Steelers hope new blocking scheme kick-starts running game

By Mark Kaboly

Three spring practices were more than enough to make a believer out of Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey.

Pouncey is such a believer that he wouldn't mind if the Steelers threw out their old blocking schemes — power and inside zone — for what new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. has been installing over the first week of organized team activities: the outside zone, one-cut blocking style. Denver was successful with the system under Alex Gibbs two decades ago, and it has helped Houston's Arian Foster become one of the NFL's best running backs.

“I don't know if Maurkice was joking or not when he said that,” guard Ramon Foster said. “I think he was, but, still, that's how much we are liking this. It's a great new dynamic for us.”

The Steelers plan to use the outside zone scheme to supplement their power style in order to take advantage of their all-of-a-sudden big, nimble and young offensive line. The hope is to kick start a running game that had its worst output in a decade last year.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4070053-74/running-steelers-zone#ixzz2UBFJVncg

Well that would be a welcomed sight for sore eyes, a RB that gains more than 3 years and gathers a cloud of dust!

I love the fact that they recognized what they were doing last year didn't work, so they're changing it. That's a fresh approach compared with the offensive stubbornness of the previous five years.