Here is what has come before:
To end the series we will examine what is simultaneously the strongest part of this year’s draft class and one of the Steelers’ lowest priorities: defensive line.
Over the past few years BTSC has discussed the evolution of the Pittsburgh D-Line many times, explaining how the team used to play a 2-gapping “Okie” system where the front three DT’s occupy four to five offensive linemen, thereby keeping the linebackers free to fly around and make plays; how and why that shifted to a 1-gapping “Eagle” system in which the DT’s use penetration to disrupt opponents, with the linebackers cleaning up through the chaos; and how the rise of spread offenses has effectively removed the Nose Tackle from our defense for 60-70% of all snaps, making the 2-4-5 a/k/a 4-2-5 a/k/a 4-3 Over/Under formation almost as much of the “base” as the nominal 3-4.