Steelers look for offense to take off next season

[stillers4me]

Guard Trai Essex is one of the Steelers' 11 unrestricted free agents, and he hopes to return in 2012. Among his reasons: He doesn't want to miss out on the fun.

Essex is among those in the organization who think the offense has a chance to take off next season.
"The sky is the limit," said Essex, who was drafted by the Steelers in 2005. "Once we get a consistent o-line and stop getting hurt all of the time, we will be fine."

That may be easier said than done, given the Steelers' continuity issues up front. But addressing offensive line questions this offseason, one that will bring more change than usual to one of the NFL's most stable franchises, could be the key to unlocking the offense's potential.................


Read more: Steelers look for offense to take off next season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_776719.html#ixzz1jXBtF0nO) http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_776719.html#ixzz1jXBtF0nO

[Austin87]

This offense has the potential to be top 10 in the NFL. I just hope they get it together ASAP. There is no saying what will happen with the defense next season.

[ShutDown24]

This offense better take off next season. I've defended Bruce Arians for a couple of years now and I'm glad we are retaining him for 2012 but if he doesn't lead this offense to the very top of the league next year (Top 6) it may be time to go in another direction. The talent on this roster far exceeds the results that have been produced. It would be a shame to waste all the youthful years these guys have on mediocrity.

[X-Terminator]

"Once we get a consistent o-line and stop getting hurt all of the time, we will be fine."

That may be easier said than done, given the Steelers' continuity issues up front. But addressing offensive line questions this offseason...could be the key to unlocking the offense's potential.

I have been saying this for a while now. Get a better OL, even an average one, and this offense will improve. Of course, the players will still need to execute better and BA needs to clean up his sometimes questionable play-calling in the red zone, but the OL is the most important factor.

[Galax Steeler]

I have been saying this for a while now. Get a better OL, even an average one, and this offense will improve. Of course, the players will still need to execute better and BA needs to clean up his sometimes questionable play-calling in the red zone, but the OL is the most important factor.

This

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Don't worry, by August all the talk will be of how great this offense can be. By November it will be excuses blamed on defense, special teams, injury, player execution for more failure to reach potential. That is how it's been for a while here.

[Edman]

The 2010 Team Scored 375 Points.

The 2009 Team Scored 368 Points.

The 2008 Team Scored 347 Points.

The 2011 Team scored... 325 Points. 21st in the NFL and the worst performance in years. This is the "Light up the Scoreboard", MVP-Season Offense Ben and Arians raved about last August. There is no defending this. The 2008 Offense had more competance than this with far less talent and a much worse O-Line. Adjustments need to be made to this Offense.

[Count Steeler]

Dear Kevin:

FIX THE O LINE

Yours truly,

Concerned Steelers fans everywhere.

[GBMelBlount]

Our offense is always going to get better....and unfortunately it ALWAYS seems like it is going to be NEXT season.

We can't really know for sure how much of the problem is Ben, Arians, play calling or execution until we fix the O line problems as it magnifies ALL of these other problems.

Unfortunately, I do feel Ben may be on the downside of his career and his window of opportunity for another Super Bowl ring is closing.

[Iron Steeler]

Yup blah blah slush the limit well be middle of the pack offense next year. With naked screens on third down and no redone pffense

[XxKnightxX]

Man I thought this was an August, thread, moving on.....

[SMR]

This is just a broken record playing.

[steelreserve]

If we figured out how to convert, say, 1 or 2 drives deep into opponents' territory into touchdowns every game, instead of the 4 field goal attempts we come away with currently, we'd be singing a different tune. The personnel on offense are fine, and even the line is good enough. We move the ball fine with the players we have until we get to about the opponent's 30, which really points to a problem with the coaching.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Same thing that we heard before this season. Too much talk and not enough action.

[X-Terminator]

They also need to develop a killer instinct when it comes to scoring points, particularly in the red zone. That is something that is sorely lacking with this group, IMO, and that mainly falls on Arians. Look at Pats*...their mentality is to score a TD on every drive, and if they don't, it's a failure. That's also something you never have to worry about with LeBeau's defense.

(See? He DOES get criticized. Imagine that!)

[Psycho Ward 86]

Oh shit, watch out world, we're going to raining 20 points per game again next season!

[salamander]

I'll believe it when I finally see it.