Big Ben, Steelers' O more dangerous than ever

[stillers4me]

The Steelers may have annual issues along its offensive line, but the passing game has been among the NFL's best during the Ben Roethlisberger era. Since drafting him 11th overall in 2004, Pittsburgh has ranked no worse than ninth in passing efficiency in six of seven seasons (as determined by the friendly eggheads at FootballOusiders.com).



But the outfit historically known for the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust approach to matriculating the ball down the field has been a mediocre running team over that time (their average rushing efficiency rank since '04: 14th in the NFL). If the first three weeks of the preseason is any indication, there's a great chance both units will improve in 2011, which is scary news for the rest of the AFC.

Roethlisberger has been near-flawless in three games that have no bearing on the standings but provide a glimpse of what's to come once the final scores count...............

Read more @ http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/e...burgh_Steelers

[zulater]

The emergence of Brown and Sanders, to go along with zone-busters Ward and Cotchery, create the sort of mismatches that lead to a lot of big plays and a ton of points. It will also open up running lanes for Mendenhall and Redman.

Nice read, thanks for posting it.

[stillers4me]

Nice read, thanks for posting it.

I just liked the picture.

[salamander]

I just liked the picture.

It's a sweet picture! I may have to use that as my sig...

[siss]

I don't like Ben and the offense getting respect...I like it when he has to prove someone wrong. And Ben always says he likes being the hunted and not the hunter (or something like that). This is bad...very very bad...this isn't the first article I have seen of the outside (of Pittsburg) media giving the steelers some respect.

*****I hope you all can detect the sarcasm in that post....******

[stillers4me]

I don't like Ben and the offense getting respect...I like it when he has to prove someone wrong. And Ben always says he likes being the hunted and not the hunter (or something like that). This is bad...very very bad...this isn't the first article I have seen of the outside (of Pittsburg) media giving the steelers some respect.

*****I hope you all can detect the sarcasm in that post....******

Well...it's been a long time coming.

And I'm sure he'll have one bad game and then it will be back to the some old song and dance. Is Big Ben really elite???

[vader29]

“There are two schools of thought to protect a quarterback,” Tomlin said at the time. ”You can get linemen or you can get him weapons — people that people have to account for. Obviously with [the Mendenhall] pick, we’ve gotten a weapon. So what he is able to do on a football field will help our quarterback and our football team.”


Gotta love Tomlin.

[Count Steeler]

Road to MVP. And #7 for #7.

[GBMelBlount]

The emergence of Brown and Sanders, to go along with zone-busters Ward and Cotchery, create the sort of mismatches that lead to a lot of big plays and a ton of points.

It will also open up running lanes for Mendenhall and Redman.

...hopefully a strong pass game WILL open the running game.