Close-knit Steelers line shows its grit

LATROBE – The revolving door that once was the Steelers’ offensive line has definitely slowed. The Steelers started training camp and will finish today with the same five starters for the second year in a row.
That lack of turnover has not only led to more consistency from the offensive line, but the formation of a bond. Mess with one of the Steelers offensive linemen and it’s likely the others are going to respond.
“You push me, you’re going to see all four of the other guys coming over,” said Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey. “We’re that close.”
Steelers rookie linebacker Bud Dupree found that out Wednesday at Saint Vincent College when he got into several scraps with the linemen – actually, all of them. Dupree eventually was ordered to leave one-on-one pass rushing drills by head coach Mike Tomlin.
“That’s not what we like to see,” right tackle Marcus Gilbert said Thursday of the fighting. “(But) that’s the whole point of playing offensive line. Obviously, we’re out here to bully people and push people around. We let it get the best of us. He’s our brother and we want him to continue to get better and we like to see that nastiness from him.”
With Pouncey, Gilbert, left tackle Kelvin Beachum and guards David DeCastro and Ramon Foster, the Steelers have a line that is not only young – Foster, at 29, is the oldest member of the group – but improving.
Last season saw the them take a big step forward, reducing its sacks allowed from 43 in 2013 to 33 and opening more space in the rushing game, which averaged nearly 25 more yards per game than the previous season.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a group of skill players that includes wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell get a lot of credit for that.
But it all starts in the trenches. The group stayed on the field together for the most part in 2014. The Steelers started just three different offensive line combinations, the fewest since using four in 2010.
In the three seasons in between, the Steelers employed 23 line combinations because of injuries or ineffectiveness.
“We’ve got a great group of guys and the whole offensive unit is good,” said DeCastro. “We just have to stay healthy. That’s the whole key.”
The Steelers are expected to be one of the best offensive units in the NFL. But if the revolving door begins again because of injuries, that could change quickly.
“I just think all of our personalities match each other,” said Pouncey of the bond the group has formed. “We all want to have a good time, but at the same time, we want to be the best in the world. We know as offensive linemen, we have to carry the team, and we’re ready for that.”
Apparently, they’re ready for anything, something Dupree found out.
This group is going to play with a little nastiness.
Perhaps that’s the missing piece that offensive line coach Mike Munchak, who is a hall of fame guard, is pushing for from the group in their second year.
“I think we know each other now, as far as a coach and the five players,” Munchak said. “I think the five players, that’s the most important thing. But that they have the same coach and are being asked to do the same things, now we’re just kind of making little adjustments.
“We’re way ahead of where we were last year at this time.”
Heavy rains forced the Steelers to push the start time of their practice Thursday back one hour. … Wide receiver C.J. Goodwin, linebackers Lawrence Timmons and Vince Williams, cornerback Cortez Allen, running back Josh Harris and tight end Cameron Clear sat out Thursday’s practice. … The Steelers will hold their final practice of training camp today at 2:55 p.m. and is open to the public.