Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Line Deserves More Credit

Much has been written and said about how successful the Pittsburgh Steelers offense was in 2014. They ranked second in total yards, second in passing yards, 15th in rushing yards and seventh in points scored. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a career year, receiver Antonio Brown became the league's best at the position and running back Le'Veon Bell heralded in a new era of productive Steelers running.

Meanwhile, the offensive line felt like a footnote to all of this success. But the truth is, none of this would have been possible without the Steelers boasting a healthy, stable and talented line. Credit should be given to offensive line coach Mike Munchak and his five starters.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Steelers had the eighth-best line in the league last year, ranking them third in pass protection, 11th in run blocking and 17th in penalties accrued. Left tackle Kelvin Beachum ranked fifth among all tackles, and right tackle Marcus Gilbert tied for 23rd (out of 84). Guards David DeCastro and Ramon Foster ranked 19th and 39th, respectively, at their positions, while center Maurkice Pouncey ranked sixth.

Player	Snaps	Sacks Allowed	Hits Allowed	Hurries Allowed
Beachum	1,134	7	3	9
Foster	981	2	4	24
Pouncey	1,127	1	2	16
DeCastro	1,134	3	2	23
Gilbert	777	6	4	19

Of the 33 sacks that Roethlisberger took last year—the fewest he's ever faced while completing a full, 16-game season—Pro Football Focus attributes just 22 to the line, which ranks the line seventh in pass-blocking efficiency for 2014. Though credit must be given to coordinator Todd Haley's system, which has resulted in Roethlisberger getting the football out of his hands much more quickly than years prior, the line held its own in ways once only dreamt about in Pittsburgh.

The line also performed well in the running game. Aided by Munchak's dedication to installing a zone-blocking scheme that would serve to get the most out of Bell, the Steelers line ranked sixth overall in run blocking, according to Football Outsiders.

Most notably, the Steelers line ranked eighth in "power" running, or "Percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown." This, "Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer." The Steelers were successful on 69 percent of their runs of this nature.

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The line also contributed to the Steelers ranking tops in the league in the fewest runs stuffed—or runs that went for no gain or a loss of yardage. While Bell has exceptional vision and patience, neither could have been on display if the line could not open that initial hole for him to run through. 

It's possible that the Steelers line as it stands now may not be in place in a year's time. Both Foster and Beachum are in contract years, as is backup tackle Mike Adams. But for now, the Steelers offensive linemen are more focused on improving their performance this season.

In June, DeCastro said to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette that, "We're trying to build off last year. If it's the last year together, then it is. We're going to have fun and not even think about it. Just keep playing and having fun. We have a great group. It would be unfortunate [to see it break up], but we're going to enjoy it right now."

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That "fun" includes Munchak pushing his players even farther. Beachum said that he expects improvement in 2015, adding that, "We have to take it to another level. I think [Munchak is] pushing the envelope a little bit, but you would expect that. He got to know us the first year and knows what we can do and our limitations. He knows where to push us. He's starting to push the envelope. He wants the offense to be better, the run game to be better. We love that."

But for however long the Steelers can maintain this current iteration of their offensive line, it's likely to produce as good of, if not better, dividends as it did last year. The line is not just an accessory to what has become one of the most explosive offenses in the league, but rather its catalyst.

When talking about the performances of Roethlisberger, Bell and Brown, the line should also be included prominently in the discussion. Without these linemen, the Steelers' 2014 season could not be possible. They all deserve more credit for the irreplaceable roles they have played and continue to play as part of this impressive offense.