Offensive Line Power Struggle

[Hamer]

Good Article from WPXI about Coach Tomlin's 2nd Camp...

http://www.wpxi.com/sports/17037714/detail.html

excerpt:

According to right tackle Willie Colon, there was tension along the offensive line all season as All-Pro left guard Alan Faneca, now with the Jets, refused to implement some changes sought by new offensive line coach Larry Zierlein.

Faneca's stubbornness created doubt among the younger linemen, who didn't know whether to follow a star player's lead or to do what was asked of them.

"Alan was a leader," Colon said. "Sometimes you can't teach old dogs new tricks. We have to realize Alan is gone, coach Zierlein is the boss and that's how we have to approach it. ... It's a new year and a new ship and we have a lot of new guys on deck."

Interesting glimpse on an apparent power struggle last season between Coach Zeirlein and Alan Faneca. I guess now the line has got one plan, and one leader. Alan's the best lineman in the league, but I wonder if our line will actually play better without him.

One can only hope!

[SteelMember]

Alan is certainly a great player. I don't know if all his probowl appearences went to his head, but there seems to have been a real power struggle for coach Z.

His play will be hard to replace, but I think we will be better for it.

At least $40 million better anyway.

[scsteeler]

Once the season starts I think most will see that Alan gone from the line will be best for the team. I think he was unhappy before Tomlin came in. Faneca is a very good player and will be missed but yes I think he can be replaced and the Steelers will move on Like they did With other great guys like, Greg Loyd, Joey Porter, and others that could be named. I mentioned those guys because they did not have stellar careers after leaving the Steel City. Alan should fair much better but our O-line will improve much since he has departed. I actually wanted him to leave last year!!!

[Dino 6 Rings]

One Rotten Apple Spoils The Bunch.

He's a Jet now. I will pay attention to the guys that want to be playing Oline for the Steelers. Bottom line.

[revefsreleets]

Again, it's an interesting dilemma:

Believe all the naysayers on a bunch of message boards that we are doomed because the FO failed to address a glaring weakness on a team that has traditionally almost always been right about it's offensive line, or trust the FO because they've traditionally been right about the offensive line and know 10,000 times more about the inner-workings of the team and it's OL than the entire fan base combined?

There was, and remains, too much talent, too much history and pedigree, too much of a proven track record to think that the OL is going to be anywhere near as awful as the "glass-half-fullers" would have us believe...

[steel striker]

The thing I find interesting is that alot of people are already counting us out of because, of last years oline play. Well that was last year we had alot of injuries and, as far as I'm concerned that was last year. This is a new year and, I'm not ready to crown the browns as afc champs. I still think the media who is clueless thinks if it looks good on paper it will come to be true. We all know just because, it looks good does not mean crap. I hope our whole team has a chip on it's shoulder the whole season. It seems when people doubt us the most we play the best.

[xfl2001fan]

I'm not counting the Steelers out...and I don't believe that all of the media pundits are counting them out either.

Yup, Browns fan said that.

However, kind of like our secondary has a lot to prove, so does your offensive line. Until it's shown consistent progress on the field, it's going to be talked down and brought up as a weak point. The fact that a weak offensive line is a stone-cold killer to an offense makes it much more difficult a flaw to overlook or compensate for. A weak secondary (particularly corners) can be covered better by scheme and a good passrush. At least, it's easier to compensate for a weak secondary than it is a weak O-line.

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by xfl2001fan

I'm not counting the Steelers out...and I don't believe that all of the media pundits are counting them out either.

Yup, Browns fan said that.

However, kind of like our secondary has a lot to prove, so does your offensive line. Until it's shown consistent progress on the field, it's going to be talked down and brought up as a weak point. The fact that a weak offensive line is a stone-cold killer to an offense makes it much more difficult a flaw to overlook or compensate for. A weak secondary (particularly corners) can be covered better by scheme and a good passrush. At least, it's easier to compensate for a weak secondary than it is a weak O-line.

That is a fair assessment...

though I disagree about easier to compensate for a weak secondary.

In this league, ANY weak position will be murderous.

[xfl2001fan]

A weak secondary exposes one portion of the defense. A good pass rush won't allow the QB to set his feet and make the throws and it doesn't have as much of an effect on run defense...though good rushing teams will still expose a one-dimensional defense.

A weak O-line exposes every aspect of the offense. That's the only reason why I give an edge to the weak secondary statement.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by xfl2001fan

A weak secondary exposes one portion of the defense. A good pass rush won't allow the QB to set his feet and make the throws and it doesn't have as much of an effect on run defense...though good rushing teams will still expose a one-dimensional defense.

A weak O-line exposes every aspect of the offense. That's the only reason why I give an edge to the weak secondary statement.

maybe a 'fair" assessment. but not a correct one.

saying the steelers offensive line is "weak" based soley on number of sacks given up, is like saying jerome bettis was weak based on his sub 4.0 YPC average.

whatever makes one feel better though...