Pittsburgh – For two seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line was so good almost nobody paid any attention to it.
When an offensive line gets noticed, it’s almost always for the wrong reasons – sacks, running-play breakdowns, holding penalties, holes that don’t get opened, short-yardage plays that don’t get converted.
The Steelers’ line has had all of the above during a discouragingly bad season for what usually is one of the NFL’s most solid units.
Coach Bill Cowher has noticed, and he singled out his offensive line by saying it has to perform better, and now. The Steelers (2-5) play the Broncos (5-2) at home today in a rematch of last season’s AFC championship game, won by Pittsburgh 34-17 in Denver.
The Broncos might be able to do to the Steelers what Pittsburgh did to them in January: end their season. If the Steelers fall to 2-6, their only chance to make the playoffs might be to win their final eight games.
“We’re disappointed in our play,” right tackle Max Starks said. “We’re not proud of the way we’re playing. You look at film and see how we dominated last year, then to get to a situation where you’re on edge about things.”
Perhaps the prime example of the offensive line’s fall-off came in Sunday’s 20-13 loss at Oakland, when the Steelers couldn’t score to tie it after having a first-and-goal at the Raiders’ 1 in the closing minutes.
“There have been a lot of inconsistencies with our team,” Cowher said. “There’s a lot of work to be done.”
The Steelers had continuity on their offensive line in 2004 and 2005, but have been juggling players lately. Three weeks ago, former first-round draft pick Kendall Simmons was benched at right guard for Chris Kemoeatu, a sixth-rounder last year, but Simmons might return today.
Center Jeff Hartings is out this week with a knee injury, with Chukky Okobi making his first start since starting five times in 2002. Starks would also be a candidate for benching if a backup were pushing him, as he was constantly beaten off the edge last week by the Raiders’ Derrick Burgess (2 1/2 sacks) and Tommy Kelly (1 1/2 sacks).
There’s more. Steelers quarterbacks have been sacked 22 times, an average of more than three per game. The constant pressure also has helped create 18 turnovers, five fewer than the Steelers had all last season.
A running game that was in the top five in yardage the last two seasons is 16th overall, with Willie Parker averaging nearly a yard per carry less than last season (3.8 to 4.7).
“That’s the good thing about having a game this week,” Starks said. “You can put last week behind you.”
How many more weeks can the Steelers keep putting losses behind them? The Steelers dominated Denver in the AFC championship game, yet Broncos defensive lineman Ebenezer Ekuban can’t wait to get at Ben Roethlisberger.
The way Ekuban is talking, he plans to do exactly that.
Ekuban was happy to hear Cowher won’t go to backup Charlie Batch, saying he fears Batch more.
Roethlisberger threw four interceptions against Oakland, two for touchdowns, while Batch has five TD passes and no interceptions this season.
“I just pray that Ben plays another game before they sit him down,” Ekuban said. “Come on, one more game.”
Ekuban suggested that Batch’s mobility is more worrisome than Roethlisberger’s, especially since the Steelers prefer to keep their Super Bowl quarterback in the pocket.
