Tomlin is the Man!!

The Steelers have selected 34-year old Dungy Defensive Wunderkind Mike Tomlin as their new head coach. Go to any Steelers board and the impending loss of the 3-4 will be mourned. Given that the Steelers basically gave up developing 3-4 linebackers after 2003, I don't know why everyone is so messed up about this. Personally, I think it's time to revamp NFL defenses in response to the pass-happy ways of many NFL offenses. Could you develop a run-stopping nickel, I wonder? A 4-2-5 perhaps? Maybe with 4 big DLs, a run-stuffing ILB who is a good interior blitzer, another ILB who has pass coverage skills and good pursuit speed, plus a safety or two who could play like a linebacker? Hmmm...who could have the personnel for that?

DL: Smith-Hoke-Hampton-Keisel

LB: Harrison-Porter
Farrior-Haggans
Foote

DB: McFadden/Taylor/Extra CB/Polamalu/Smith
OR
DB: McFadden/Taylor/Polamalu/Smith/Clark

You could run 3 corners two safeties or 2 corners 3 safeties, play Cover 2 with a roaming safety (Troy) or play Cover 3 with two safeties in the flats. And in run situations sometimes the down linemen may be called on to 2 Gap as in the 3-4, and of course our guys are trained for that.

Just thinking out loud here. Probably badly, but hell who cares? That's what a blog is for!