OFFENSIVE LINE
Alan Faneca is set to become a free agent. Considering the ridiculous contracts that lesser guards have gotten over the past few off-seasons, Faneca will likely be asking for much more than the Steelers could afford...millions more. Furthermore, the bridges that have been burned by both sides, makes it fairly obvious that Faneca will be playing elsewhere next season.
And, in my opinion, if the last game (against Jacksonville) was any indicator of how he will play over the next few seasons, then I say "Don't let the door hit you, on your way out...and, please take Sean Mahan with you."
In other words, there was a gaping hole just left of center on Pittsburgh's O-line (i.e. between Faneca and Mahan). So much so, that at times, Jacksonville's BACK-UP defensive tackles were untouched and unabated on their way to pressuring Ben Roethlisberger.
To play devil's advocate for Alan Faneca, Trai Essex was starting at left tackle...and to some degree, the blocking schemes were shifted towards the left, in order to help Essex out. That said, Faneca routinely ignored the Jacksonville defender in front of him while simultaneously NOT helping Essex...meaning that, at times, Faneca blocked absolutely no one. Similarly, Mahan was blocking "air" for much of the game, as well.
In short, whether is is through free-agency or through the draft, the Steelers need to add a guard and a center to their roster. Otherwise, Ben will be (once again) running for his life.
Speaking of Ben...
QUARTERBACK
The reason that the Steelers will not have enough money to even have a chance at resigning Faneca, is due to the fact that Big Ben's contract will be renegotiated this summer.
Nay-sayers point to Ben's lack of Peyton-like statistics as reason for low-balling Ben. Likewise, some have referred to Ben as merely a "game manager." And, still others have pointed out the fact that Ben threw three interceptions in the first half against Jacksonville.
First of all, Ben threw the most touchdowns this season (32) than any other quarterback in Steelers history. Secondly, Ben had the second best passer rating of any quarterback in the league this season. But, even if the statistics did not show that Ben is a top tier quarterback(which they do), Ben will never be a "300 yards per game" type of passer. Instead, Ben's strength is his legs. Please do not get me wrong: Ben is not going to run for any notable amount of yardage; instead, Ben uses his legs to keep plays alive. (Note: considering the abysmal play of the O-line, Ben has HAD to run in order to keep plays alive.) I have been watching football for an extremely long time, and I can honestly say that I have never seen a quarterback who makes as many plays (while being flushed out of the pocket) as Ben does. Again, he keeps plays alive that should have been long dead.
So that we are clear: just because Ben does not routinely throw for 300 yards, does not mean that he can not do so; when Ben needs to, he can. For example, in the second half of the Jacksonville game, Ben threw for well over two hundred yards and completed seventeen of twenty-two passes, for two touchdowns (and set up a third touchdown).
(Note: Ben's best throw might have been on the two point conversion, to Hines Ward...which was called back, due to a hold on Sean Mahan. We, of course, know that Mahan did not hold anyone...because, as mentioned earlier, Mahan did not get close enough to any Jacksonville defender to actually do any holding.)
