Steelers’ offensive line much better this season

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger’s appearance on the WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” telecast didn’t register any ratings in Mike Tomlin’s household — nobody watched. The Steelers coach preferred that his three young children spend time wrestling with their homework.

While Tomlin wasn’t excited about his quarterback’s in-season sideshow, any coach would have liked this display of teamwork: Roethlisberger made sure his lineman were part of the act, too.

Roethlisberger’s stats are up this season and his sack total is down, and it’s not coincidental. An offensive line that was viewed as the Steelers’ weakness a season ago is playing much better, as evidenced by Rashard Mendenhall’s 165 yards rushing and Roethlisberger’s 333 yards passing and 78.8 completion percentage during a 38-28 victory over San Diego on Sunday.

“We’ve been able to run more plays offensively, stay on the field longer and converted a lot of third downs and held the ball for a long time,” tight end Heath Miller said Wednesday.

No wonder Big Ben wanted his bodyguards around when he went on TV.

“We don’t want to be considered the weak link of the offense, like we have been,” right tackle Willie Colon said. “We don’t want to be considered the guys that, well, we don’t know what’s going to happen to them that day. We want to be a force out there, we hold each other accountable and we play hard.”

The offensive line of left tackle Max Starks, left guard Chris Kemoeatu, center Justin Hartwig, right guard Trai Essex and Colon also is a throwback to a different time when NFL players, especially those who weren’t married, would hang out with each other after practice.

More common these days is for players to depart one by one in their SUVs shortly after practice ends. But, a year ago, after the Steelers installed four new starters along the line, the linemen began meeting on Thursday nights — socially, for sure, but also to watch extra game tape.

“We’re always reaching for the ceiling,” Hartwig said. “There’s always room for improvement. Anybody who turns on the tape can see that.”

The linemen were aware of the criticism they were getting for the frequent sacks Roethlisberger was absorbing — 46 last season and 139 over the last three seasons. They wanted to do something about it, even though they already spend hour upon hour at their training complex most days.

“I think what’s a blessing for us, nobody is in this business to be OK,” Colon said. “We all want to be great, we all want to be considered a great offensive line. If you look at the [good] lines that are out there now — like the Giants — they play the run or the pass well, and they’re consistent. That’s how we want to be.”

Roethlisberger also spent time and money trying to build chemistry among the linemen. During the Steelers’ bye weekend, he took them on a Chicago getaway because it was Essex’s homecoming at Northwestern.

When former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis was critical of the linemen earlier this season, Roethlisberger quickly moved to defend them.

“I’d take my five guys over anybody,” he said.