As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

[insanesteelersfan]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

People, do you really think if Adams or Starks had anything that they would be out there available ? I think Starks still has issues with his Neck injury, as in not full strength. And Adams, he's being a MERC, wanting ridiculous loot to comeback. We either have to go with a guy like Stinchcomb, or just take a chance on some other teams practice squad O-Linemen. But as is, Adams is a longshot, and Starks is damaged goods I think.

[Pahn711]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

People, do you really think if Adams or Starks had anything that they would be out there available ? I think Starks still has issues with his Neck injury, as in not full strength. And Adams, he's being a MERC, wanting ridiculous loot to comeback. We either have to go with a guy like Stinchcomb, or just take a chance on some other teams practice squad O-Linemen. But as is, Adams is a longshot, and Starks is damaged goods I think.

The point is, these are guys that have a lot of experience and know the system. If they are healthy enough to play, I don't care what other unknown names you pull out of a hat. We can't afford to overlook those guys who could be ready to play like now.

[fordfixer]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Well what we had on the field tonight looked a lot like this

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Steelers 23, Colts 20: We Almost Saw a Tight End Play Tackle

Posted on September 26, 2011 by adam


And doesn’t that just about sum it up? An ugly a$$ win is a still a win, but man … wow.

I didn’t expect this game to be an easy win, mainly because there is no such thing as an easy win in the NFL. Especially when you’re going on the road against a desperate team in need of a win on national television. But, even so, I figured the best chance for the Colts to pull off the upset was to have Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis cause chaos, the Steelers turn the ball over, and the Colts defense turn one of them into a touchdown. And that’s almost exactly what happened.

After the Steelers jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, thanks to an 81-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace, the Steelers offense went into meltdown mode in the final eight minutes of the second quarter, turning the ball over three times (two strip sacks by the aforementioned defensive ends, one of which was returned for a touchdown) and an interception on one of the few bad passes that Roethlisberger threw all night. The Colts managed to turn those turnovers into 13 points and take a field goal lead into the half.

The combination of Freeney-Mathis and the Steelers offensive line kept this game close. And about that offensive line? If you thought they had problems before, well, just read the headline. We almost saw a tight end play tackle. The Steelers dressed seven offensive linemen tonight and all seven of them had to play due to injuries, and then one of the injured players (rookie right tackle Marcus Gilbert) had to return to the game to play left tackle after Jonathan Scott left with some sort of leg injury. Doug Legursky was injured. Scott was injured. Gilbert was injured. Willie Colon is injured.

Overall, the offensive line looked dreadful based on my instant knee jerk reaction. The running game was nonexistent while the Colts were generating an impressive pass rush with what appeared to be just four rushers on most of the snaps. It seemed that on a number of plays the Colts were using a four-man rush and beating six blockers. Easily. Freeney and Mathis are great players, no doubt, but they put on a clinic tonight and nearly won the game by themselves.

After Shaun Suisham drilled a field goal attempt off the upright late in the third quarter, he hit a 40-yarder early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 13. Eventually, James Farrior caught Kerry Collins with a hit that may draw a fine and knocked him out of the game with a possible concussion, which led to Curtis Painter coming off the bench. He had a bad start. After missing a WIDE OPEN Pierre Garcon — after Ike Taylor bit, badly, on a double move — Painter was drilled by James Harrison. Painter lost the ball and Troy Polamalu was there to scoop it up and walk into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown with five minutes to play.

Game over, right? Well, you know what they say: You can never give Curtis Painter five minutes to get a game-tying touchdown. What’s that? Nobody says that? Hell.

Painter threw the Colts’ two best passes of the night to help get them deep into Steelers territory. On a third-and-two play from inside the five-yard line, and with just over two minutes to play, Polamalu nearly blew up a play in the backfield but missed it by a split second, allowing the Colts to tie the game at 20.

The Steelers took the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball down the field, thanks to a couple of nice plays from Mewelde Moore, to allow Suisham to kick the game-winner with four seconds to play.

So there it all is. Here are some more thoughts…

– It was just another day at the office for Mike Wallace, catching five passes for 144 yards and an 81-yard touchdown.

– Antonio Brown made a couple of nice catches and had two great punt returns. Second week in a row he’s looked good, which is nice after a slow start in week 1.

– The problem with first impressions is you only get to make one, and the first pass Wesyle Saunders saw in his NFL career bounced off his face mask (he was wide open for what would have been a first down). Amazingly, he was able to use that blunder to show off his athleticism by lunging backward and making a nice one-handed catch, taking the ball away from a Colts defender. But still, that was a big drop.

– Emmanuel Sanders had a big drop on the first drive, allowing a perfectly thrown pass from Roethlisberger to go through his hands and forcing the Steelers to settle for a field goal. Still, his worst mistake of the night was not tagging down a defender following an interception. Not only did he not touch the guy, he actually WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO AVOID HIM (he jumped over him). He did have a bit catch on third and 18 later in the game.

– Troy Polamalu looked like Troy Polamalu. Aaron Smith looked like he is done.

– Reggie Wayne was targeted on 13 passes. He caught three for 24 yards, a long of 11, and at least two of those passes were of the bubble screen variety. Ike Taylor playing great? Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter playing like Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter? Yes. And Yes

– When he wasn’t turning the ball over Roethlisberger looked great, I thought. The final line is impressive, completing 28 of 37 passes for 364 yards (over nine yards per attempt) and a touchdown.

– Is there anybody out there that can play tackle?

[url="http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/09/steelers-23-colts-20-tight-play-tackle/#more-6308"]http://www.steelerslounge.com/2011/09/s ... #more-6308[/url]

[Steel Life]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

I think this game had better put the state of the O-Line into perspective & shut up those who harp on Ben hanging onto the ball too long being the problem. These guys generated no push in the run-game & were flat-out manhandled for the second time this year. Ben & Mendy are going to get killed behind this line & with BA's tone-deaf play-calling (& I used to think that Mike Martz was the most neglectful OC in the NFL). Make no mistake, the success of this year's team lays at the feet of the OL, let's hope that Ben isn't lying there as well.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Offensive line still requires some help

Monday, September 26, 2011
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts galloped onto the carpet at Lucas Oil Stadium to the thundering chords of a rock anthem by The Who, an interesting choice for a team with a starting lineup littered with names that triggered that very question:

Who?

Kerry Collins is a known commodity, if not a terribly valued one at quarterback in place of Peyton Manning, but what about an Indianapolis defense that was featuring more subs than Quizno's?

Eric Foster started at defensive tackle instead of Fili Moala. Philip Wheeler started at linebacker instead of Pat Angerer, who slid over to play another linebacker spot in place of Gary Brackett. David Caldwell started at strong safety instead of Melvin Bullitt, and on offense, Mike Pollak started at right guard instead of Ryan Diem.

Not all that bad for a club that listed 12 players as questionable on its Friday injury report.

If all that sounds like the kind of opponent a good team should chew up and spit out without any excess masticating, it's interesting that the Steelers almost choked on it instead. The Colts were in position last night to stink even worse than they had in losing to Houston and Cleveland before their not-ready-for-prime-time appearance on NBC's Sunday night showcase.

But it wasn't any of that chicken wire and duct tape the Colts brought to this meeting of erstwhile AFC powers that proved decisive, it was rather the alleged starting tackles in front of Ben Roethlisberger.

The matchups most Steelers fans had feared all week turned out to be just about as hair-raising as anticipated. The people charged with fending off Indianapolis defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis failed just often enough to turn a 10-0 PittsburghSteelers lead into a 13-10 deficit problem that wouldn't seem to go away.

It was only when James Harrison finally discovered the Colts were almost equally vulnerable in the same exact spot -- specifically rookie left tackle Anthony Castonzo -- that Mike Tomlin's team righted itself in a wild fourth quarter and swiped a 23-20 victory on SeanShaun Suisham's late, late field goal.

Harrison beat Castonzo and slammed into Curtis Painter, the backup backup (cq) quarterback, with the resultant fumble one-hopping to Troy Polamalu, who danced in for Pittsburgh'sthe Steelers' only second-half touchdown.

That kind of thing went on pretty much all night.

Mathis, working against Steelers rookie Marcus Gilbert, dragged the Colts off the mat early in the second quarter when he ran Roethlisberger down from behind, separated 7 from the ball, and pounced on it at the 50.

Twelve fitful plays later, the Colts chopped the lead to 10-3 on a 21-yard kick from Adam Vinatieri, the only player on the field actually older than Collins.

Freeney, working against veteran left tackle Jonathan Scott, swooped in on Ben on the very next possession and forced another fumble that bounced directly to Colts' defensive end Jamaal Anderson, who escaped Gilbert's dreary attempt at a tackle and rumbled 47 yards along the hash marks to the Pittsburgh endzoneSteelers end zone and a 10-10 tie.

Not content with back-to-back turnovers and unable to run against Indianapolis's 30th-ranked rush defense, the Steelers went right back to deep passing game with disastrous results. Roethlisberger's high throw to Sanders on a post pattern flew long into the hands of rookie defensive back Joe Lefeged, who returned it 25 yards to the PittsburghSteelers 27, where officials tacked on a 15-yard penalty against Antonio Brown for a low block, moving the ball to the 12. Collins missed badly on twoendzone end zone throws from there, but Vinatieri doesn't miss from there, and it was 13-10.

More ominously, the Steelers' severe offensive line problems were only beginning. The right flank soon disappeared altogether when both Gilbert and Doug Legursky went to the sideline with shoulder trouble. Ramon Foster and Trai Essex supplanted them, but the real damage was still piling up on the opposite edge around Scott.

In his increasing desperation to keep Freeney off Roethlisberger, Scott held him to stall a promising drive the Steelers put together in large part due to Heath Miller. They settled for Sean Suisham's 44-yard field goal and a 13-13 tie.

On their next possession, the Steelers moved easily to the Indianapolis 31 after Brown's 37-yard punt return, but Scott lined up in the backfield to draw a penalty, then let Freeney sack Roethlisberger again to push Pittsburgh the Steelers out of field-goal range.

You have thought, at this point, the Steelers would at least offer Scott some help with Freeney, but on third-and-8 at their own 37 on the next possession, Miller lined up in the backfield to the right of Roethlisberger instead of to the left of Scott -- on Freeney's nose -- and Freeney promptly pushed Scott all the way into Ben's shins still again.

It was then only then someone decided to give Scott some help, lining Miller up against Freeney and protecting Ben long enough to float a 22-yard pass to MweldeMewelde Moore to spark a 60-yard drive to the winning field goal. Even at that, Scott was flattened by Freeney on the next play and left the field, forcing Gilbert, bad shoulder or no, back into the lineup at the opposite tackle.

How far can you go with an offense that can't run and can't protect?

Not terribly.

Still have the number down at the Flozell Hotel?

[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11269/1177727-150-0.stm#ixzz1Z1lLp6J8"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11269/11 ... z1Z1lLp6J8[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

I'd say we're looking at a starting OL of Essux-Kemo-Pouncey-Legursky-Gilbert on Sunday assuming J Scott can't go with Ramon Foster and C Scott dressing as subs...


from Scott Brown via Twitter @ ScottBrown_Trib:

Jonathan Scott had his left ankle wrapped in ice and was on crutches after the game. Legursky and Gilbert said they will be fine.

[papillon]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

I think this game had better put the state of the O-Line into perspective & shut up those who harp on Ben hanging onto the ball too long being the problem. These guys generated no push in the run-game & were flat-out manhandled for the second time this year. Ben & Mendy are going to get killed behind this line & with BA's tone-deaf play-calling (& I used to think that Mike Martz was the most neglectful OC in the NFL). Make no mistake, the success of this year's team lays at the feet of the OL, let's hope that Ben isn't lying there as well.

The three turnovers were not problems with the O-line, they were three bad decisions by Ben, playing against Freeney and Mathis there has to be a clock in your head that tells you it's time to give up on a play (particularly, if you don't know where Mathis and Freeney are) and the INT was just a bad throw that sailed high on him. The O-line in each instance was successful. Overall, the O-line was as putrid, but those three plays Ben had the time necessary to make better decisions, IMO.

Pappy

[Shawn]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Keeping Essex over Hills. Oops.

Exactly, what were the Steelers thinking. I acknowledge I am not any sort of OL expert. But, reports agreed with my eyes, that Hills was finally shaping up into a good OLman. Then he is cut the next week. I'm at a loss.

[steelblood]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

shawn, i wonder if hills said something or did something the team didn't approve of when he was told that he'd lost the job at RG.

[SteelBucks]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Keeping Essex over Hills. Oops.

Exactly, what were the Steelers thinking. I acknowledge I am not any sort of OL expert. But, reports agreed with my eyes, that Hills was finally shaping up into a good OLman. Then he is cut the next week. I'm at a loss.

Is Hills available? Hard to believe that Kemo and Pouncey are the only healthy players on the o-line.....including back-ups.

[D Rock]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

Keeping Essex over Hills. Oops.

Exactly, what were the Steelers thinking. I acknowledge I am not any sort of OL expert. But, reports agreed with my eyes, that Hills was finally shaping up into a good OLman. Then he is cut the next week. I'm at a loss.

Is Hills available? Hard to believe that Kemo and Pouncey are the only healthy players on the o-line.....including back-ups.

Hills went to Denver.

As for Kemo and Pouncey being the only healthy guys...one of them is a week back from injury, and the other has an ankle that could be an issue at any time. Ankles are easy to re-injure for a year or so after the initial injury from my experience, and we saw that happen to him once already this preseason.

[SuperSize]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

I think this game had better put the state of the O-Line into perspective & shut up those who harp on Ben hanging onto the ball too long being the problem. These guys generated no push in the run-game & were flat-out manhandled for the second time this year. Ben & Mendy are going to get killed behind this line & with BA's tone-deaf play-calling (& I used to think that Mike Martz was the most neglectful OC in the NFL). Make no mistake, the success of this year's team lays at the feet of the OL, let's hope that Ben isn't lying there as well.

The three turnovers were not problems with the O-line, they were three bad decisions by Ben, playing against Freeney and Mathis there has to be a clock in your head that tells you it's time to give up on a play (particularly, if you don't know where Mathis and Freeney are) and the INT was just a bad throw that sailed high on him. The O-line in each instance was successful. Overall, the O-line was as putrid, but those three plays Ben had the time necessary to make better decisions, IMO.

Pappy

I have to respectfully disagree with you on the sack/fumbles, at least on the Freeney sack. On Mathis's sack, Ben was scrambling, looking for Mathis knowing he was behind him, but didn't get rid of the ball. On Freeney's sack, SCOTT NEVER LAYED A GLOVE ON HIM - A TOTAL WHIFF! Ben never had a chance.


Pete

[SteelBucks]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

I'd say we're looking at a starting OL of Essux-Kemo-Pouncey-Legursky-Gilbert on Sunday assuming J Scott can't go with Ramon Foster and C Scott dressing as subs...


from Scott Brown via Twitter @ ScottBrown_Trib:

Jonathan Scott had his left ankle wrapped in ice and was on crutches after the game. Legursky and Gilbert said they will be fine.

I expect Scott to miss some time. As it stands now, IMO, we're now looking at a Gilbert-Kemo-Pouncey-Legursky-Essex oline. I'm hoping they will at least look into bringing Adams back. He'd help solidify the right side.

[Stewie]

Re: As it stands now, the Week 4 starting OLine...

What continues to concern me is the lack of aggressiveness in the OL. Scott outweighs Freeney by at least 50 lbs. Same on the other side. Never saw a punch. Watching Gilbert staring at the fumble was painful.