Steelers OL targeting injury-free performance as key

Steelers offensive line targeting injury-free performance as key

By Mark Kaboly
Thursday, May 21, 2015

The number of starting offensive line combinations for the Steelers over the past five years:

2014 3

2013 7

2012 7

2011 9

2010 4

Source: Trib Total Media research

All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey believes the Steelers can have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL this season.

So does veteran guard Ramon Foster.

“Barring injury,” Foster said.

That's the catch, isn't it?

The Steelers made retooling and rebuilding their offensive line a priority for three consecutive years through the draft. They used first-round picks on Pouncey and David DeCastro and second-round picks on Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams.

But every year, injuries would derail those plans.

• In 2011, the Steelers had nine different starting offensive line combinations, including seven in a row to start the season because of various injuries.

• In 2012, rookie first-round pick DeCastro missed the majority of the season with a knee injury in the preseason caused by Gilbert falling into his leg. Later, Gilbert missed the final 11 games with a shoulder injury.

• In 2013, Pouncey was lost for the year with an ACL tear eight plays into the season when DeCastro accidentally dove into the side of his leg trying to cut a defender.

It was frustrating, and at times, unbelievable.

“Hopefully, that's behind us now,” Foster said.

That may be the case.

Last year, Kelvin Beachum and DeCastro played every snap, Pouncey all but seven,. The starting five were on the field for 91 percent of the snaps a year after managing only 58 percent.

If all goes as planned, the Steelers will start the same offensive line to open the season for the first time in the Mike Tomlin era when they open the against the Patriots* on Sept. 10.

to read rest of article:

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/8414515-74/steelers-injury-offensive#ixzz3b0PrQWpa

Its time to shut up about O-Linemen getting injured.

Steelers look to revive running game again

Ray Fittipaldo

The Steelers improved their rushing game in 2014, jumping 11 spots in the NFL rankings. After finishing 27th in the league in rushing in 2013 they finished last season ranked 16th.

The Steelers led the league in rushing for a short time in September and remained a top 10 rushing team well into December before teams began focusing on stopping it. In the final three games of the regular season the Steelers were held to 45 yards on 22 attempts by Atlanta, to 68 yards on 26 attempts against Kansas City and to 29 yards on 18 attempts by Cincinnati.

The Steelers won all three games, but good running teams pride themselves on being able to run on any team in any situation so there remains room for improvement.

With all five offensive linemen returning as well as the top two tight ends there is reason to believe the Steelers can take another step in their development and be a top 10 rushing team over the course of an entire season.

“I hope so,” center Maurkice Pouncey said. “We’ve been really working at it. We have some really great running backs. Coach [Mike] Munchak has been doing a great job teaching us the different techniques and homing in on our base run game. We’ve been watching a lot of film so hopefully we can build on it.”

to read rest of article:

http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers-steelers-blog/2015/05/22/Steelers-look-to-revive-running-game-again

lol that gif of joe greene kicking that browns player in the nuts is hillarious

I love all of the gifs. Where is the Lambert one though with Dallas?

BJ Finney: Will we extend Foster or let him become FA and draft his replacement next year.

Gerry Dulac: No, they will let him go. You can't re-sign everyone.

Kelvin: Think we let Beachum test the free agency waters

Gerry Dulac: Absolutely. And he would be stupid if he didn't.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/05/28/Gerry-Dulac-s-Steeler-chat-transcript-5-28-15/stories/201505280219

unleash hell!

Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac Doesn’t See Steelers Extending Kelvin Beachum Soon

While most people who follow the Pittsburgh Steelers closely expect defensive end Cameron Heyward and tackle Kelvin Beachum to both receive a contract extensions later this summer, there’s one beat writer who isn’t so sure that the latter is a slam-dunk to get a new deal prior to the start of the 2015 season.

In his most recent online chat, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked if he thought Beachum would be allowed to test free agency next offseason and his reply was straight and to the point.

“Absolutely,” Dulac wrote. “And he would be stupid if he didn’t.”

to read rest of article:

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/06...his-offseason/

The line looked MUCH better last year and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that they were healthy. Much easier to be productive when you lace it up with the same guy next to you week in and week out.