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The O-line is a work in progress, but there is light @ the end of the tunnel

slashsteel

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This motley crew has been talked about per nauseum but with week one on the books we can see there is room for improvement and at the same time some optimism moving forward. While run blocking and pass blocking continue to evolve if you look closely you can see that aggressive nature they are trying to install. Turner made Edmunds brother his ***** on that play. Highlighting the nasty nature that can't hurt while the rest of the equation works on improvement. Some might think you are only as good as the weakest link. Well perhaps Banner returns sooner than later and shores up that matter in the tune of..... you are the weakest link, goodbye. Chukes can put his hand in the woodpile for a swing tackle look in that event, as I think Moore will continue showing he is a hard remove from starting left tackle. Green will get NT tested against the Raiders which will help show where he is at moving forward if he can handle those 330 pound beasts. Not to forget that going against one of the best defenses in practice each week can do nothing but help progress this unit into the right direction. There is light at the end of the tunnel can yinz see it?
 

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slashsteel

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Turner and Ingram if they stay healthy are going to be great signings this year. The OL kept Ben upright but didn't open up running lanes for ****. We need this unit to get Najeh downfield more
I would think Banner would help open up some running lanes. But Green,Turner,Moore, and BigDot are capable and with some reps we should see improvement as the season progresses.
 

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Sorry, still not impressed. Dan Moore can have some leeway. Green too. Dotson seems ok. Turner and chucks Blow. Severely. And it will be very evident this week vs. Raiders.
 

slashsteel

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Sorry, still not impressed. Dan Moore can have some leeway. Green too. Dotson seems ok. Turner and chucks Blow. Severely. And it will be very evident this week vs. Raiders.
I have to disagree about Turner I think we will see improvement in him as he gets comfy in his surroundings. I see him at the least being adequate.
 

Hines57

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I would think Banner would help open up some running lanes. But Green,Turner,Moore, and BigDot are capable and with some reps we should see improvement as the season progresses.
May be a while before we even get Banner eligible, heh, to play. By then, Chuks may be playing well enough to keep him off the field unless we use Banner in heavy sets.
 

slashsteel

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May be a while before we even get Banner eligible, heh, to play. By then, Chuks may be playing well enough to keep him off the field unless we use Banner in heavy sets.
I think we have seen the best of Chuk. I would love to be proved wrong down the road.
 

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I think we have seen the best of Chuk. I would love to be proved wrong down the road.
That may be. They are going to build lots of cohesion together while Banner is rehabbing that knee. The two rooks did an ok job. It is encouraging that we were able to stay in the fight. There are going to be games where we need more out of our offense so our defense can stay fresh.
 

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I would think Banner would help open up some running lanes. But Green,Turner,Moore, and BigDot are capable and with some reps we should see improvement as the season progresses.


Right now these guys are just getting coheasion between themselves and the next to them. As long as they progress a little each week we will eventually get to a great OL. Dan Moore and Kevin Dotson will get much better as well as Green. On the other side, Turner will flex right into his role as well. Oakofor will need work and like the rest of them I'm sure Coach Klemm is instilling what they need respectively.

For a inexperience OL and short playing time together I feel they did ok. Continue the snap count developing the cohesion and this OL will continue the up-hill battle to excellence. They just need to keep Ben upright and start getting a lane or two for Najee. Najee and Ben didn't connect on a couple dumpoffs so when that starts to work (and it will) it will also assist in the run game. Get those LBs backed of the line just a little through play calling and BAM (not morris) Harris will be free.





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I didn't have any complaints with the OL other than Chuks. The dude looks like he got worse. He couldn't handle the LT spot because he can't keep his arms extended on pass blocking. They've apparently been teaching him that since he got here out of college and he still doesn't get it. Then in the Bills game, he wasn't following through with his blocks. He may engage his man but then he stops before the play is anywhere near over. He needs to watch that Freiermuth block so he knows how long to hold his block. Or, go back and watch the movie Blindside. He is the one I am worried about now. I am not sure if Banner can play RT but if he can, Chuks may be riding the pine when he gets back - unless he starts improving significantly.
 

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We need the line to get something open so we can open up the running game which in turn open up passes down the middle
 

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I fear Banner will never play a solid injury-free season, and we'll be looking to draft our next RT early next year. Banner always came off as a poor man's Max Starks to me. He just needs to stay on the field long enough to see if we can move OT down the list of top draft needs.

We can augment the run blocking with Muth in place of Ebron, Ju Ju motioning inside to block LB's, and D Watt in the lineup a bit more. Give this young OL that extra/6th dude to help. Heck, we can even get more creative in our goal-to-go calls, say Haeg in as 6th OL/eligible receiver, much like Banner used to do. (at the risk of going all F83 here....)
 

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The running game is about timing we aren’t there yet but the left tackle held up well so did the center position… they need a few patsys to sharpen up on but i expect they are only going to get better… need more effort by coaching staff to not give up on run… and friermuth I think is going to be special give him and claypool more targets that will also help running game, pulling the linebackers and safeties out of the box, staying in short yardage situations. There is lots to build on going away from game one but remember is hard for young to play consistent so well have ups and downs but to come off the road from Buffalo with a win is huge great confidence going forward.
 

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Sorry, still not impressed. Dan Moore can have some leeway. Green too. Dotson seems ok. Turner and chucks Blow. Severely. And it will be very evident this week vs. Raiders.
it's the plays that are being called. Look at that one - essentially a delayed outside run, a screen. Chucks waddles his *** down there and the ball moves inside. Ya CANNOT ask Chucks to do **** like that.

He's a bucket. Chucks is not a quick zipper. THAT play gets ****** up and could've gone to the house if the ball can move outside to the sideline w/ the tackle sealing off the defender(s). Chucks too slow and that's what we get.

Matt Canada MUST get creative with these calls because 1/2 the line can zip upfield & wash but not hold the point while 1/2 can crush guys in a scrum but cant hardly shake their *** downfield in a New York minute.
 

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I didn't have any complaints with the OL other than Chuks. The dude looks like he got worse. He couldn't handle the LT spot because he can't keep his arms extended on pass blocking. They've apparently been teaching him that since he got here out of college and he still doesn't get it. Then in the Bills game, he wasn't following through with his blocks. He may engage his man but then he stops before the play is anywhere near over. He needs to watch that Freiermuth block so he knows how long to hold his block. Or, go back and watch the movie Blindside. He is the one I am worried about now. I am not sure if Banner can play RT but if he can, Chuks may be riding the pine when he gets back - unless he starts improving significantly.


What was your take on Dan MOORE ?

I also see Banner as the RT stop gap until he is proven injury free and well......... capable.

I think Dan Moore played a decent game considering rookie and cohesion details. I think he will continue to climb the ladder and each game in he will get better and better then by week 5-8 we will all be saying dang we made a good draft pick !!!!


Someone mentioned MAX STARKS, I remeber him being good enough the steelers paid TOP dollar foe a couple 2-3 years.




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Steeltime

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What was your take on Dan MOORE ? I think Dan Moore played a decent game considering rookie and cohesion details. I think he will continue to climb the ladder and each game in he will get better and better then by week 5-8 we will all be saying dang we made a good draft pick !!!!

He is a 4th round draft pick who started at LT in his first game as a rookie. He's already a good draft pick.
 

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It will be interesting to see how Moore and Green progress throughout the season.

The new 17 game format is going to be straining on veterans, let alone rookies.

I can see a scenario where the line starts playing a lot better in October, but regresses again around December if Green and Moore were to hit the rookie wall from a strength and stamina standpoint.

Hopefully that's not the case, as Tomlin has frequently praised the conditioning of the 2021 rookie class as a whole, but the NFL is much more physically demanding than the college game.
 

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Sorry, still not impressed. Dan Moore can have some leeway. Green too. Dotson seems ok. Turner and chucks Blow. Severely. And it will be very evident this week vs. Raiders.
Nope, I disagree. I believe that the early game plan 'made them' look subpar; but once Coach Canada opened the playbook the whole unit looked like a different OL.

One thing I will say is Las Vegas won't stack the box like the Bills this week if they know what's good for them - if so, Ben will have a record passing day...
 

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it's the plays that are being called. Look at that one - essentially a delayed outside run, a screen. Chucks waddles his *** down there and the ball moves inside. Ya CANNOT ask Chucks to do **** like that.

He's a bucket. Chucks is not a quick zipper. THAT play gets ****** up and could've gone to the house if the ball can move outside to the sideline w/ the tackle sealing off the defender(s). Chucks too slow and that's what we get.

Matt Canada MUST get creative with these calls because 1/2 the line can zip upfield & wash but not hold the point while 1/2 can crush guys in a scrum but cant hardly shake their *** downfield in a New York minute.
Exactly and Amen...
 

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Nope, I disagree. I believe that the early game plan 'made them' look subpar; but once Coach Canada opened the playbook the whole unit looked like a different OL.

One thing I will say is Las Vegas won't stack the box like the Bills this week if they know what's good for them - if so, Ben will have a record passing day...


I agree and CANADA himself said his offensive scheme is one that reacts and changes as the game goes on. It was his first game calling the plays and as true to his word........... they came out of 1/2 time with HUGE adjustments made so as enough to make our offense look like a different offense than 1st 1/2.

Is it a perfect system NO but yet a system that by far outshines 5-play Fitchner's by about 2,496,878 plays.!





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It will be interesting to see how Moore and Green progress throughout the season.

The new 17 game format is going to be straining on veterans, let alone rookies.

I can see a scenario where the line starts playing a lot better in October, but regresses again around December if Green and Moore were to hit the rookie wall from a strength and stamina standpoint.

Hopefully that's not the case, as Tomlin has frequently praised the conditioning of the 2021 rookie class as a whole, but the NFL is much more physically demanding than the college game.
The rookie wall is real and we see it hit, sometimes harder than others, every year. You are right the Steelers could be in a bit of a spot come December with essentially 4 rookies starting on offense.
 

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One more thing - can we all collectively agree that Coach Klemm is already better than that swiss cheese hire from last year???
Worst part is we let Sweet Feet coach over Klemm last year. Banner was ecstatic that Klemm was in charge this year. The line is more into his attack philosophy, which is fun for any lineman.

Couple points. With a young line you want to see improvement from game to game. We will find that out tomorrow, but I was happy to see improvements from quarter to quarter, culminating in a comeback win for the O.

We had 4 rookies starting on offense with ZERO combined presnap penalties. On the road. In a hostile environment, with a full crowd. That is insane preparation to get them ready to play by Tomlin, Butler, and Klemm!

Green's snaps are perfect. No more chuck and pray snaps with Ben playing the catcher trying to field sliders and wild pitches. This is one of the biggest components to helping give Ben some more time to make plays.

With Moore's start at LT, I don't know if they let Chukes slide back and start there when Banner returns. Chukes may end up being the swing/XT which is great in my book! And keep in mind before we all **** on Chukes, he was the best tackle on the roster last year, by a large margin. The Steelers made the right moves to improve in the draft, and if Banner can return from this ACL, we'll be even stronger!
 
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