Growth isn’t linear, especially in professional sports. There are going to be bumps in the road along the way, and the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers has experienced that in the last year and a half.
There have been some highs. There have been some lows.
But right now, the offensive line as a collective is playing some pretty good football, especially coming off a performance in which the Steelers rushed for a season-high 186 yards and the offensive line allowed just two pressures on the afternoon.
On top of that, the group is playing smart, sound football and avoiding penalties in the process. That has head coach Mike Tomlin very pleased with the trajectory of the young group.
“I just think in general they’ve been on the upswing. The arrow’s pointed up on that collective, as a collective and as individuals. And so I’m encouraged by it, but I say that weekly and oftentimes the statistics don’t bear that out, but that’s just how games unfold,” Tomlin said of the offensive line, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “I love the fact that they’re largely playing penalty-free, to be honest with you. We don’t talk about that enough.
“I think as a collective they’ve been penalized maybe eight times this season and so with a young group playing as penalty-free as they are, I’d be wrong if I didn’t mention that as a component of their growth and development as well.”
Things have really started to trend upward in recent weeks for the Steelers in the trenches. They’re starting to run the football a lot better, particularly from a consistency standpoint. And they’re protecting the passer better, too.
Along with those improvements, they’re avoiding the killer mistakes that hinder offensive drives, that being penalties.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Steelers’ offensive line has been called for nine penalties this season. One penalty was declined, so that’s the eight penalties Tomlin cited Tuesday when talking to the media.
Second-year right tackle Troy Fautanu leads the Steelers with three penalties (one declined), while center Zach Frazier has two. Backup interior offensive linemen Andrus Peat and Spencer Anderson have one each, as does left tackle Broderick Jones and right guard Mason McCormick.
What’s even more impressive is that Isaac Seumalo does not have a single penalty in 550 snaps on the season. Not only is he a leader in the locker room for the young group, he’s leading by example on the field, too, playing clean and technical football.
Not only are the penalties nearly non-existent, the pressures given up in pass protection are on a significant decline, too. While Jones leads the Steelers with 23 pressures allowed, he’s allowed just five in the last three weeks. Troy Fautanu has allowed just three pressures in the last four weeks.
McCormick has allowed just six in four weeks, and Seumalo hasn’t allowed a pressure in four weeks. Frazier has allowed two in four weeks.
Granted, the Steelers are getting the ball out quickly from the quarterback position, but the offensive line is holding up well and is starting to play its best football. Tomlin is taking notice, and everyone else should be, too. They’re at least one positive offensively to build around.
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