2009 o-line prediction thread.

[Steelerdipwad]

I'm going with 46 sacks allowed. 3.8 ypc in the running game.

All of the starters will keep their jobs. We'll hear "The other team gets paid to play as well" from Tomlin, Aians or Zir man at least 10 times when the subject of the line is brought up during the course of the season. The 2 Cincy games will be the only ones in which we allow no sacks. We will pass more on 3rd and 4th and one than we will run. And the only legitimate battle in camp at any position will be the kid from Penn State with the T-Rex arms versus Hartwig.

[aj_law]

Honestly, I'm not as concerned about sacks as I am about #7 making it through the season in one piece.  There's a fine line, a very fine line between the "magic" we saw in '08 (read:  sick number of come from behind victories) that results in a SB victory and a so-so 11-5, 10-6 (or worse) season with a one and done playoff appearance.

IMHO, they haven't done anything this offseason to make Ben's life "behind the helmet" any easier.  That is, and will continue to be, a problem for the foreseeable future.

[jonzr]

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but they have to get that ypa up to last season's NFL median of 4.2, so that's my guess.  As for the sacks, there likely won't be much change until Ben learns to bail on the bad plays w/out killing the magic.  If the line improves maybe they give up 10 fewer sacks for the season.  But Ben will still extend the play and Arians will still make asinine play selections.

So, rushing ypa to 4.2, sacks down 10.

Assumptions:  Urbik beats out Stapleton early on in camp, the same 5 guys play on the line all season.

[TucsonSteeler]

I keep hearing that the line began to "gel" during the year.  Is that true?  Did we experience a lot of sacks and/or low ypa ealier in the year and then it got better towards the end?  If so I can't remember anything like that.  What does "gel" mean anyway, they started to like each other more?  I spent 15 seconds on Goggle and couldn't find the data per game.

[DCSteelers]

25 sacks, 3.8 YPA....

Starters...  Starks, Kemo, Hartwig, Stapleton, Colon.

Hartwig misses two games due to injury, and we get to see Shipley make his debut.

[Brinker]

Starks, Kemo, Shipley, Stapleton, Colon
Urbik sees time half way through the season

33 sacks 4.0 YPC

Bonus
Big Ben
30 TD's 13 Int's 3800 yards

[vcuram]

My prediction?  They'll stink.