Steelers’ offensive line may not hold up

Without All-Pro left guard Alan Faneca, the Steelers are entering the great unknown.

LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — For everything that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line did right a season ago, there now seems to be a major worry in its place.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for a team-record 32 touchdowns and threw only 11 interceptions, a year after throwing 23. The problem: He was sacked 47 times, giving the offensive line a worrisome 93 sacks allowed in two seasons.

Willie Parker led the NFL in rushing until late in December, and the Steelers have since added first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall to complement him. The problem: The rushing yardage dried up after Parker broke a leg, and the Steelers lost their final two games that he didn’t start.

Roethlisberger and coach Mike Tomlin profess to having considerable trust and faith in the offensive line, traditionally the strength of the offense. But the Steelers are entering the great unknown without All-Pro left guard Alan Faneca.

One of the best linemen in team history, Faneca signed with the Jets in the offseason.

The Steelers appear to have enough talent to challenge again for the AFC North title, but only if the line doesn’t become a week-to-week worry.

“I think some people look at it and are a little nervous, but I like the young attitude we have,” Roethlisberger said.

The Steelers have yet to see this Faneca-less offensive line in game action, but will do so Friday when they play the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles in the first of four exhibition games.

“It’s always an issue,” right guard Kendall Simmons said. “But going into the end of the year, Willie Parker probably would have won the rushing title if it wouldn’t have been for that [injury]. To me, I don’t see it being a big issue. I don’t pay attention to that kind of stuff.”

Replacing seven-time Pro Bowl pick Faneca is Chris Kemoeatu, a 2005 sixth-round draft pick who has made only three NFL starts. He missed the first eight days of training camp with a triceps injury, an unwelcome development for a player who wanted to get established quickly.

“You lose a potential Hall of Fame lineman, there’s always going to be questions,” Simmons said. “Chris needs to set the tone, and let people recognize who he is and not try to worry about [replacing Faneca].

Simmons and left tackle Marvel Smith are holdovers. At center, Justin Hartwig, who was released by Carolina, and Sean Mahan, who had a mediocre season after replacing the retired Jeff Hartings last season, are competing.

No matter who wins the job, neither Hartwig nor Mahan is expected to draw comparisons to the three former Pro Bowl centers who previously manned the position — Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Hartings.

The right tackle’s job was supposed to be open, although 2007 starter Willie Colon appears to be holding off Max Starks, who started when the Steelers won the Super Bowl three seasons ago.

Tight end is a position of strength in what was the NFL’s No. 3 rushing offense last season, now that Heath Miller has developed into as adept a blocker as he is a receiver.

From the way the players are talking, the transition along the line came last year when Tomlin and new offensive line coach Larry Zierlein arrived. Faneca and Zierlein clashed at times over technique.

“Z sat back and kind of let us do our own thing last year,” Simmons said. “This year, everybody is really paying attention and trying to do that because you can’t have combat between two different styles.”