Do you like Kemo?

[SteelKnight]

I was listening to the broadcast and I was hearing Simms (I believe) say how kemo was one of our best blockers.

In my mind he had been on the hit list to be replaced.

People have been complaining about RG but to me, RG seems fine. That's not where I see the pressure coming from and we seem to be able to run on that side well.

I thought i would just get opinions as to whether you think Kemo needs to be replaced?

[Merchant]

He hasn't been having his best season. I was in attendance for the Buffalo game where he had probably the worst game I've ever seen him have. He's also made some really bone-headed plays such as when he came in extremely late into the pile after Mendy scored the go-ahead TD in the Ravens game. However, last season I thought he had a great year - Andy Benoit, one of my favorite sports writers, even had him on his mid-season All Pro team. He's very effective when we pull him to run-block. I wouldn't get rid of him just yet. Give him another season.

[sarahpalinhater]

If I had a choice I would re-sign Colon and move him to guard, and get rid of Kemo. He is a good run blocker, and can be really physical. But he has a 2 cent head, and his pass blocking is sub par.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by SteelKnight

......

kemo is the left guard. he replaced faneca.

hes done just as well as anyone could expect w/o being a future HOFer.

on the right side is flozell who is an excellent run blocker.

on the left side is max starks' back up.

[Aussie Steeler]

He played out of his skin in the last game - at least in run blocking. Pass blocking needs work...just as much as everyone else on the o-line bar Pouncey. Kemo really is a good run blocker. Last season he played well also. I would keep him. Ben doesn't need a great pass blocking o-line and Steelers can spend the money on getting a better CB than McFadden, a real FB, replacement for Hampton at NT and whatever else we need. Although, I wouldn't mind a bit of help buffing up the o-line if we do have extra moneys - particularly Scott at LT, which should get better when Starks comes back. Need an upgrade from Foster too at RG.

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

kemo is the left guard. he replaced faneca.

hes done just as well as anyone could expect w/o being a future HOFer.

on the right side is flozell who is an excellent run blocker.

on the left side is max starks' back up.

I know Kemo is the left guard.
What I was saying is I've heard people complaining about the various people we've had in at RG but that seems fine to me and LG was more of a concern to me. It is true that they work as a team so it may be hard to judge Kemo because he has to work near Scott.

Obviously Tomlin wasn't pleased with RG because he did make the switch from Essex to Foster but the blocking at that position seems OK this year to me (at least recently).

[LVSteelersfan]

Kemo is the one who pulls and totally blows up the other side of the line on those running plays that Mendenhall got in the last game. I like him. Part of his problem in pass pro is Ben and his unpredictability. I don't think anyone can pass block for Ben on a consistent basis. He is not a pocket passer and he holds the ball forever sometimes. I like Kemo because he is a beast.

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by Aussie Steeler

He played out of his skin in the last game - at least in run blocking. Pass blocking needs work...just as much as everyone else on the o-line bar Pouncey. Kemo really is a good run blocker. Last season he played well also. I would keep him. Ben doesn't need a great pass blocking o-line and Steelers can spend the money on getting a better CB than McFadden, a real FB, replacement for Hampton at NT and whatever else we need. Although, I wouldn't mind a bit of help buffing up the o-line if we do have extra moneys - particularly Scott at LT, which should get better when Starks comes back. Need an upgrade from Foster too at RG.

When I watch the replay of the game, I'm going to focus a lot on the line. Foster seems OK to me. I'll look more closely though.

I think Adams does OK. He phonebooths a lot (where you push them around and past the QB). This technique can only be used with a solid center pocket so the QB can just step up. Wen we had a weak center pocket, that was colapsing under Hartwig, it would just look like the tackles were getting beat because Ben couldn't step up so he would step back and get sacked by the guy that was being phoneboothed.

The RG seemed to be OK too.

Pouncey is excellent.

It is the Left side...both Guard and tackle that seemed to me to be the problem. But I'll look again.

[SteelKnight]

Originally Posted by LVSteelersfan

Kemo is the one who pulls and totally blows up the other side of the line on those running plays that Mendenhall got in the last game. I like him. Part of his problem in pass pro is Ben and his unpredictability. I don't think anyone can pass block for Ben on a consistent basis. He is not a pocket passer and he holds the ball forever sometimes. I like Kemo because he is a beast.

Cool. Good to hear different opinions. I'm going to be looking next time I watch NFL replay.

[Aussie Steeler]

Originally Posted by SteelKnight

When I watch the replay of the game, I'm going to focus a lot on the line. Foster seems OK to me. I'll look more closely though.

I think Adams does OK. He phonebooths a lot (where you push them around and past the QB). This technique can only be used with a solid center pocket so the QB can just step up. Wen we had a weak center pocket, that was colapsing under Hartwig, it would just look like the tackles were getting beat because Ben couldn't step up so he would step back and get sacked by the guy that was being phoneboothed.

The RG seemed to be OK too.

Pouncey is excellent.

It is the Left side...both Guard and tackle that seemed to me to be the problem. But I'll look again.

I didn't realize we were only talking pass blocking. Kemo is definitely lacking in pass protection, as the case all year. J Scott is a replacement for Starks so it is only a 'problem' for one more game and not one which we can't handle. On the game vs Jets, the o-line played pretty well for the most part, except that collapse when Ben got sacked twice. I don't recall who was at fault in those sacks. One pressured pass which led to Ben throwing an INT was on J Scott (and to an extent Sanders but that's another topic). Foster's pass protection is above par although he did let a few slip against Balitmore. He's in his 2nd season and will get better. I'll backtrack and say we keep him :)