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Unless, and Until, that offensive line gets a whole lot better, then there is no style that will work well.....They cannot hold a block long enogh or pick up blitzes and stunts well enough to have much of a deep passing game. In that sense I suppose he is right.

Agreed!! The Steelers need to run the ball more. They have a below average OL, they have an average QB (that hold the ball forever) and yet they want to throw it. I don't get it.

Tomlin and the Offensive Coordinator made some VERY questionable calls on Sunday. The one that stands out the must is an attempt for a 51 year FG on 4th and 1 in those weather conditions. I think the right call was to Punt or go for it on. That miss left SD with great field position in which that score a TD on.

I would agree as a Steelers fan except that Steelers classic football is built around a huge power back like Franco or Bus and with Parker's bad shoulder and Moore as the only other RB right now, it ain't happening. The Steelers need to try to find a gigantic RB in the next draft or as a FA...who, I don't know...and AFTER they retool the OL protecting Big Ben.

50year,

You don't have to hold blocks if Big Ben would get rid of the ball. Pitt doesn't have anyone at WR that has enough speed to scare corners. The Colts and Chargers corners sit on all the Steelers routes at 10 to 15 yards and dared them to good deep.

Short passes can move the ball too (West coast offense). Big Ben is part of the problem in Pitt.

madhatter,

They cut Davenport. He is about 250, right? To my point on the questionable play calling. On 4th and goal from the 1 foot mark they ran Moore over Parker......not good.

Hey Willie: explain that to Coach Tomlin and his offense coordinator Bruce Arian. The Steelers have always been a running team. That is why Ben is getting battered and throwing interceptions. The opponents know that Ben will throw so get back to the 'Steeler Football' that have won championships along with the greatest defense in football. Go STEELERS Go.

Agree 100% with FWP. Steelers are and have always been, a running team that threw off the play-action. Even with a bum shoulder, Parker ran>100yds. The OL has some size to it and actually does a fairly decent job on run blocks. The problem is that Tomlin/Arians aren't patient enough to stick with the run consistently. Ben is a GREAT QB, but even the best can't win EVERY game on their own ( he did a tremendous job against the Jags and Ravens earlier this season though ). They need to go back to the old Bill Cowher game plan of boring, stuff-it- down-your-throat, offense and play for field position and let the D make a big play or 2. That formula resulted in an almost 70% winning percentage during the Cowher years. When Ben can drop back against a D playing honest because of the running game, he will almost always find somebody open. When he is playing against a D consistently sending 5 to 7 players on the pass rush, he is playing on their terms....Steelers never have and never will be consistently sucessfull playing the "dink and dunk" so-called West coast offense. They are just not tooled for that kind of offense.

steelers have been moving away from steelers football for 2 seasons. as the line became more of an issue, they started using the TE's to pass block, which meant there was less flat and over the middle passes to the TEs. which the steelers used to use setting up their running game.

with iffy pass blocking, limited TE passes, and reduced running attempts, the steelers are leaving themselves little choice but to throw often.

pw....Agree. That is what I see in it all too. Steeler football in the past on offense was ALL built around those offensive lines..........It ain't there.....so all else is just a theory...blame the QB, or the OC, but it is all just a theory. That line is arguably one of the worst in football.....Period...certainly bottom five..

So he wants to get back to running trick plays every other play and acting like they are a smashmouth team?

Parker....nice sentiment but it would help if you would stay healthy!

Hindsight is an exact science but was anyone else wondering why Russell didn't get the ball on the failed goal line attempt? No offense to Mewelde, he's held the fort with some BIG games but I believe Russell is bigger and they did bring him in for some crucial 3rd-and-1s.

The Steelers BETTER address their O-line this off-season!!!!!! They payed huge $$$ for what's-his-face to stand on the sideline all year (practically). They couldn't have signed an actual player for the same amount??????!!!!!

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 09:03 AM ET  11.18 by 50yearfan

Unless, and Until, that offensive line gets a whole lot better, then there is no style that will work well.....They cannot hold a block long enogh or pick up blitzes and stunts well enough to have much of a deep passing game. In that sense I suppose he is right.

My sentiments exactly. Steeler football as I've seen it over the years has been defined by a strong defense and power running game. The defense is still good, much to my chagrine, but the O-line is severly lacking. They can't open up holes and they can't protect Rothlisberger. People say Faneca was on the down side of his career, but they certainly were better off with him.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 11:46 AM ET  11.18 by Lucic For President

Arians is terrible.

I like Iranians............

Check out these NFL quarterback rankings:

http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/291037

The steelers need a line first to play 'steeler football'. Its a mess...

I agree get the whole team healthy, alot better but I think Parker means smash mouth, in your face football, throw in Polamalu's style of play, I like it.
Stop the refs from taking away the Excitement from fans, stop favoring or protecting QB so much, the slightest touch on them and it ???roughing the passer??? I???ve seen some whoppers, this is football, not Sunday school for sissies. Steelers play tough, but need to be healthy.

Stealer football = a bunch of fat middle aged viagra popping unemployed steel workers cheering for players who should be wearing skirts and ice skates

QUOTE(#19):

Originally posted 08:30 PM ET  11.18 by Love Monkey

Stealer football = a bunch of fat middle aged viagra popping unemployed steel workers cheering for players who should be wearing skirts and ice skates

Dude, you live in Utah. Go float in the Great Salt Lake or sit on a cactus.

I agree with all above who say the offensive line stinks. They are fat, slow and pcik up blitzes about as well as PENDOT fills potholes. I would rather watch smash mouth football and 13-10 games than Ben throwing it 40 times "dink and dunk" underneath. The G-Men are the perfect mauling-running team and the Ravens, Falcons and Dolphins do it well too.

That being the Steelers' front office unforunately resigned the wrong guy. Giving Kendall Simmons millions was a mistake for a guy with a recently healed ACL and now an achillies todeal with too. Why not throw less Chris K.'s way? Matador Marvel is done, Starks is as soft as a sponge cake and Colon looks like a fatter version of the Charmin Bear. That leaves Darnell Stapleton (all 285 pounds of him) and Justin Hartwig. Essex is also a free agent too and Tony Hills is supposedly a stiff and probably has not even been allowed to take his uniform out of his locker since training camp.

Unfortunately, the Steelers will have a 22-32 draft pick and the elite linemen will be gone to the perpetual cellar dwellers like Cincy, Detroit, Stl, SF and Oakland. If the Steelers had a competent line they would assuredly go deep in the playoffs, but they do not so they are stuck with the stiffs they have.

The Steelers could also use a high pick on a corner to complement Ike T., as McFadden may go as an UFA and Townsend is not getting any younger. The jury is still out on Willie Gay.