Ben's Leadership: "Hey O line, who's laughing now?"

[Oviedo]

As reported in Pittsburgh, it is possible that we re-sign Smith for next year. He will be cheaper than Starks.

Drafting a tackle will depend on what the staff thinks of Hills. I'd like to think he will be er in 2009 and can push Colon at RT.

I doubt Colon will move inside to G as they see him as a OT. Stapleton is not up to snuff to play OG. As Chadman said, he'd make for a good backup at G/C. I still disagree with Chadman on Colon moving to G.

Hartwig and Simmons are pretty much locks at C and RG unless they would move Simmons to LG if Kemo goes elsewhere.

Essex will be in the mix too... Perhaps at LG if Simmons stays at RG.

A young OG from this year's draft could back up the starters. No way a rook makes it to start next year along the OL.. IMO. Not where we're picking.

I agree that they will not be looking to put a rookie on the OL as a starter. The only one I would see as a possible would be if they let Kemo go and draft Duke Robinson in Round 1.

Hills is the key because if he can step in and do a credible job at RT it will open lots of options. If he can do at least as good as Starks at LT then all the stars have aligned and we are clearly God's team.

I don't think there is anyway they go with Marvel Smith as their primary solution at LT. Way too much risk. They may sign him for the vet minimum and hope he is healthy because he can step in at LT or RT but no way I see them leaving LT as a hope and prayer.

That means resign Starks or go big for a Jordan Gross, Khalif Barnes or Vernon Carey in free agency.

[NorthCoast]

Agree with the crowd here. Kemo has no footwork AND HE PLAYS GUARD, where you don't need the great footwork. He just does not sustain his blocks longer than a half second. Spaeth blew a couple of blocks as well but we need him as insurance in case Miller gets hurt so I don't see cutting him. Kemo can be kept as a backup only, he does not deserve starter pay.

[Starlifter]

Ben gives the O-line props because it's difficult to maintain blocks for such long periods while he's scrambling around. Ok - fair enough. My critique of the O-line is that we had 1st and goal within the 5 yard line 3 times and we came away with 6 FREAKING POINTS!!!!!!!

where was the running game in the second half?
did they impose their will on the cards?
Hartwig wasn't holding in the end zone. he frigging got bull-rushed and was hanging on for dear life to cushion the fall.

Our O-line is below average. Ben won that game in spite of them. I'm glad he's on their side and props them up, but the front office has to realize we have a lot of work to do.........

[TallyStiller]

Ben is the anti - Peyton. And I mean that in the best possible sense.

Ben after this Super Bowl... "hey O line - who's laughing now? Let me get this (the Lombardi) down there so they can touch it, too"

Peyton after the '05 playoff defeat "we definitely had some protection issues"...

Ben signs the 8 year deal, structured to be reasonable for a top tier QB, but $30 mil less than Michael freaking Vick...

Peyton gets a $34 mil signing bonus that has been killing the franchise's cap ever since, leaving Tony Dungy to perform miracles with 5th round picks and scrubs making $400k at 8 positions on defense...

One of these men has 2 rings because he sets a tone for a TEAM...

the other has his one, along with playoff flame out after playoff flame out... and now the coach who built a team out of nothing around him is gone.

Big Ben. The best player on the best team in football. Period. He's got the intangibles, and we got ourselves a champion.

[Slapstick]

Out of all of the offensive linemen, I was the least pissed at Starks last night...

He actually played far better than I anticipated him playing once Marvel was out of the picture...

You can dump on Max Starks, but he has started at OT on two different Super Bowl teams and has two rings to show for it...the dude must be doing something right...

With the benefit of hindsight, one might say that using the transition tag on him was the best free agency move that the Steelers could have made...