This Offensive Line...

[pfelix73]

(Cut- Whimper) 2 posts up...


Yea, sort of agree. I thought that maybe, just maybe he'd beat out Gilbert at RT, but now- not so much.....They gotta go shopping and hope they might find someone who has some experience there... We'll see....

[Captain Lemming]

Pouncey had a very good rookie year. But he hasn't been a top-20 NFL Center since.

While I disagree STRONGLY with much of what you are saying, and I will not say below top 20, I AGREE Pouncey is BY FAR the most overrated Steeler on this team. Pouncey gets love because he shows flashes of rare athleticism. But he gets owned by good nose tackles. People liken him to Dermotti. We would not have been that pathetic running the ball inside on a team with Dawson at center.

[NorthCoast]

They just showed the lowlights on the game tonight. Pouncey was really manhandled. And not just once, but multiple times. I hope there isn't something wrongwith him already.
Novel idea, NE struggles to find WRs in the draft but have a knack for OL talent, Steelers the opposite. Maybe they can swap picks next season?

[sedatedsteelerfan]

While I disagree STRONGLY with much of what you are saying, and I will not say below top 20, I AGREE Pouncey is BY FAR the most overrated Steeler on this team. Pouncey gets love because he shows flashes of rare athleticism. But he gets owned by good nose tackles. People liken him to Dermotti. We would not have been that pathetic running the ball inside on a team with Dawson at center.

I'm not saying Pouncey doesn't have talent. He has great Balance....maybe the best. But in our system of running, we still are a straight ahead power running team. And Pouncey is Not a Bull rush Blocker. Also technique wise he is lacking. He was great his rookie season cause opposing teams didn't know how to counter his great Balance. But now they have adjusted to him, and it seems he is being exposed a bit. A good Cnter yes, but not All World.

[Ghost]

So is it the talent evaluations of the Steelers' staff that are letting the team down? It's not as if they aren't spending high draft choices on O-line. 4 out of 5 starters taken in the first/second round with the fifth playing big-time ball in the SEC. And for the most part these guys are huge. No reason to be getting pushed around or let 4 guys collapse the pocket so easily. Hard to justify taking more line men early. It's head-scratching...

Adams: 6'7/323 - 2nd round
Foster: 6'6/325 - UDFA out of Tennessee
Pouncey: 6'4/304 - 1st round
DeCastro: 6'5/316 - 1st round
Gilbert: 6'6/330 - 2nd round

[7 UP]

Lets get real.........this is a new zone blocking scheme. not gonna happen overnight. Again, been watching football for a long time and never put too much weight on a preseason game.

Im not buying this at all. We trot out an awful line year after year, no matter who is coaching the line, or what scheme we are running. What difference does it make that we are zone blocking when Pouncey gets murdered of the line of scrimmage by a defensive tackle??? He knew who he was supposed to block, he just got whipped. Ive seen Gilbert struggle with pass protection for years now. How is he getting adjusted to a new scheme. Its not that our lineman dont know who to block. Its that they cant block them!!

[feltdizz]

IMO our lineman are too big...

[ikestops85]

IMO our lineman are too bad

[hawaiiansteel]

No momentum for Steelers' offensive line

By Ralph N. Paulk
Published: Monday, August 19, 2013



The Steelers' offensive line blocks for Ben Roethlisberger against the Redskins on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

LANDOVER, Md. — Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had nothing but good things to say about the Steelers' offensive line. He's confident it will stand tall when the regular season begins next month.

For now, the wall that shields Roethlisberger from oncoming defensive linemen has a crack or two. It might be hard to evaluate its performance after two preseason games, but it's clear the offensive line remains a work in progress as it enters Saturday's third exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field.

The line, anchored by Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, didn't get a passing grade against the Washington Redskins on Monday at FedEx Field in a 24-13 setback that puts them 0-2 in the preseason.

The Redskins owned the trenches. They constantly harassed Roethlisberger and backup Bruce Gradkowski. With the exception of a couple of big runs by halfback Jonathan Dwyer, the ground game marked time.

“I'm not going to identify people. I'm just saying we collectively got to be better than we were tonight,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of the offensive line's performance.

The Steelers finished with 95 yards rushing — one more than it did in losing to the New York Giants in the preseason opener. The Steelers allowed four sacks, including two by the starters.

“We need to work on not killing ourselves with penalties,” tackle Mike Adams said. “We'll see where we are when we get in the lab and watch the film.

“We did a good job of messing up on our own. They didn't do anything special. No doubt, we've got to execute better.”

In four series with Roethlisberger under center, the offense mustered three points.

After completing 5 of 6 passes — with the lone misfire being an interception return for a touchdown — Roethlisberger said at halftime that it was matter of the offense failing to execute. But execution didn't appear to be as much of a problem as it was overmatched physically by the Redskins' aggressive defensive front.

Pouncey lost the man-on-man battle with Washington nose tackle Barry Cofield. Cofield recovered a fumble, sacked Roethlisberger and forced an errant pass that linebacker Ryan Kerrigan returned 22 yards for a touchdown to give the Redskins a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

“We did a bad job with penalties,” Pouncey said. “We turned the ball over some, so we have to do a better job of being ready to play next week.

“They didn't do anything. It was all us. We had too many penalties and too many turnovers.”

The Steelers' starting five were solid in run blocking in the preseason opener against the Giants as the running backs churned out 81 yards in the first half. This time, the Steelers rushed for 73, including a 23-yard run by Dwyer.

“We did a great job in the run game,” Pouncey said. “We got a lot of positive yards.”

Tomlin wanted to see what rookie running back Le'Veon Bell could do with the starting unit. Bell, though, couldn't find much room to run before leaving the game with a foot injury after averaging 2.9 yards on four attempts.

The offensive line allowed two sacks. And the running backs were tossed for a loss only once.

However, Roethlisberger and Gradkowski were never settled in a pocket that collapsed on every other pass attempt.

More troublesome for offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. was the inordinate number of first-half penalties and blown blocking assignments. The line was penalized four times in the first 30 minutes, including two holding penalties and an illegal use of hands call.

[URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4557913-74/roethlisberger-offensive-steelers#ixzz2cWVZA8dd[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Regarding Gilbert, it could be worse. At least he hasn't been fall onto teammates knees this preseason.

[feltdizz]

IMO our lineman are too bad

nice.. first time I smiled today.

[pittpete]

Maybe it's about time Ben stops with the charade about the O-line.
FN Brady gets on his guys like a rabid dog.
Chew these guys out and tell him it's not OK for once for Pete's sake.

[sedatedsteelerfan]

Maybe it's about time Ben stops with the charade about the O-line.
FN Brady gets on his guys like a rabid dog.
Chew these guys out and tell him it's not OK for once for Pete's sake.

You have to understand, if Ben is too critical with Pouncey & Gilbert, he could get KILLED! Remember, both Gilbert & Pouncey are Hommies with Aaron Hernandez!!

[hawaiiansteel]

IMO our lineman are too bad

our offensive line truly is offensive...

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Maybe it's about time Ben stops with the charade about the O-line.
FN Brady gets on his guys like a rabid dog.
Chew these guys out and tell him it's not OK for once for Pete's sake.

and DeVille's sake, too... Pete