Dec 26, 2016 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – You don’t often think of 300-pound men and rhythm in the same breath.

But in the case of the Steelers’ offensive line, there’s been plenty of rhythm to go around of late.

The Steelers’ running game, ranked as low as 25th at the midway point in the season despite having Pro Bowl back Le’Veon Bell, has been a big part of the team’s resurgence.

Forget the heavy emphasis on throwing the ball all over the place in an effort to average 30 points per game. The Steelers became a team that is grinding games out in the trenches.

The offensive line found its rhythm.

“Our identity has to be us dominating,” said guard Ramon Foster. “This time of the year we have to do it. The money has been paid to everyone on the offensive line. We have to deliver, point, blank, period.”

That contrast was quite apparent in the Steelers’ rematch against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, a game won by Pittsburgh, 31-27, to clinch the AFC North championship.

In their first meeting withe the Ravens this season, a 21-14 loss in Baltimore Nov. 6, the offensive line created precious little space as Bell was held to a season-low 32 yards on 14 carries.

Since then, Bell has averaged 25 rushing attempts per game, far more than the 16.5 he averaged in his first five games this season. He’s recorded 835 yards rushing over the Steelers’ past six games as Pittsburgh has risen to 11th in the league in rushing. Bell is second to Dallas rookie Ezekiel Elliott with 1,268 yards on the ground.

Perhaps it’s not a coincidence the Steelers won six of the seven games they played since the loss to the Ravens, including the past six in a row to lock up the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Not only did the team establish Bell as more of a weapon in the running game, but the Steelers have allowed just four sacks in those seven games, easily the fewest in the league over that span.

Against Baltimore, Bell had 122 yards rushing and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t sacked on 36 pass attempts as Pittsburgh’s offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. Ravens’ star defensive end Terrell Suggs not only didn’t have a sack in the game – he’s sacked Roethlisberger more times than any other player – he didn’t record a tackle.

“The Steelers did a good job of blocking us,” said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. “You can’t just run all blitzes against them with the guys they have.”

The Steelers not only invested some high draft picks in their offensive line a few years ago, they made sure they signed those guys to contract extensions to keep that unit together.

Foster and Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro were re-signed in the offseason, two years after center Maurkice Pouncey and right tackle Marcus Gilbert were given extensions. Only left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, a surprise who won the starting job last season when Kelvin Beachum was injured and then left in free agency, is a relative newcomer.

Those investments are paying dividends now.

The unit enjoys mauling people in the trenches. And Sunday, the line showed the ability to have any player attack the Ravens on a pulling play. DeCastro is a master at it, as is Pouncey, a rarity for a center.

But on the Steelers’ first possession, both Villanueva, all 6-9, 320 pounds, and Foster, generously listed at a svelt 328 pounds, pulled to the right side of the line to open holes for Bell, blowing up Baltimore defenders on the way.

It might not be as much fun as watching Roethlisberger throw bombs down the field to Martavis Bryant, Sammie Coates, Markus Wheaton, Darrius Heyward-Bey or even tight end Ladarius Green, but the Steelers have been forced to play without all of those deep receiving threats at various times this season. None of them were available against the Ravens.

That put more of the emphasis on the offensive line.

“Football’s not a pretty sport sometimes,” DeCastro admitted.

The Steelers are locked in to hosting Miami or Kansas City in the opening round of the playoffs. If both win or lose this weekend, the Steelers host the Dolphins. If Miami wins and Kansas City loses, the Steelers host the Chiefs. … Roethlisberger’s three touchdown passes Sunday give him 301 for his career, which moved him past John Elway into ninth place on the league’s all-time list. … The Steelers will have a limited number of tickets available for their AFC Wild Card game. They can be purchased starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.