O-Line woes

[DCSteelers]

Worst year I have seen for the O-line since 2003.   Question is, what the heck do the Steelers do about it?

I cant imagine that this line of 5 men, 300 pounds each, is any worse that another team's 5 men of 300 pouinds each, like Jacksonville.  What makes their line look invincible?  Same with New England, why are they so good at protecting Brady?

Finally, what made such a huge difference in the 03' vs 04' O-line?

I have to think it is a technique issue at the line.  

Secondly, sorry for starting this, but for this team to take the next step, this team needs to upgrade its weapons.  So, teams play us cover two, corners tight, that eliminated Santonio and Hines from the mix.  Granted Santonio, is going to improve, but where is the other weapon?  Heath has to stay in and block, and Nate cant run a route to save his life.  All options covered, Ben's on his ass in five seconds.

I recommend this strategy:

1) Improve the technique of the line so it can pick up stints next year.  Don't pay attention to the names on the O-line, but what they do.  

2) Get Ben another weapon for goodness sakes.  Its ashame to have a stud like Ben and no one to throw to. (hines probably has 2 years left, tops). Half the reason he's on his ass is no one can get open.

3) Even though I said don't pay attention to names, resign Max Starks.  Marvel was out later in the game, and he did a great job protecting Ben's blind side. I think he can be very productive with a little more work.

4) Utilize more slants in the play call to get the line backers away from the line. That has worked this year the couple times I have seen it.

[sysadmin7]

I recommend the O-line putting hands on a man and blocking till the FUCKING WHISTLE BLOWS MARVEL SMITH!! THIS O-LINE IS A BUNCH OF PUSSIES...FUCKERS, PLAY TILL THE WHISTLE BLOWS DAMN IT!! ARRGH!! I CAN'T STAND IT!! They miss their assignment, then stand around and look fucking stupid. FUCK THAT BULLSHIT...YOUR LAZY, UNDEDICATED ASSES SHOULD BE RIDDING THE FUCKING BENCH. Well paid, professional athletes fucking off and getting blown off the line. I'm tired of watching this O-line fuck off and If I had to start unknown fuckers who will play till the whistle blows then start them.

Still can't believe Jacksonville came in here and ran the ball down our throats all fucking day...

 

[Preacherman0]

Question is, what the heck do the Steelers do about it?

It's actually very complicated, IMO.  We could be looking at three new offensive linemen, minimum, for next season.  I don't think it's so much a matter of deciding who is good, as much as it is a matter of deciding who is NOT awful.

For whatever reason, this line has not gelled at all, they clearly do not work well together or play as a cohesive unit.  There does not seem to be a lot of pride up front, and they often look very, very lost.  Worse than that, they don't seem to play until the whistle blows, which is unacceptable for professionals.  Somehow, they have to put together a unit that works--and perhaps work more with Ben on protection calls?--and that may mean starting from scratch.  

However, that would make it almost impossible for the team to have ANY success next season.  So you simply have to divide who is salvageable from who should be released:

Gone:
Faneca (his choice, talked his way out of town)
Mahan (might stay as a backup, clearly is not a starter)
Simmons (again, maybe a backup)


Keep:
Starks (has shown improvement)
Colon (Not great, but has potential)
Smith (Best of the worst--may need a move to right)

Since I don't see Kemo or Essex being anything but backups, that leaves us with a minimum two OL draft picks and a FA singing.  I think it will take AT LEAST that to begin putting a decent line together.  Our offense will have to be much more vanilla to start the season until that group gets some PT under its belt.  Also, they will HAVE to stop the 5/7-step drops.  A bruiser at RB wouldn't hurt the line's development, either.

I cant imagine that this line of 5 men, 300 pounds each, is any worse that another team's 5 men of 300 pouinds each, like Jacksonville. What makes their line look invincible? Same with New England, why are they so good at protecting Brady?

Another thing that we have to look at is coaching.  Is the Oline coach getting it done?  Is Arians utilizing his players' talents?  Clearly something is wrong there, and that's one of the many advantages the Pats (and everyone else) have on us.
 

[pensodyssey]

blocking till the FUCKING WHISTLE BLOWS MARVEL SMITH!! THIS O-LINE IS A BUNCH OF PUSSIES...FUCKERS, PLAY TILL THE WHISTLE BLOWS DAMN IT!! ARRGH!! I CAN'T STAND IT!!

Couldn't agree more.  Marvel Smith got beat allllll dayyyyy lonnnng.

The OL sucks, and there's no help coming.  It would be nice if we had lost 9 rather than won 9 to get a top 5 pick, but, uh...
 

[LambertsFrontTeeth]

Yeah, the 2006 draft keeps looking worser and worser. I'm glad we wasted a 3rd on Spaeth.

Add to the fact that we now realize how paper-thin the depth is at DL...

[give'emthaboot]

LT - well, it's pretty clear Marvel Smith is done.  the guy was a fucking revolving door out there today.  so we either re-sign Starks and put him there or we look elsewhere (most likely the draft) to fill that spot.

LG - i doubt the Steelers pony up to overpay for Faneca, and quite frankly i dont want them to.  the Mahan @ Center experiment has failed miserably, so the best possible solution here (outside of a FA signing) would be to move Mahan over to a position that comes more naturally to him.

C - the Front Office needs to either go out and sign a tried and true Center or nab one Day 1 of the draft.  let the new guy beat Phillip out for the starting spot there.

RG - with his re-signing last year, we are pretty much stuck with Simmons at RG again next year.  i dont really see any other feasible option there.

RT - not sure that Colon is the answer, so lets just assume for the sake of this post that we draft a stud LT in Rd 1.  Starks (assuming he is re-signed on the cheap) and Colon duke it out in training camp and may the best man win.

so to recap:

LT - Rd 1 pick
LG - Mahan
C - Phillip/FA signing
RG - Simmons
RT - Starks/Colon

obviously that is still far from fixing the problem, but this is probably going to take 2-3 years to get the O-line back to an acceptable level.

[nate07]

C - the Front Office needs to either go out and sign a tried and true Center or nab one Day 1 of the draft.  let the new guy beat Phillip out for the starting spot there.

 

IMO, we need to sign an established Center, like we did when we signed Hartings after Dawson retired. We need a vet to help the young guys that we're going draft in April.

Also, What i think think this O-line is missing is a leader. I think Hartings was not only a good Center but also a leader for the o-line. This year, no one has stepped up. You would think that Faneca would, but he's just trying not to get injured so he can get the big contract next year.    

[Puma170]

The O-Line sucks.  It doesn't pass block well and they have been sliding backwards on run blocking as well.  I also have to question going to 5 wide sets when the line isn't blocking with extra help.  

It is a tough situation because Faneca is gone and, even though he isn't the player that he once was, he is the best of a bad bunch.  

They clearly need at least one FA signing but the market is nuts for OL so I don't know how they do that and get a Ben deal done.  That leaves the draft and has been previously mentioned, OL take two years to get situated and know what they are doing.  Given that, I think this team takes a step backwards next year but it will be necessary since I can't think of an easier fix.

PUMA

[LambertsFrontTeeth]

IMO, we need to sign an established Center, like we did when we signed Hartings after Dawson retired. We need a vet to help the young guys that we're going draft in April.

 

I'm pretty sure that Hartings had mostly played G up to the point that Colbert brought him from Detroit. Although, I will admit it was astute on Colbert's part that he would be able to make the switch effectively.