The great team building debate (revisited)

[mountainpantherfan]

Fit the players to the system or the system to the players? What's your call?

Get a rabbit's foot and a ruler. Why? Because at the end of the day football is a game of luck and inches.

The great Pittsburgh Steelers have operated the same way since 1933 when the team started as the Pittsburgh Pirates, under the same ownership of the Rooney family. One of the greatest franshises in the NFL, right?

I wonder how many football fans realise that this great model of football operation actually produced the worst start to a franshise in NFL history. From 1933 to 1971 the Steelers made a total of one post-season apperance and only 5 winning seasons, two of which came during WWII when the team was known as the Pitt/Philly Steagles.

So what changed that turned the worst franshise in the league into the franshise with the most Super Bowls? In 1969 the Steelers drafted Joe Green with the number 4 pick in the draft. After running a 3-4 defense from 1933 until 1969 the Steelers whiched to a 4-3 defense because of Green and ran the 4-3 until Green left after the 1981 season. They have ran the 3-4 ever since. With a 4-3 defense and Green the Steelers won a total of 4 Super Bowls in 6 seasons.

The Steelers where also a run heavy offense until they drafted Ben Roethlisberger in the first round of the draft in 2004. Since then they have won two Super Bowls where the passing game has been featured much more heavily than the run game. Both Super Bowl MVP's during the "Roethlisberger Era" have been WRs.

So are the Steelers a "system" team that only draft and sign players that fit their system? For the most part they are. But the times they have went the other direction is when they have won championships.

And what about that Patirots system or to be more percise, the Bill Belicheck system? I could write another couple of paragraphs but lets just say that same system didn't work in Cleveland and thats probably because there was no Tom Brady in Cleveland.

It's all about luck and inches. The sooner the Panther fan base realises this the better the fan base will be. I live in Steeler country and last year while the Steelers went on a 6 game losing streak there were the grumbles from the fan base like there is in any NFL city when the team is losing. Fans were complaining about the ownership, the GM, the coach and coaching staff. "We need to get back to Steeler football; 3-4 defense and running the ball!" You know that "Steeler Football" that was never the reason the team won a championship. And never the reason they didn't. Luck and inches.

[Brooklyn Bully]

If Clausen can be top tier, do what the Colts and Pats do.

If he's simply very good, do what the Steelers do.

[panthers55]

If Clausen can be top tier, do what the Colts and Pats do.

If he's simply very good, do what the Steelers do.

And if he is average or worse, do what the Panthers do, LOL.

[Cat'sGrowl]

The first step towards rebuilding. Take Patrick Peterson with whatever pick we get... We will strand opposing receivers on Peterson island.

How original.

Besides..

[Cat'sGrowl]

If Clausen can be top tier, do what the Colts and Pats do.

If he's simply very good, do what the Steelers do.

This.

Like Mr. Scot said in the original post, the Patriots have been very good ad adapting to their talent.

They've been successful with both styles of teams.

Unfortunately "adaption" seems to be an area lacking in the Fox department.

At least, quick adaption that is.

[Mr. Scot]

This.

Like Mr. Scot said in the original post, the Patriots have been very good ad adapting to their talent.

They've been successful with both styles of teams.

Unfortunately "adaption" seems to be an area lacking in the Fox department.

At least, quick adaption that is.

I'd agree in part, but I don't really think they're trying to be adaptable.

I believe the Panthers want to be a "system " team. Now with that said, obviously their system is nowhere near as established as the Steelers, but that's what they're working toward.

The big question, of course, becomes whether or not this is the right approach.

[Swarly]

Teams don't HAVE to be pass oriented to be successful. The biggest problem I have with the Panthers run first style is they NEVER stick to it. The second another team gets ahead they go into panic mode and abandon the run game. They need to choose a style and stick with it.

When your entire passing offense is built off of the success of your run game, it's going to struggle when you stop running the ball.

[OneBadassCat]

Im not opposed to putting Smitty on the block as long as we can get great value for him... We need to do something because the fact of the matter is that we are not a contender at all this year. why trade our best player on offense u may ask? well he dont deserve the frustration of what he's going through. Im just frustrated with the panther's front office period. Its like there set out to make us the "bungles"... I think we should focus on the line in the draft or at least look into getting a top notch defensive player. The draft pool this year is relatively "ok" considering our need WR.... I remember the good ole days when our d-line was considered the best in the league. We need to get back to that....

Why trade Smith when you can trade Jordan Gross?

[Brooklyn Bully]

And if he is average or worse, do what the Panthers do, LOL.

Sad but true!

[Cat'sGrowl]

I'd agree in part, but I don't really think they're trying to be adaptable.

I believe the Panthers want to be a "system " team. Now with that said, obviously their system is nowhere near as established as the Steelers, but that's what they're working toward.

The big question, of course, becomes whether or not this is the right approach.

Well, then I'd say being adaptable is the best possible approach.

It leaves you with the ability to be good year in and year out, while our system approach can't do that if we don't have the right personnel.

While I'd prefer a hard-nosed, smash mouth football team, if we don't have the players to play that style of ball, then we aren't going to be successful no matter how much we try to force it. (i.e. making DeShaun Foster a power back..)

Of course, you could make the argument that it's possible to have a system team that carries all the right personnel every season if it make the right choices in the draft and signs the appropriate Free Agents, but we haven't exactly done that every season..