Tomlin said there are two ways to protect the QB:
1) OL
2) Better skill players

We had a coach who said that once - Butch Davis. Anybody remember our offensive coordinator? Anyone know the Pittsburgh offensive coordinator?

Thoughts?

My thoughts?

Steelers have won 5 Super Bowls, been to 6.
More often than not have winning seasons.
Have been to 11 AFC Championship games since 1970.
Great stable, Football first Ownership.
Lead don't follow. They have been using the 3-4 for 15+ years.
Teams pick THEM over for free agency.
They have beaten us 15 of the last 16 meetings.
They define the strong run, strong defense that we are trying to put in place.

We continue to talk about them on our board.

Let's beat them a few times before we say they don't know what they are doing.

(i know we're better now, in April)

Soldier, nice thoughts, really they are. However this isn't Cowher or Noll running the show, its Mike Tomlin.

So for all the accolades you've spilled upon them for the stuff they did in the 70's doesn't add up to a whole bunch in the scope of this particular argument.


Dawg makes a good point. They are going the route that Ben will be better protected if he simply has better skill players. I disagree with this statement completely. I would disagree with it had Tony Dungy said it, John Fox, whoever....its just a fundamental statement in football I disagree with.


One thing about steelers play that netted them all those wins was dominate play at the LOS. If that is missing from this years team the Steelers are going to be hurting bad.

They are taking a pretty big gamble. I thought it would be a lock for them to take an offensive linemen in the first round. That line needs a shot in the arm like no other unit on their team. To spend it on a RB seemed to me a bit foolish (and yes I realize how good of a prospect he is) I understand the BPA theory and I don't completely disagree with it, I just think their line REALLY needed something. With no FA pickups in that area, and no high draft choice they are going to have to rely on UDFA. Forgive my ignorance, but did they take any linemen at all in the draft? If so, then they are still putting hopes in a late round rookie. Could they strike gold? Sure, anybody can....however its not a great prospect to have to rely on that.


Big Ben is Big Ben. Spunky and real grit when needed, but he almost always has serious help. How many times did he make HUGE, I mean HUGE plays in his career by having a play break down, his line holding the guys off just long enough for him to buy that time, for him to find an open guy who busts the coverage after about 10 seconds of lollygagging around in the backfield.

If the rush is coming a lot faster and easier next year those plays are going to virtually disapear.

It could be very tough....

Again it all comes down to their trademark, can they dominate at the LOS on both sides of the ball. Defense I'm pretty sure they can, the offensive side not so much. And that can pose a pretty big problem.

quote:

Originally posted by The Soldier:
My thoughts?

Steelers have won 5 Super Bowls, been to 6.
More often than not have winning seasons.
Have been to 11 AFC Championship games since 1970.
Great stable, Football first Ownership.
Lead don't follow. They have been using the 3-4 for 15+ years.
Teams pick THEM over for free agency.
They have beaten us 15 of the last 16 meetings.
They define the strong run, strong defense that we are trying to put in place.

We continue to talk about them on our board.

Let's beat them a few times before we say they don't know what they are doing.

(i know we're better now, in April)

Cheers BRO! It resembles that player,we all hate, who jumps up and down and acts like he scored the winning td, but only made a first down.......with his team down by 28 with two minutes to go.....The only difference is this year we bring a Defensive line to the party!

quote:

Originally posted by Inspecta51:

Big Ben is Big Ben. Spunky and real grit when needed, but he almost always has serious help. How many times did he make HUGE, I mean HUGE plays in his career by having a play break down, his line holding the guys off just long enough for him to buy that time, for him to find an open guy who busts the coverage after about 10 seconds of lollygagging around in the backfield.

If the rush is coming a lot faster and easier next year those plays are going to virtually disappear.

Finally, someone sees what I've been saying forever on here.

Look at the draft board when Pittsburgh picked at 23. All of the big tackles were off the board when we selected in round 1 and having Sweed fall to round 2 was crazy. A value you can't pass up and if not for teams taking runs at small school speed WR's Sweed should have been long gone. We drafted a big tackle in round 4 and picked up a few un-drafted FA's. We added Hartwig as well.

It's important to note that the guys we have on our o-line are players that WE DRAFTED, not FA plug ins that don't know the system. Chris Kemoeatu will fill in for Faneca and Marvel is finally healthy. We still have a former first round selection playing RG in Kendall Simmons and a position battle at RT with Willie Colon and Max Starks.

The question is which lineman to reach for at pick 23? and do you pass up on high value at 53 with Sweed? No is the answer. You don't pass up Sweed and you don't reach for a tackle or a guard in round 1 when a talent like Mendenhall is on the board.

I'll bet our offensive line is better than it was last year and will continue to improve and we will address it in the 2009 draft. Everyone here is proudly optimistic and thats fine but one fact remains, this is how the Steelers have ALWAYS DONE IT and year after year we field a team that wins ball games. Enjoy the paper playoffs while it lasts but the real results will present themselves when the season begins. You just better hope the Browns are as good as most project otherwise it's going to be a LONG, LONG season.

We just picked this dude up in FA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAlqZg6Q2Kc&feature=related

And picked up center from Marshall, Legursky

quote:

Originally posted by The Soldier:
My thoughts?

Steelers have won 5 Super Bowls, been to 6.
More often than not have winning seasons.
Have been to 11 AFC Championship games since 1970.
Great stable, Football first Ownership.
Lead don't follow. They have been using the 3-4 for 15+ years.
Teams pick THEM over for free agency.
They have beaten us 15 of the last 16 meetings.
They define the strong run, strong defense that we are trying to put in place.

We continue to talk about them on our board.

Let's beat them a few times before we say they don't know what they are doing.

(i know we're better now, in April)

Hey numbnuts: we're not trashing their organization's history, we're sayin right now they're more vulnerable than they have been. They are not the same team who won the super bowl however many years ago. We are the up and coming team poised to take over the division. You really think the past accolades of the Steelers are somehow going to adversely affect our team in the present time? I think not.

This is very amusing.

Carry on.



.....an'at



.

quote:

Steelers C Doug Legursky (Marshall)
Steelers WR Micah Rucker (Eastern Illinois)
Steelers C Doug Legursky (Marshall)
Steelers K Julian Rauch (Appalachian State)
Steelers WR Dorien Bryant (Purdue)
Steelers LB Donovan Woods (Oklahoma State)
Steelers CB Travis C. Williams (East Carolina)
Steelers LB Patrick Bailey (Duke)
Steelers CB Roy Lewis (Washington)
Steelers QB Mike Potts (William & Mary)
Steelers DL Martavius Prince (Southern Miss)
Steelers DL Jordan Reffett (Washington)
Steelers TE Dezmond Sherrod (Mississippi State)
Steelers DL Kyle Clement (Northwood)*

So far I see they signed 1 UDFA and chose Tony Hills OT Texas in the 4th. Maybe they are bringing in more guys, but from what Tomlin seems to be saying, more skill players for Ben mean the protection is in good hands.

No question they're the team to beat. But when a Steeler head coach comes right out and say that adding skill players will improve protection, I get kind of warm and fuzzy inside. It is not just their OL, because their DL is all over 30 - Hampton will be 31 this year, Smith is 32 and Kiesel will be 30. The trenches is how the Steelers make their money.

I just find it kind of odd hearing this kind of talk from a Steelers head coach. Ben is good, but I don't think any QB is that special. Certainly not one that was sacked 47 times last year, 5 times in one playoff game.

Last time I heard this kind of talk Butch Davis was the coach of the Browns, and Bruce Arians was our OC - the same OC for the Steelers.

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
Look at the draft board when Pittsburgh picked at 23. All of the big tackles were off the board when we selected in round 1 and having Sweed fall to round 2 was crazy. A value you can't pass up and if not for teams taking runs at small school speed WR's Sweed should have been long gone. We drafted a big tackle in round 4 and picked up a few un-drafted FA's. We added Hartwig as well.

The question is which lineman to reach for at pick 23? and do you pass up on high value at 53 with Sweed? No is the answer. You don't pass up Sweed and you don't reach for a tackle or a guard in round 1 when a talent like Mendenhall is on the board.

Not too many people are going to argue that Mendenhall and Sweed werent great values and wont be good players but no matter what front you put on you know you're a bit worried about your o-line. If not, then you I wont bother arguing with you cause itd be pointless to butt heads with someone so ignorant to ignore reality. The Cleveland secondary makes me nervous, im not gonna lie about that...just know that it doesnt really make your line any better by saying theyre gonna be fine everyday on this board.

quote:

Originally posted by Steeler SChuck:
This is very amusing.

Carry on.



.....an'at



.

Hey StoolerSchmuck, I've been meaning to ask you what happened to the self-portrait avatar you used to have? You know the one I'm talking about. The fat Stooler fan, doing the hillbilly incest dance. I liked that one better than the present avatar of Rosey and her five sisters.

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
You just better hope the Browns are as good as most project otherwise it's going to be a LONG, LONG season.

We better hope? Hope is not a method. Shit bro we've addressed a few needs since the opener last season.

quote:

Originally posted by xX HOLLYWOOD Xx:

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
Look at the draft board when Pittsburgh picked at 23. All of the big tackles were off the board when we selected in round 1 and having Sweed fall to round 2 was crazy. A value you can't pass up and if not for teams taking runs at small school speed WR's Sweed should have been long gone. We drafted a big tackle in round 4 and picked up a few un-drafted FA's. We added Hartwig as well.

The question is which lineman to reach for at pick 23? and do you pass up on high value at 53 with Sweed? No is the answer. You don't pass up Sweed and you don't reach for a tackle or a guard in round 1 when a talent like Mendenhall is on the board.

Not too many people are going to argue that Mendenhall and Sweed werent great values and wont be good players but no matter what front you put on you know you're a bit worried about your o-line. If not, then you I wont bother arguing with you cause itd be pointless to butt heads with someone so ignorant to ignore reality. The Cleveland secondary makes me nervous, im not gonna lie about that...just know that it doesnt really make your line any better by saying theyre gonna be fine everyday on this board.

I think Hartwig makes a huge difference, Mahan was the glaring weakness last year especially coming off of a long Hartings tenure. Yes I would have loved to get a lineman in the first but there were only so many that I would have wanted in round 1. Albert, Clady, Williams and honestly thats it. Otah is a Max Starks clone that the Panthers paid a ton to acquire, Cherilus is a RT and even more of a reach at 15 to Detroit. I would have liked to get Sam Baker in the second but yet again a team reached and drafted him round 1. (ATL)

I'm sorry but I just don't think our offensive line is as bad as everyone wants to make it out to be and my rationale sits in the in house guys on the roster ready to step up. Kemo is a big man with one hell of a motor. Hartwig was hurt while in Carolina but was one of the reasons the Titans line was so good 4 years ago. The rest of the line specifically the young guys like Colon are yet another season in the system and could really begin to flourish.

Now as far as the 47 sacks are concerned some of them were because of line breakdowns that much is obvious but a lot of the breakdowns were coming up the gut over Mahan who is no longer our center. I'd say another 15-20 are because Big Ben was on the move trying to make it happen and it's those situations that make Big Ben, Big Ben. He very rarely throws the ball away, hell if ever and thats because he's always trying to make a play. He has another season under his belt and in that 47 sack season he made the pro-bowl and threw a franchise record 32 TD's and that was with the current crop of options he has....

SOoooooo the Steelers add 6'4 Limas Sweed in the 2nd and Mendenhall in the first. Now i'm not a rocket scientist or even a football expert but two additional prime time weapons keeps defenses honest and if they aren't going to play honest Mendenhall is out in the flat or Sweed is a big target down field. Additional options, GOOD options lead to less sacks and thats a FACT, if you don't like it thats fine but to say it's incorrect is flat out ignorant. The Steelers had one hell of a draft and thank god they didn't reach (See Texans and Duane Brown).

quote:

SOoooooo the Steelers add 6'4 Limas Sweed in the 2nd and Mendenhall in the first. Now i'm not a rocket scientist or even a football expert but two additional prime time weapons keeps defenses honest and if they aren't going to play honest Mendenhall is out in the flat or Sweed is a big target down field. Additional options, GOOD options lead to less sacks and thats a FACT, if you don't like it thats fine but to say it's incorrect is flat out ignorant. The Steelers had one hell of a draft and thank god they didn't reach (See Texans and Duane Brown).

Do you listen or just wait for your turn to talk? I said I liked the Mendenall and Sweed picks, I just think the line is not what you think it is. You wrote 4 paragraphs pretty much agreeing with me then saying "if you dont like you're ignorant". WTF did you think i said to begin with?

quote:

Originally posted by xX HOLLYWOOD Xx:

quote:

SOoooooo the Steelers add 6'4 Limas Sweed in the 2nd and Mendenhall in the first. Now i'm not a rocket scientist or even a football expert but two additional prime time weapons keeps defenses honest and if they aren't going to play honest Mendenhall is out in the flat or Sweed is a big target down field. Additional options, GOOD options lead to less sacks and thats a FACT, if you don't like it thats fine but to say it's incorrect is flat out ignorant. The Steelers had one hell of a draft and thank god they didn't reach (See Texans and Duane Brown).

Do you listen or just wait for your turn to talk? I said I liked the Mendenall and Sweed picks, I just think the line is not what you think it is. You wrote 4 paragraphs pretty much agreeing with me then saying "if you dont like you're ignorant". WTF did you think i said to begin with?

I meant to quote Desertdawg and at no point in the 4 paragraphs did I agree with you besides what you said about Sweed and Mendenhall being good picks. I think I made it pretty damn clear i'm confident in Hartwig and the guys we have in house and explained that Big Ben is one of the reasons we took as many sacks as we did and the two PRIMETIME options we drafted help Big Ben get the ball out and away faster. Sweed and Mendenhall help the offensive line. Bank on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
I'm sorry but I just don't think our offensive line is as bad as everyone wants to make it out to be ......

Now as far as the 47 sacks are concerned

Your QB was just sacked the 2nd most times in Steeler history but you do not have OL issues? We'll see.

quote:

Originally posted by DesertDawg:

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
I'm sorry but I just don't think our offensive line is as bad as everyone wants to make it out to be ......

Now as far as the 47 sacks are concerned

Your QB was just sacked the 2nd most times in Steeler history but you do not have OL issues? We'll see.

I just don't think they are quite as bad as everyone likes to believe, at least in Cleveland. If they were we would have made it a point to address it in the draft no? Clearly the front office believes in the guys we have, is it a mistake? I guess we'll find out as you've stated.

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
Sweed and Mendenhall help the offensive line. Bank on it.

You need to stop drinking the Bruce Arians kool aid, man. LMMFAO!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:

quote:

Originally posted by xX HOLLYWOOD Xx:

quote:

SOoooooo the Steelers add 6'4 Limas Sweed in the 2nd and Mendenhall in the first. Now i'm not a rocket scientist or even a football expert but two additional prime time weapons keeps defenses honest and if they aren't going to play honest Mendenhall is out in the flat or Sweed is a big target down field. Additional options, GOOD options lead to less sacks and thats a FACT, if you don't like it thats fine but to say it's incorrect is flat out ignorant. The Steelers had one hell of a draft and thank god they didn't reach (See Texans and Duane Brown).

Do you listen or just wait for your turn to talk? I said I liked the Mendenall and Sweed picks, I just think the line is not what you think it is. You wrote 4 paragraphs pretty much agreeing with me then saying "if you dont like you're ignorant". WTF did you think i said to begin with?

I meant to quote Desertdawg and at no point in the 4 paragraphs did I agree with you besides what you said about Sweed and Mendenhall being good picks. I think I made it pretty damn clear i'm confident in Hartwig and the guys we have in house and explained that Big Ben is one of the reasons we took as many sacks as we did and the two PRIMETIME options we drafted help Big Ben get the ball out and away faster. Sweed and Mendenhall help the offensive line. Bank on it.

Ok keep lying to yourself thinking a rookie WR and a rookie backup RB are gonna miraculously mend all the holes on the o-line. Just when i thought you couldnt be dumber than you look you continue to outdue yourself. Do yourself a favor and shutup.

quote:

Originally posted by Snatch98:
I just don't think they are quite as bad as everyone likes to believe, at least in Cleveland. If they were we would have made it a point to address it in the draft no? Clearly the front office believes in the guys we have, is it a mistake? I guess we'll find out as you've stated.

You've admitted that the guys you wanted were gone so that means you couldn't address it. Now your saying the FO did not want to address it because they're confident with the guys they have. Your FO admits they need to address it -

quote:

"We need to strengthen ourselves in our lines, of course," he said. "If I could identify anything at this point, I would say we need young, big people."

Later in that news conference, Tomlin added:

"I talked about offensive and defensive lines earlier in terms of our focus. Because you always need big, strong men in the interior on the rise. We're older in those positions. We are. That will be our intentions, along with all areas, of course. But in terms of having the personality that we want to have, there is no secret that we want to run the football and run it big time. We want to smash the run so it starts inside and up front."

Yeah. No problems here.