It's Time To Worry About The Line

[Ozey74]

Can we try to refrain from panic until we actually have our full line out there?

I guess I can refrain for now... but if Mahan wins the starting center position can we panic then??

I can refrain, but it's not a confident refrain.

[AkronSteel]

Can we try to refrain from panic until we actually have our full line out there?

I guess I can refrain for now... but if Mahan wins the starting center position can we panic then??

I don't think that we as fans have to worry about Mahan being the starting C. From everything that I have read, Hartwig has looked very good through out individual and team drills. Plus, Mahan sat out tonight's practice and Hartwig looked great with the first team so I don't see this as being anything more than lip service to a returning player who we all know is about to lose his job. Hartwig will not allow the pressure up the middle that plagued the team last year.

[Steel Life]

Can we try to refrain from panic until we actually have our full line out there?

Just think of it as a musical refrain SMG, simliar to that ols schoolyard chant..."Mahan sucks, despite big bucks, now he's laid an egg!...Hartwig signed, to reinforce the line after Alan got away!"

Kinda catchy isn't it...

[buckeyehoppy]

I don't think that we as fans have to worry about Mahan being the starting C. From everything that I have read, Hartwig has looked very good through out individual and team drills. Plus, Mahan sat out tonight's practice and Hartwig looked great with the first team so I don't see this as being anything more than lip service to a returning player who we all know is about to lose his job. Hartwig will not allow the pressure up the middle that plagued the team last year.

That's how I understood the prevailing logic...that Hartwig was able to close the deal on bull rushers up the gut. That was evidently his caling card.

I don't know why they would even consider Mahan at C after last season's abortion. If Mahan can't hack it at G, then eat the contract and launch his @$$. It doesn't say much for Stapleton if Mahan is even getting looks at C.

I'll be seeing for myself on Monday and I plan to take a good, hard look at the OL. I need to like what I see.

[buckeyehoppy]

And now the Steelers re-sign Legursky. That really doesn't bode well for Mr. Stapleton, looking at it as a bystander.

Like I said, I'll see for myself on Monday. As someone posted here previously, the D usually has an advantage right off the bat when camp starts. This is true in football in general. I think we'll all have a better indicator as to what the Steelers can do on the OL when they start playing live games with other teams and not scrimmaging against themselves.

But, I think that the Steelers need to settle on who will be playing where on the OL by the end of this coming week. Then, they need to drill that unit constantly.

Ben also needs to get with these guys and get them on the same page as him. I think if Ben gets to change up his approach to the game, as well as get the chance to call his own plays, run no-huddle and the shotgun (assuming there is a C that can snap the shotgun without getting smoked), that might give the entire offense enough flexibility to keep defenses off-balance.

It helps to have a great OL. But sometimes the game plan can cover for a multitude of sins. Mr. Arians, as an experienced NFL OC, should be able to know how to gear the O to the relative strengths and weaknesses of his individual units.

[frankthetank1]

my biggest fear is that the o-line isnt better this year than last AND they dont make nessasary adjustments. if they had ben do more 2 step drops, screens, drags anything to get the ball out of bens hands quickly, then the sacks wont get out of hand and teams cant blitz as much. i didnt see much adjustments last year to counter the horrid line play. i really hope its just lip service that there is actually a battle at center. if mahan is starting it better be at LG. if that happens that means starks better be on the bench because colon should be starting no matter what. i hate the franchising starks deal a lot, but the big plus is that god forbid someone gets hurt, which will happen most likely. at least they have a decent back up. i know its an expensive back up but thats the only plus about paying starks for one year

[RuthlessBurgher]

Nah...put Colon at LG, then let your $7 million man start at RT.

Question: Why move Colon out of the RT position (he was originally listed there last season) when Mahan has experience at guard?

I think you should put your three baddest Ma'Afalas in the interior o-line, and just let them maul away at the opposing DT's. Colon and Kemoeatu are the two guys that have the nastiest attitudes among our o-lineman, and Hartwig simply has to have more of an edge to his game than Mahan had. Smith-Colon-Hartwig-Kemoeatu-Starks.

You have experience backing up inside with Simmons and Mahan, plus the young Stapleton in reserve as well. Although the backup tackles Essex and Hills aren't tremendous, if Marvel or Max gets hurt, you could always move Colon back to tackle if you needed to, and inserting Simmons back into the starting lineup at guard (making last year's right side of the line...RG Simmons and RT Colon...our worst case scenario in the event of a major injury to one of our tackles).

You'd have 10 o-lineman on your roster, but 2 of them probably wouldn't be active on gameday (likely the youngest guys...Hills and Stapleton). You would keep Simmons active always as your top backup option (former starter) and then keep Essex and Mahan active because of the versatility at multiple positions (tackle and guard for Trai and center and guard for Sean).

[fordfixer]

Mabye Casey hampton could play running back, that way there would be a big body for Ben to hide behind in case someone does get past the o-line

[Ozey74]

Mabye Casey hampton could play running back, that way there would be a big body for Ben to hide behind in case someone does get past the o-line

Now this is a good idea. Kinda a la Fridge Perry circa 85' Bears!!