Cleveland Browns: Far too early to bury rivalry with Steelers

Steelers O-Line wasn’t that good, so losses don’t mean much

Oh, brother, Steelers fans are going to really have a cow over this one, and I just don’t know how to say this politely, but I am not convinced that the Steelers O-Line was really as good as their stats would indicate last season. As described on the previous page, Roethlisberger’s quick release and ability to stay upright made the offensive line look much better than they actually were.

If you are going to hold up their Pro Football Focus grades as proof to the contrary, remember that the grades are based on whether the assignments were successful or not. So if everybody on the line sustains their blocks for 1.5 seconds, Ben makes a pump fake to buy another split second and then completes a six-yard pass, everyone gets a good grade.

I don’t buy it. With an average quarterback, the O-Line would have caved in before the ball could get airborne. Last year’s Steelers O-Line was not your father’s Steelers.

Pro Football Focus ranked NFL offensive lines, and your Cleveland Browns ranked first overall, with the Ravens 12th, Bengals 24th, and Steelers 29th. However, do not think that Roethlisberger will be helpless behind a below-average line just because he is slow. He is not easy to sack as you might think. In fact, he’s one of the hardest quarterbacks in the NFL to sack because of the quick release and the difficulty in bringing him down once you grab hold of the Seasoned Old Battler (SOB).

Yes, the Steelers lost three-fifths of their offensive line, and two of those players were repeat visitors to the Pro Bowl. But the losses are not as huge as they appear, and the Steelers have a very good chance to find replacements.

The Steelers drafted two offensive linemen, center Kendrick Green in the third round and tackle Dan Moore, Jr. They also added a free agent from Tampa Bay in Joe Haeg. it is very predictable that the Steelers could unearth some other offensive linemen from among the undrafted free agents, or some unlikely place, and they will find players who can do the job well enough to function.

Their O-Line was not a strength in 2020, so I can’t get too worked about the losses they have experienced this season. In fact, it was time for them to go. The young replacements will probably be about as good as the players who have left.

A better question is whether the run blocking will be there for the running game.