesn't matter if we do not have Dick LeBeau. Even LeBeau cannot scheme with players who are not capable of doing multiple things well and can cover receivers.

Hell, take away Polamalu and the Steelers defense is pretty average. And we don't have one play making safety! Although Merriweather gave us a good tease of what our defense could look like.

LL: No offense intended. You're obviously close to the players and as a result of your relationship you tend to take their side more often than not. I've been a coach for over 30 years so I naturally tend to side with the Coaches. As Kdawg usually does. I'm willing to admit I'm a little biased Bottom line though, I want to see some stability with the staff and the roster. I'm worried that if Shannahan fires Haz after a decent year then he may have a hard time recruiting someone else to take over (and I don't think Raheem is up to the task based on how his unit has performed). Shannahan has a reputation for firing DC's like Dan Snyder fired head coaches. I think Coach has to ride it out in this case until Haz gets all his weapons back next year.

Just some food for thought though, every staff has a good coach and a bad coach. I have that dynamic on my staff every year. One coach disciplines while the other pats em on the back. Who's to say that Haz and Morris aren't just playing those roles for the good of the unit?

[MD2ATLdiehard]

This defense has the talent to put a average defense on the field.. No excuse for being in the bottom 5 in the NFL. Let's not forget Haslett himself championed this front 7 as one of the best in football coming into this season.

I am a fan of continuity BUT Hasletts 16 year coaching career shows he gets worse the longer he is in charge. We are talking about a average to below average DC for his career.

Strong points you make here Lavarleap, but I simply have a hard time seeing Haslett run off after the overachieving season he put together defensively. Is he the best? Admittedly no, but we have had a measure of stability with the current regime in place. I simply don't want to disrupt a good thing (overall) brewin.

Your points lead right into my point of view. Do we have ANY of the playmakers that the Steelers had in the past 5 years (not counting this year)? Do we have a Polamalu? A Harrison? A Timmons? A Hampton? A Keisal? Or even a Clark? No. We simply do not have the talent to play an aggressive Pittsburgh style defense. We do not have the linebackers that can pass rush and cover as well and we certainly do not have the safeties to cover deep or double cover receivers.

Doesn't matter if we do not have Dick LeBeau. Even LeBeau cannot scheme with players who are not capable of doing multiple things well and can cover receivers.

This makes a lot of sense to me. At this point, we're clearly an offensive team, ie our talent is weighted more towards the offense. We just don't put the kind of personnel on the field that top Defensive teams in the league have on their rosters. I think we would all agree to that. Although at full strength, our front seven is pretty damn good. But given the built-in limitations of this season's circumstances, Haslett's done a heckuva job.

What is a coach supposed to do when their best corner is awful at man? How do you scheme around that?

What is a coach supposed to do when his free safety is consistently caught out of place? How would you scheme around that?

Why if players have shown they cannot effectively run the most vanilla of plays properly (ie cover-2 man under) would you want to make things more complicated for them by running more complex plays?

What is a coach supposed to do when everytime he plays an above average TE, there's no one who can cover them 1 on 1?

What is a coach supposed to do when everytime he rushes four, there's literally zero pressure? Yet everytime he brings more than that he leaves his below average secondary more susceptible to big palys?

It seems a lot of members of this board think there are some very easy solutions to these issues, I would be interested in hearing some of the ideas, and how they play to ALL our players strengths.

Again, I agree. As fans, it's in our nature to cuss & holler when the team's performance is below par. Hell, I've done it and still do it. But in coming to terms with the cards we were dealt, there's NO WAY we play ourselves into an all-or-nothing game without vastly improved defensive play. And this streak came against our gauntlet of division games to boot.

Sure screaming for Haslett's head makes us all feel better. But the Monday morning after Week 2 (the Rams game) had you been told that The Redskins would play dallas for the division title to close the year, we would have all been dancing in the streets at the prospect. Instead many fans on this board are calling for his head! That's really something.

[J-bomb]

Until someone with inside knowledge says this was all Haz's doing I wont believe for one second that the D's turnaround was due to his scheming...Have a feeling more will come out in the offseason, jmo..

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

I think this thread will be bumped next year when we have a top 10 defense at the midway point in the season with a different DC.

I don't think the question is "should Haslett be fired?". I think the queston should be "can we hire a better DC in the offseason?" I think the answer to that question is "yes we can". And I fully expect us to do so.

[End2round2sanders]

This team gives up a ton of yards, but they make up for it with play-making ability, and the fact they cause turnovers. And we're pretty stout on Run D. I trust him, I don't trust all of our defenders though, we lost so many guys, no team can overcome that. plain n simple. I want Haslett back.

[Murphs56]

Do you guys realize how much better this defense would be with Orakpo, Carriker, T. Jackson and Meriweather? You saw the impact of Meriweather in a half.

This defense has been held together by rope, tape and glue since week 1. I think under the circumstances, Haz has a done a pretty decent job.

Also add in London hasn't been healthy for most of the year and neither has Wilson

[J-bomb]

Can someone explain to me why when we are outside the redzone on D we run man but when our D is in the redzone, 10yds to goal we are in zone? This drives me crazy why are our cbs 5 yds off the man when they only nd 5 or less for a td?? If Haz was so gd why was he coaching a damn ufl team an not a nfl team? You would think with his exp teams would have scooped him up but, no. Clearly it was a case of who he knew, mike, an not what he knew!

[respectgibbs]

Dude hasn't had a top 10 defense since the late 90s with the Steelers. Can him.