View topic - Retooled O

[Nel Profile]

I like the quotes by Starks and Ben, the realistic optimism. It makes we want to to watch these guys play. It also makes me respect the ex-players, Burress and El. I like the way Ben speaks of them; Ben is holding the current group up to that standard.

"Retooled offense key for Steelers (Aug. 31, 2008)"

By Chris Adamski
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker)- Ben Roethlisberger enjoyed a career year last season, but the best part for the Pittsburgh Steelers is that it appears their young quarterback has an even better supporting cast around him in 2008.

Pittsburgh spent its top two draft choices on skill positions to help bolster an offense that had already ranked ninth in the league in scoring and third in rushing yards and had allowed Roethlisberger to set a franchise record with 32 touchdown passes last season.

“All in all, he has so many viable weapons now,” said Hines Ward, the elder statesman of the offense who has led the team in receptions each of the past nine seasons. “I think we’ve got a strong supporting cast around him now. We’re just as talented as anybody at (the skill positions).”

The triumvirate of running back Willie Parker and receivers Ward and Santonio Holmes combined for 3,128 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns last season. Parker led the league in rushing before breaking his leg in a December 20 game at St. Louis, and Holmes topped the league in yards per catch (18.2) among players with at least 21 receptions.

The team also feature receiving threats in tight ends Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth. Miller caught 47 passes and ranked fourth among NFL tight ends with seven touchdowns, and Spaeth, a third-round choice in 2007, set school records at the University of Minnesota.

Wide receiver Nate Washington (29 catches, 450 yards, five touchdowns last season) also returns, but Pittsburgh stayed on the offensive by adding running back Rashard Mendenhall, the first-round pick from Illinois, and 6-foot-4 receiver Limas Sweed, the second round pick out of Texas.

“Any time you can come out and see guys like Willie Parker, Hines, Santonio, Ben there’s just so many ways that these guys can strike offensively that it’s really exciting,” Sweed said.

The combination of the top four receivers, the 1-2 speed-power punch at running back and the pair of talented tight ends to go along with a Pro Bowl quarterback has the Steelers believing they might have one of the best offenses in the AFC this side of Foxborough.

“Potentially, yes,” said offensive tackle Max Starks, a five-year veteran who started during the 2005 Super Bowl season. “But we really haven’t battle-tested a lot of our young weapons that we have. It will be interesting to see come Game One and marching through the season how those guys are. They do have the capabilities of becoming the best set of weapons we have had on the offensive side of the ball.”

The pass-catching group might be the most intriguing.

Ward holds just about every team receiving record and is a four-time Pro Bowler. Teammates rave that Holmes, a first-round pick in 2006, is on the cusp of stardom. Miller set receiving records at the University of Virginia and has scored 18 touchdowns during his three-year career.

Roethlisberger hasn’t had a set of receivers this deep and diverse since his rookie season in 2004, when Ward, Plaxico Burress and Antwaan Randle El combined for 158 catches, 2,303 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“I can’t really say that this (current group) is the best group because then I wouldn’t be doing (Burress) justice and (Randle El) and guys like that,” Roethlisberger said. “I won’t say this is the best group, but I do love the group that I have. They’re awesome.”

“We want to complement each other,” Ward said. “We haven’t had a group like this in a while, probably since Plex and myself and Antwaan. We really supported one another, really complemented one another. I think Santonio is starting to come into his own, and we’re starting to get a rapport back as far as receiving goes.”

Holmes, in particular, spent time in the offseason building a closer relationship with Roethlisberger.

“I don’t think Ben comes into the huddle saying, ‘OK, I’m going to throw it to that guy,’” Holmes said. “He has reads he can go through, progressions, options to find wherever the best matchup is to throw the ball. He knows that any one of us, if he needs us to make a play, we’ll make it.”

The proverbial good problem to have? Too many weapons, not enough balls to go around, particularly in the backfield, where Parker has rushed for at least 1,200 yards during each of the past three seasons but will certainly yield some carries to Mendenhall.

“It will all work itself out,” offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. “It’s a lot of fun. You like to have weapons, and each guy brings something different to the table so you want to use them all.”

Pittsburgh’s defense led the league in total defense (266.4 yards per game) and was second in scoring defense (16.8 points per game) last season, so the Steelers figure to be in the thick of the AFC title hunt on the basis of that alone.

Still, in an ultra-competitive conference that also features the likes of New England, Indianapolis and San Diego, the Steelers felt they had to upgrade the offense. They believe they have done just that.

“I think we can be better,” Miller said. “At times last season, we didn’t finish off opponents the way we should and the way we have in the past. This season, it seems like we have a lot of versatility, and the more versatile you can be, the harder you are to defend.”

[Hi5Steeler Profile]

ive said this already on several boards. WE HAVE THE DEEPEST SCARIEST OFFENSE IN THE ENTIRE NFL. Our offense of WRS TES and RBS are way better than the patriots. they have welker and moss. ok fine. hines and SANTONIO are just as good. last year was the first year with the new offense. This year the steelers will explode
moss will be three steps slower this year and santonio will be ten steps faster.


and as for RBS and TEs......heath miller and matt spaeth are both HUGE TALENTS. both stars

and for rbs....lets see....

injury prone maroney who hasnt proven a thing VS WILLIE PARKER MEWELDE MOORE rashard mendenhall gary russell carey davis.


Our O Line will gel throughout the year. its all about working together....once they mesh they are just about the BIGGEST o line in the entire nfl. once they mesh...and they havent yet....at that point we will be BETTER than last years patriots.

mike tomlin is a genius....he could have been a surgeon...or a wall street tycoon. he told his parents before college his GOAL was to be a head coach in the nfl....

he achieved that....do not EVER forget he is brilliant......look at bellicheats early head coaching career..he was HORRIFIC....and now we know he used illegal methods to become great.

tomlin was good his first year....he will become hall of fame great without cheating...in my estimation....

we have all the pieces of the puzzle...we just need the o line to gel and learn each other......

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS...YOU BETTER LOOK OUT....NEW DYNASTY

[StillDodger Profile]

I like your optimism , but I have to say the Kool-Aid is too sweet ....

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

This thread topic is FULL of win!

Seriously... This has been my single-most FAVORITE topic of conversation over the off-season... Especially AFTER the draft.

Pittsburgh is COMPLETELY loaded on the offensive side of the ball when it comes to weaponry. Let's think about this for a minute...

The triumvirate of running back Willie Parker and receivers Ward and Santonio Holmes combined for 3,128 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns last season.

The Steelers scored a TOTAL of 43 TDs last season offensively (That's 34 through the air and 9 on the gr... 9 on the GROUND!?!?!? Time for another 'goal line back' thread) For you link clickers, please see:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/footba ... SS_TD.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/footba ... SH_TD.html

I think Arians is going to use this accumulation of talent to really open this offense up further. Looking at the the TD comparison above, along with Roethlisberger throwing for over 3,000 yards and 30+TDs, it's safe to say we're not afraid to throw the ball anymore. That's a very good thing too considering the way of the league and the pass-happy direction it's taking (Thanks Cameron Diaz's character person in "Any Given Sunday")

I look forward to seeing more of our backs and tight ends being utilized through the air in true New England-ish dink-n-dunk fashion. This could be wishful thinking, but the pieces are slooooowly falling into place. We certainly do have any conceivable option under the sun to go to.

As Hi5 pointed out... As much as we knock our boys up front blocking... They ARE some biiiiig fellers. Once they have faith in their abilities as a unit and start blocking as a unit (as I am somewhat confident they will), this will fill in the gap of an offense that you... just... can't... gameplan... for. Not in a single week at least. Or without illegal video camera usage. ;^)

I agree with your estimation too, Hi5. Tomlin has a unique mind and very-well could have been anything he wanted. Lucky for us, he's leading our soldiers into battle. When he goes down as another 'great coach that was chosen by The Rooneys', it will be pure... Because at this point in his life, his mind is PURE football.

So raise your glasses ladies and gents! Here's to football!

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

I like your optimism , but I have to say the Kool-Aid is too sweet ....

The Kool-Aid is just fine. I think you're just drinking the wrong flavor.

[jstallworth82 Profile]

Hi5, Are you using like cocaine and LSD together? Our O-Line will be among the best in the NFL??? I'll believe that when I see it. During Preseason they sucked

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

Our O-Line will be among the best in the NFL??? I'll believe that when I see it. During Preseason they sucked

I think you missed the point jstallworth82...

Right now, they're lucky to be considered mediocre. Once they 'gel'... Or build that camaraderie as some would say... They will be a force to be reckoned with... One that will rival a hated OLine from the mid-nineties over in the NFC East. (Okay. Maybe not THAT good. But I added some sugar in MY Kool-Aid when no one was looking.)

The skinny of it is:

Yes, they're not great right now.

Yes, they will get better as the season goes on and they play as a team, along with learning to play with one another.

Maybe... Just maybe... If all potential is reached as a unit, they will be great.

I can certainly appreciate your skepticism though. Your glass is "I'll believe it when I see it" full. It's aaaaall good, sir.

Here's to football!