SteelerWatch

When you think 3-4 defense, you think linebackers.  This is due in large part to Steelers’ defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and his mid-1990s scheming that spawned the Zone Blitz.

But the true anchor in a 3-4 defense is the Nose Tackle.  Without a good Nose Tackle, a 3-4 defense is going to get beat all the time.  The reasoning is simple: when you have three men on your line taking on five men on the offensive side of the ball, someone has to be responsible for two guys.  If the defensive line can’t occupy the offensive line, there will be no where for those linebackers to go.  The upper-hand just went back to the offense, and before you know it they’re scoring on you at will.

In 325-pound Casey Hampton, the Steelers have one of the best Nose Tackles to come along in the last decade.

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The typical defensive end in the NFL is built for a combination of power and speed. Some lean one way or the other; Dwight Freeny is a speed-rushing defensive end, using primarily speed and quickness to get to the quarterback. Guys like Michael Strahan rely more on power and technique to get into the offensive backfield. And there are beasts like Jevon Kearse who are both fast and insanely strong.

Then there’s the atypical end: a 3-4 guy. Because the 4-3 defensive enjoys widespread adoption in the NFL, most ends are smaller and quicker. But their job is getting to the quarterback; traditionally, in a 3-4 defense, an end exists purely for run defense, and to occupy offensive linemen while the much smaller (230 to 250 pounds), much quicker linebackers attack the quarterback. They’re often huge, tipping the scales at 270 to 300 pounds or more, and they’re strong, too. These aren’t interior, gut-over-the-belt defensive tackles. They’re solid, chiseled and, usually, meaner than hell.

And of all the 3-4 defensive ends in the league, Steeler standout Aaron Smith may just be the best of them all.

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When your starting running back, who posted the sixth-best rushing total in the league last year and added 16 touchdowns to that, is only the sixth best player on your team, you know you’ve got talent.

And it was hard, to some extent, to justify putting Willie Parker this low on the list, just like it was hard to put Ben Roethlisberger all the way down at ninth. Parker could very well be top-three at this time next year, though. For him, there are no nagging doubts; it’s purely a lack of experience that’s keeping him from being any higher on this list.

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Few players on the field get as little recognition as a fullback. That effect is exaggerated on teams that have a wealth of talent at tailback. Thanks to the solid play of Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker and anyone else who has suited up and stepped into the backfield for the Steelers — except, of course, Richard Huntley and Amos Zeroue — fullback Dan Kreider has spent his seven-year career amassing a game worth of statistics.

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Tight ends haven’t played a very big role in Steeler football since the days of Eric Green. After he left, they were used primarily as decoys and extra blockers. But the arrival of Miller signaled a gradual change in that philosophy, which has now culminated with the departures of Bill Cowher and Ken Whisenhunt. Known more for his receiving abilities than his blocking, Miller came in as a perfect complement to run-oriented Jerame Tuman. Two seasons later, Tuman is the complement.

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Now be honest. You just looked at that headline and your jaw hit the floor. “Our franchise quarterback, only the ninth-best player on the team?!” I mean no disrespect, folks. It’s just a simple fact that Roethlisberger is a great game manager, but until he proves otherwise, he’s just not one of those “top-five” quarterbacks in the league. He’s not Peyton Manning, he’s not (this hurts to say) Tom Brady. Yes, he posted a phenomenal record in his first two years, but he slipped a lot last year. Part of that was due to the injuries from the motorcycle crash. But there are too many unknowns to rank him any higher.

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I’ll be honest with you up front: the top nine were easy to pick. It was that tenth spot that was tough. Marvell Smith has been great, but he slipped a good bit last year. Anthony Smith will be on this list for years to come, but he hasn’t had the playing time to date that can show the kind of consistent play needed to make the cut. Same goes for Brett Kiesel, Nate Washington and Bryant McFadden. Even Ike Taylor fell out of favor at SteelerWatch after last season. Chances are he’ll be here next year, but this is a list of who is the best going into training camp.

Santonio Holmes had his work cut out for him last year. Your top draft pick always will,but he had the added weight of being regarded by most as the
best receiver in the 2006 Draft. Had they said he was the best punt returner in the draft, we likely would have lynched the football “experts” by week five.

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List of the Top 50 players?  No Steelers.  Top 25 wideouts, and Hines Ward is only listed at number 23?  Someone is smoking something good.  For a team one season removed from winning their fifth Super Bowl, they sure aren’t given much credit.

Finally, though, someone recognized the talent in the organization.  ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha realized that just because you aren’t in the headlines all the time (mostly for the wrong reasons, at least if you’re a Bengal), it doesn’t mean you aren’t immensely talented.  The only “Doh!” about this is that it’s for a player in the least-utilized position for the Steelers over the last 15 years: Tight End Heath Miller.  Miller was picked as Chadiha’s offensive breakout player, and for good reason: he’s likely to spend a lot of time as the team’s slot receiver, if Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians has his way.  And, given that Mike Tomlin knows he’s going to have to make a big impression to win over most Steeler fans — after all, we are probably the hardest fans to please because of the city’s history of great sports teams — it’s pretty likely that Arians will be given a lot of creative freedom, and a very long leash as long as things start off smoothly.  Let’s all hope his grooming of Peyton Manning wasn’t just a fluke.

The team has signed draft pick Ryan McBean to a three year contract.  There are no numbers yet available on the defensive end’s deal.

Good nose tackles are hard to find these days, with the few college teams running a 3-4 defense.  The Steelers just shored up the position, securing long-time backup Chris Hoke to a contract extension that will keep him in black and gold through 2010.  The deal is worth $6 million.  It is not yet clear whether the included $1.5 million signing bonus is part of the $6 million or if it is additional money.

While $1.5 million per year may seem like a lot for a backup, the nose tackle position is arguably the most critical in a 3-4 defense, meaning a capable veteran is generally needed to step in, if and when starter Casey Hampton goes down with an injury.  Hoke has started 11 games in his career.