When the Steelers report to Latrobe on tomorrow, so will begin several training camp battles that we will be keeping a close eye on. We have narrowed them down to six to match the six championships the Steelers have. They are as follows.

1. Quarterback - Byron Leftwich vs. Dennis Dixon - Mike Tomlin has let veteran Byron Leftwich receive most of the first team snaps since his re-acquisition from Tampa Bay. The Steelers will need a starter for at least 4 games with franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspended to start the season and Leftwich looks to be the guy unless Dennis Dixon can force the Steelers hand with a strong camp. Dixon is also in his final year of his contract, so the motivation is definitely there to prove himself. Most of the Steeler Nation blogs and media would have you believe that Dixon should start, but none have good reasons why. Dixon has all of one start under his belt combined with several mediocre pre seasons games. Dixon also has admitted his leadership skills are not up to standards as well. Leftwich is what he is and that is a quarterback that has had some moderate successes in the NFL. Does this secure the job for him? Absolutely not as Leftwich could still lose the job and fall flat on his face. Dixon will have to show right out of the gate that he is the man that should lead the Steelers. Make no mistake that this is a battle, but a battle that could be over after week one of the pre season. Dixon does not have time on his side and must make good use of each and every snap to overtake the veteran Leftwich. My money is on Leftwich.

2. Right Tackle - Trai Essex vs. Jonathan Scott vs. Ramon Foster - The Achilles injury to Willie Colon opened up a huge hole on the right side of the Steelers offensive line. The only good thing is it happened early enough in the offseason so the Steelers could have a enough time to figure out a solution. Also in their favor has been the rapid development of rookie first round draft pick, Maurkice Pouncey, who was on course to beat out Trai Essex for the starting right guard spot. That now frees up Essex to see if he can win the right tackle spot instead and he will compete against free agent Jonathan Scott and second year undrafted free agent Ramon Foster. Scott played under new line coach Sean Kugler at Buffalo last year and Foster played mostly at left guard in 2009 when Chris Kemoeatu was out injured. There could even be another horse or two added to this battle should the Steelers decide to sign another street free agent, but as it appears right now, the Steelers want one of these three guys to win the job. If I were to handicap this battle, I give the advantage to Essex as to me his play and foot work seem better suited for tackle than guard plus he has games played under his belt on the right side. Scott and Foster could very well both stick on the roster as reserves and it would not be surprising to see either win the right tackle spot out right.

Update: The Steelers signed free agent tackle Flozell Adams a few hours after posting this. This now becomes a battle above for the backup right side swing spot as now either Adams or Max Starks wil play right tackle for sure. Scott is now on the roster bubble for sure with this move and Foster will likely compete for a right side back up roll.

3. Nickel Cornerback - William Gay vs. Joe Burnett vs. Keenan Lewis - Most want you to believe that the starting left cornerback job is up for grabs. That is just not true. The Steelers traded back for Bryant McFadden on draft day because of the play of William Gay in 2009. To think McFadden will not be the week one starting left corner is ludicrous. The Steelers drafted two cornerbacks in 2009 in the form of Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis. Burnett struggled as a rookie, while Lewis was never fully healthy with back problems. Veteran Deshea Townsend is now gone so it leaves Gay, Burnett and Lewis all to battle for the nickel corner spot. Gay has the inside track after playing the role almost exclusively through the 2008 championship season. Burnett started to show glimpses late in the 2009 season and will get his shot at the job. Lewis is more of a dark horse here as he truly is better merely as a left corner and just doesn't have the time in at the position. Watch this battle closely as it could get interesting. Right now I like Gay to rebound and win the job, but nothing with him is guaranteed.

4. Backup Running Back - Isaac Redman vs. Jonathan Dwyer - Nobody caused more stir in 2009 than undrafted free agent running back Isaac Redman. By the end of training camp last year, Steeler Nation had him penciled in as the next Jerome Bettis. Redman proved he can run in short yardage situations, but was slow to get up to speed on the things fans do not see. Redman bounced around to the active roster and practice squad and now will get a chance to compete against rookie six round draft pick Jonathan Dwyer. Although technically you could say Mewelde Moore is the backup running back to Rashard Mendenhall, we all know that Moore is not an every down back. He is a role player gifted in 3rd down sets and an established pass catcher. Should Mendenhall go down, the Steelers will need either Redman or Dwyer to step up to a more prominent 1st and 2nd down ball carrier role. Dwyer is handicapped by the type offense he played in college, where he was a fullback in Georgia Tech's triple-option offense. Both Redman and Dwyer are straight ahead runners and both are known to move piles in short yardage situations. Redman has the upper hand going into camp, primarily because of having a year in the offense already and improving on his blitz pickups. Dwyer should not be counted out though as this battle will have those in attendance at Latrobe high fiving for both players. I think both can make the roster, regardless of who runs 2nd or 3rd.

5. Reserve Tight End H-Back Fullback - Sean McHugh vs. David Johnson - It might not look much on paper, but this could be the 52nd or 53rd man on the 53 man roster. McHugh had 2009 end early in pre season with a knee problem. His injury allowed 2009 seventh round pick, David Johnson to make the roster. Johnson was not spectacular in the H-back role and merely average in the other phases of tight end play. His special teams play though was above average, but the overall play of the Steelers 2009 special teams unit was dismal as most remember. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians looks to use the fullback and or h-back more in the offense this year. Frank Summers is looking to secure a true fullback role, while McHugh and Johnson will battle for the H-back and 3rd tight end spot on the roster. Neither will be confused for Dan Kreider, but these two players will be out to crack skulls and adjust shoulder pads in camp. While neither is guaranteed a roster spot regardless of their battle, it will intensify training camp and make practices more physical. I think McHugh, if healthy, can win this battle and a spot on the roster. He is just plain better at this role than Johnson is in my opinion.

6. Return Men - Stefan Logan vs. Emmanuel Sanders vs. Antonio Brown vs. Joe Burnett vs. Antwaan Randle El vs. Mewelde Moore vs. Mike Wallace - If the Steelers were allowed to keep 54 men on the roster, this might make things a little easier. The roster limit remains at 53 and last years return specialist Stefan Logan owns a valuable roster spot. The smallish pinball type player only has one shot at making the 2010 roster once again at that is by standing head and shoulders above the completion in both kickoff and punt returns. New to the battle this year are rookie draft pick wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown. Both are accomplished return men in college with Brown being the better all around return man of the two. Sanders is almost certain to make the 53 man roster as the 4th or 5th receiver based on early reports. Brown is not a lock right now. Throw in cornerback Joe Burnett, who failed miserable in the 2009 pre season as a return man, the aging Antwaan Randle El and Mewelde Moore to keep everyone honest and you just do not have a ton of reps to go around to find the right guy. Let us not forget speedster Mike Wallace in this talk either although he will have enough on his plate adjusting to the number two receiving role with Santonio Holmes now gone. You still have to think he is an out lying option though. The real battle I believe will be between Logan and Sanders for the kick returning job. If Sanders can challenge Logan in output there, I think the punt return duties could be his as well. Logan needs to make himself uncut-able once again and that means he needs some big returns in the pre season. I think his one year flash is over as the Steelers need the roster spot very bad. Let us hope there are tons of opportunities to around in the pre season games. May the best hands and feet win.

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Steelers rookie offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey is being investigated by the NCAA over an allegation that he accepted $100,000 from an undisclosed agent's representative before playing in the Florida Gators Sugar Bowl victory. Pouncey does not face any trouble from the NFL, but it could effect the University. Pounceys will reportedly deny any wrong doing today, but it is just one more story that shows a Steelers player in a negative light as the offseason from hell continues.

Bob Labriola has a look at new offensive line coach Sean Kugler and his upcoming first training camp in which he must already start juggling the offensive line with injuries to Willie Colon and Chris Scott. Labriola says that Scott will miss all of training camp as well in the article.

Speaking of offensive linemen, Gil Brandt of NFL.com looks at the top 18 senior offensive linemen prospects NFL scouts will be keeping a close eye on this fall. It is expected to be a deep class for the 2011 draft which is right up the Steelers alley.

Steelers linebacker James Farrior predicts a turnaround not only for himself in 2010, but for the entire defense as well. Farrior is working out in Florida at ESPN Wide World of Sports under the watchful eye of speed and conditioning guru Tom Shaw and is using the offseason criticism as motivation for the upcoming season. In a separate story, Farrior talks about how players are preparing for a 2011 lockout should one occur.

Steelers defensive Brett Keisel takes fans on a video tour of the Steelers Practice Facility in part 1 of 2 videos up on Steelers.com. Nice to see Charlie Batch still working hard in the background.

Reporter Allen Wilson, of the Buffalo News, joined Vinnie on the “Vinnie and Cook Show” to discuss free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens and his 2009 season with the Bills. Wilson says he didn’t see Owens as a distraction in Buffalo. In fact, Wilson noted that the 36-year-old wide receiver was well-liked. and thinks the Steelers should take a chance on him. I as you know wrote that we shouldn't.

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2010 was already slated to be a year in which the Steelers focused more on getting back to a power running game with much more balance on offense. The suspension of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in April, made it even more apparent that the running game would be relied upon more heavily as well. Let's face it, regardless if it is Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon under center for the first 4 weeks, neither can be relied on to throw 33 times a game like Big Ben averaged in 2009. Now let us throw in the loss of right tackle Willie Colon. According to the offensive tackle stats on Pro Football Focus, Colon was the top ranked right tackle in the NFL using their metrics system. What is also hidden in those stats is the fact that Colon was a much better pass blocker than he was a run blocker last year using those metrics. In fact Colon graded out tied for 25th among all tackles. Now to be fair, he was working with a new right guard in Trai Essex last year and Essex graded out miserable in both pass and run blocking in 2009. Colon came in 3rd of all right tackles in 2008, when the Steelers were a bit more balanced on offense. It is pretty much a given that rookie Maurkice Pouncey is going to take over the right guard spot. It just is a matter of when. By the reports that came out of OTA sessions, Pouncey is already being talked about being the week 1 starter at right guard. It is still too early to tell who may start the year in place of Colon as well. It could be one of three players currently on the roster or an unsigned free agent like Flozell Adams or Levi Jones. Regardless the pressure will be great for them right out of the shoot.

Based on the official play direction reports from 2009, (see chart below) the Steelers ran to the right side 206 times. Up the middle 90 times and 113 times to the left. They ranked 3rd in the NFL in average gain running to right end and 4th in the NFL in average gain running at right guard. These rank averages were much better than up the middle and to the left. Now of course a few things have changed since last season. First, the offensive line will be coached by Sean Kugler, who brings in a more physical scheme to the offensive line. Kugler is younger than his predecessor Larry Zierlein and is regarded as a great teacher who can relate to his players. In addition the Steelers will likely see a true fullback more this year instead of the two and three tight end sets used by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the past.

It will take a while for the right side of the line to gel this year, especially in passing situations, but Pouncey is a smart kid who is used to making line calls in college. Where they need to be sharp off the bat is in the trenches. Running back Rashard Mendenhall started to come into his own last year and has improved as a between the tackles type runner. In addition, the Steelers drafted Johnathan Dwyer who also runs north and south effectively with deceptive speed. Throw in last years fan favorite Isaac Redman and you have a stable of backs that hearken back to the Steeler days of old. Coming out of camp, this team will be built to run, especially early on in the year. The pressure is even greater with a pass protector like Colon now lost for the year with an Achilles injury. How the Steelers fair running the ball in the first 4 games of the year, will set the tone for a tough mid season schedule that hopefully will include the return of Roethlisberger under center for week 5. Having an effective running game in place at that time will make Big Ben an even more dangerous quarterback than he has ever been and the pass protection hopefully improve as the year goes along and the line gels.

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As it stands at this early stage, things do not look good for right tackle Willie Colon. Colon suffered a right Achilles injury today while working out at Steelers' headquarters. Colon left the facility on crutches and the ever important MRI results are now awaited. If he has indeed torn Achilles tendon, he will be lost for the season and might have played his final game in the black and gold.

If indeed he misses any time, the Steelers have several options. Jonathan Scott was signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Bills in the offseason where he started eight games under new offensive line coach, Sean Kugler, who coached in Buffalo last season. Another option is under performing Tony Hills, who has been reportedly working at right tackle during the Spring and Summer for the Steelers. Hills was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and after initially being tried on the left side, has been given one last shot at making the team on the right side of the line.

Another obvious option is thanks to the fast progress rookie first round pick Maurkice Pouncey has made. Pouncey could indeed replace current right guard Trai Essex and Essex then could slide over to tackle, a position he is indeed familiar with. Essex played left tackle before moving to the right guard position. One final option, that is unlikely in my opinion, would be to move Max Starks back over to right tackle and allow Essex to play the left tackle spot or battle for the spot with Ramon Foster or the rookie Chris Scott from Tennessee. I do not think that scenario is likely as the left tackle position needs to protect the blindside of the quarterback and Starks has the experience there.

Make no mistake that Colon will be missed, if indeed he is gone for the year. Colon was regarded as the 3rd best tackle in league last year and the top ranked right tackle according to metrics kept by Pro Football Focus. Let us just hope it is not a season ending injury right now, but those are the options if indeed it is.

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The Steelers 2010 draft is now in the books. The 3 day event started slow paced on day 1 and 2, but day 3 was a whirlwind. I am still trying to catch up and will likely work through the mid morning. It was an old school draft so to speak. "In Colbert We Trust", I need to always remind myself this. I started to lose the faith after Friday night, but after the 4 rounds on Saturday, everything makes much more sense. Here is a quick recap.

Round 1 was as good as pick as any, especially if you like versatile offensive linemen. Florida center Maurkice Pouncey should be with Steelers for a long time. Pouncey will begin at right guard in camp and try to unseat Trai Essex. At some point in his career, Pouncey will likely move to center after Justin Hartwig is done. The pick fit a need and Pouncey was great value at #18 overall.

Round 2 & 3 on Friday was a bit unnerving. The Steelers drafted tweener Jason Worilds from Virginia Tech and small school receiver Emmanuel Sanders of SMU. Worilds is listed as a defensive end, but projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker in Dick LeBeau's defense. Like most outside backers on the Steelers, he will pay his dues on special teams. That according to linebackers coach Keith Butler. Butler said he will not see the field much as a rookie. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison very rarely need spelling and that is a good thing. Sanders is a bit of an enigma. He played in June Jones spread offense so his stats are deceiving. He is small and fast. The Steelers hope he can compete for the #4 or #5 receiver spot and be the future at the slot. He will have lots of competition at camp though and I really thought the Steelers should of addressed the secondary with one of the 2 Friday picks, but we found out why they didn't on Saturday.

2010 Steelers Draft Picks

After sleeping on the Friday picks, Saturday came quickly and we were off to the races again. It was almost like the movie Groundhog Day as the Steelers selected another tweener from Ohio State named Thaddeus Gibson. Now let me say, I like Gibson more than Worilds, but once again he will be used on the outside at linebacker and will pay his dues on special teams. It will be interesting to see if he starts camp on the right or left. He could be the future after James Harrison hangs them up.

After Gibson, the Steelers drafted Tennessee tackle Chris Scott with their first of five 5th round picks. Scott is a former teammate and friend of current backup offensive linemen Ramon Foster. Scott has versatility to play guard and will need it to earn a roster spot. He will be worked on the left side to start camp, but will also get time on the right as well. Very physical according to offensive line coach Sean Kugler.

Even after the first 5 picks were made, I was still a little uneasy with the secondary not being addressed. Then the reason surfaced as to why. The Steelers made a trade with Arizona to bring back cornerback Bryant McFadden. They dealt the 5th round pick they received from the Jets for Santonio Holmes and also got a 6th round pick to boot. If you are following at home, it means we basically traded Holmes for McFadden plus received a 6th round draft pick. Like I said earlier, "In Colbert We Trust"! More good news followed as it was announced that McFadden had his contract extended three years and the Steelers drafted Crezdon Butler, a corner from Clemson. Butler is big and strong and fast, but will be project and might likely be headed for the practice squad if he does not make the 53 man roster.

Then things got real interesting after Utah linebacker Stevenson Sylvester was drafted with the final 5th round pick. Sylvester will work inside and he too will be a project. The Steelers steal of the draft might be their 1st 6th round pick. Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer did not have much film on him not in the option offense, but there is enough film to show he is a power running back that can run inside. He could be the short yardage back the Steelers have been aching to have for a while. Depending how he advances in camp with his blocking and knowledge of the offense, could mean a fullback/running back hybrid role and a back to keep Rashard Mendenhall fresh. He has ADD and the medicine he takes was the red flag at the combine. It should be a non issue though. His nickname is Diesel, so now we have a Diesel and a Tank as Frank Summers looks to be back compete with Dwyer as well.

Closing out the 2010 draft were the selections of CMU receiver Antonio Brown and Ohio State defensive lineman Doug Worthington. Brown will compete with 3rd round pick Sanders for a slot depth job, but Brown is an exciting return man as well. He very well could be the better of the two receiver wise as well. Sanders better not take him for granted as I like the chances Brown has to crack a roster spot. At worst he should be able to be hid on the practice squad. Worthington will have a ton of work ahead of him as a 3-4 end and he too could be headed for the practice squad after camp.

In closing, I feel much better about the draft. I wish the Sanders pick would of been used on a safety though. I am not thrilled with Worilds or Sanders, but understand why and how they fit. Hopefully what I have seen on film of both them is just a mirage. 2010 should teach us patience as a fan group though. Colbert nailed it by bringing back BMac and few holes have been filled as well. If Dwyer and Brown make the 53 man roster along with 4 others, it should be an interesting class to watch in future years. Overall I grade the draft a B-. At one point I had it a D-!

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Wow! We didn't know Big Ben read our blog, but after suggesting that Ben Roethlisberger cut his hair yesterday morning, he showed up at the meeting with the Commissioner with a nice and fresh, high and tight cut. It is a slow step in the right direction. Now Ben will wait and see what both Goodell and Art II decide as far as punishment goes.

The rumor that the Rams are trying to trade two 1st rounders for Ben has not been substantiated, but it is quite an entertaining offer. In my opinion though, you would still have to pay high dollar for 4 1st rounders in 2 years with one being a quarterback. I just do not see the Steelers doing that and trading a known commodity like Ben. Bob Smizik posted his thoughts on this very subject as well.

On Tuesday, Ben lost his endorsement deal with PLB, a local food marketer, for his Big Ben Beef Jerky. Not surprising, but what is surprising is that he was earning 2 million plus for that. Better hurry and snap these off of eBay as they surely will be a collectors item.

Kicker Jeff Reed signed his tender offer from the Steelers on Tuesday, meaning he will be in the Black and Gold barring a trade in 2010. Reed will earn $2,814,000 for 2010 as the Steelers look to get him signed to a longer deal.

The Jets Blog has the full transcript up from the Santonio Holmes press conference on Monday afternoon. Funny how he says he does not know what message the Steelers were sending by trading him.

Some how in all the trades and legal stories involving the Steelers, we missed a Q & A with new offensive line coach Sean Kugler. The interview is on Steelers.com and conducted by Bob Labriola.

As Ben Roethlisberger's version of the events that took place in Milledgeville, Ga hit our Twitter account yesterday, it really has not and will not help his cause in my opinion. I hope there is evidence of her falling and hitting her head on her on accord. Every day it seems a new twist comes out that does not help Ben's cause unlike the Nevada case where everything that came out discredited the accuser. A long way to go on this one.

The 20-year-old woman who has accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault plans on returning to Georgia College and State University next week according to WSBTV.

The son of new Steelers offensive line coach, Sean Kugler, has received eight scholarship offers to colleges to play football after he graduates high school. Robert Kugler is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end and will be moving with his family to Pittsburgh in April and will be attending North Allegheny High School.

We have updated our 2010 Steelers salary cap numbers to reflect the contracts of Antwaan Randle El, Ryan Clark, Will Allen, Arnaz Battle and Jonathan Scott. Randle El signed a three-year, $7 million contract that included a $900,000 signing bonus. Clark signed a four-year, $14 million contract that contains $5 million guaranteed, $3 million signing bonus and $3 million available through incentives. Allen signed a three-year, $4.4 million contract that included a $975,000 signing bonus. Battle signed a three-year, $3.9 million contract that included a $975,000 signing bonus and Scott signed a one-year, $545,000 contract.

A rumor that veteran center Hank Fraley has a planned visit to Pittsburgh is untrue according to a message from his agent Ralph Cindrich. Fraley was released by the Browns on Wednesday of last week and will visit the Rams today. Cindrich said the Steelers have called with interest, but no visit is scheduled at this point.

The AFC North offered up more free agent signings on Wednesday as the Bengals decided on signing receiver Antonio Bryant over Terrell Owens for four-years and $28 million deal. Also the Ravens resigned receiver Derrick Mason to a two-year, $8 million agreement. I have to be honest in saying that neither signing strikes fear in me as a Steelers fan.

The word came down last weekend that Art Rooney II wants to run more effectively in the redzone and in games in which the Steelers have the lead. Here is what Rooney II told Scott Brown in a recent interview. “We need to be better at running the football. We were not consistently good at running the football this year, and I think that was a problem, and it’s certainly something that traditionally has been one of the foundations of the team and we need to get back to that. We need to be able to run the ball to be successful. Some of or troubles in the red zone this year, I think, can be traced to that and some of our troubles holding leads this year can be traced to that. It’s an area of our offense our game that we need to be better at and more consistent at than we were this year.”

Below are the stats for the Steelers running the ball in the redzone and in the 4th quarter in situations were they had the lead. The rushing stats are running back stats only. The total amount of total plays in these situations does not include sacks or penalties. I can guarantee these stats are not 100% correct, but very close based on my stats mining methods. The stats also include plays run on 1st through 4th down with 10 or less yards to go.

As you can see in the first chart dedicated to the redzone, the Steelers averaged only 2.02 yards per carry on runs by a running back in the redzone. This ranked 29th in the league using the stats. The Steelers also ran only 45% of the time in these situations as well. Both of these stats go hand in hand as the faith in the running game in the redzone probably led to wanting to pass more in these situations as the year wore on.

The second chart shows were perhaps the Steelers did not run enough in 4th quarters of games in situations where they held any type of lead. The Steelers averaged 4.23 yards per carry by running backs in these situations which was good for 12th in the league. On the flip side, they only ran 64% of the time in these situations.

One interesting thing to point out in both of these charts is that the 2009 Buffalo Bills had a better yards per carry by running backs in both of these situations. The Bills offensive line was coached by new Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Kugler got this accomplished with a patch worked offensive line that saw 9 different starting combinations in 2009 that saw only the center starting all 16 games at his regular spot.

In conclusion, you can see the beef that Rooney has. I suspect that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will be instructed to run more in these situations and Kugler will be charged with getting the most out of the linemen in these two situations. You could also see the Steelers bring a true fullback into the plan with less 3 wide receiver sets.

Running Back Stats In Redzone

RANK	TEAM	PLYS	RSH	YDS	YD/RSH	RSH %
1	ARI	124	57	218	3.82	46%
2	NO	171	77	270	3.51	45%
3	PHI	120	45	144	3.20	38%
4	BAL	127	77	244	3.17	61%
5	CLE	86	54	167	3.09	63%
6	IND	154	76	234	3.08	49%
7	NE	162	86	259	3.01	53%
8	SF	90	39	117	3.00	43%
9	SEA	106	40	119	2.98	38%
10	MIA	152	92	272	2.96	61%
11	HOU	158	74	217	2.93	47%
12	ATL	146	75	208	2.77	51%
13	CAR	117	75	205	2.73	64%
14	DAL	129	64	175	2.73	50%
15	TB	86	24	65	2.71	28%
16	KC	111	38	99	2.61	34%
17	DEN	144	72	185	2.57	50%
18	NYG	148	76	192	2.53	51%
19	JAX	115	70	174	2.49	61%
20	NYJ	106	66	164	2.48	62%
21	BUF	92	49	120	2.45	53%
22	STL	91	38	91	2.39	42%
23	SD	166	102	237	2.32	61%
24	CHI	143	68	152	2.24	48%
25	GB	143	61	136	2.23	43%
26	CIN	129	56	121	2.16	43%
27	MIN	163	86	183	2.13	53%
28	TEN	114	52	106	2.04	46%
29	PIT	118	53	107	2.02	45%
30	OAK	65	29	57	1.97	45%
31	WAS	126	56	99	1.77	44%
32	DET	99	36	55	1.53	36%

Running back Stats In 4th Quarter With Lead

RANK	TEAM	PLYS	RSH	YDS	YD/RSH	RSH %
1	KC	20	17	144	8.47	85%
2	CHI	68	43	264	6.14	63%
3	MIA	63	44	247	5.61	70%
4	ATL	78	52	267	5.13	67%
5	TEN	43	34	174	5.12	79%
6	NYJ	104	80	380	4.75	77%
7	MIN	150	95	450	4.74	63%
8	NO	154	99	451	4.56	64%
9	BUF	65	40	182	4.55	62%
10	CAR	76	62	275	4.44	82%
11	GB	132	92	394	4.28	70%
12	PIT	96	61	258	4.23	64%
13	NYG	83	49	207	4.22	59%
14	DEN	98	70	293	4.19	71%
15	DAL	112	73	303	4.15	65%
16	PHI	95	52	216	4.15	55%
17	HOU	93	62	255	4.11	67%
18	ARI	101	56	216	3.86	55%
19	SEA	59	38	146	3.84	64%
20	SD	137	99	364	3.68	72%
21	BAL	103	65	236	3.63	63%
22	NE	169	102	355	3.48	60%
23	JAX	58	38	130	3.42	66%
24	TB	30	22	74	3.36	73%
25	IND	122	68	220	3.24	56%
26	SF	103	75	238	3.17	73%
27	CIN	87	69	208	3.01	79%
28	WAS	73	44	130	2.95	60%
29	CLE	57	45	130	2.89	79%
30	OAK	23	15	37	2.47	65%
31	STL	3	1	2	2.00	33%
32	DET	12	7	1	0.14	58%

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The Steelers officially named Sean Kugler as the new offensive line coach on Thursday and instantly it sent shock waves through Steeler Nation. Kugler spent the last 2 seasons as the Bills offensive line coach before being let go at the end of the season. Kugler coached a Bills offensive line in 2009 that was ravished by injuries and saw 9 different starting line combinations during the season. Center Geoff Hangartner was the only lineman to play every game at the same spot and 4 linemen who started during the season finished on injured reserve. The Bills 2009 line had only 91 combined career starts total for the two guards, two tackles and center on the team with the most starts in the 2009 season. That number was the lowest in the NFL with the closest being 66 away. Despite the adversity, the Bills still managed to rush for 1867 yards, which was 16th best in the league and averaged 4.4 yards a carry for 8th best. The line only allowed a toal of of 37 rushes for negative yards which was 12th lowest in 2009. While the quarterback hits and sacks were high it is not surprising given the rash of injuries and quarterback shuffling that went on in Buffalo.

The biggest concern the Steelers will have with Kugler is the power rushing in which the Bills finished with a 55% first down conversion rate on ALL running plays on 3rd & 4th down with 2 or less yards to go. It should be noted that starting Bills running back Marshawn Lynch was also suspended for the first 3 games of the season and the Bills only had 22 opportunities all year at these situations. In 2008 the Bills had 28 such opportunities and converted 64% of them. Those numbers are still not great, but the 2008 Steelers team only had 29 such opportunities at a 66% conversion rate and yet won the Super Bowl.

While there is concern about the short track record that Kugler has as an offensive line coach in the NFL, he proved in 2009 that he can get the most out of unit that looked like a M.A.S.H. unit mixed with has beens and free agent scraps. Merely judging him on 2 years worth of stats does not tell the story. Kugler definitely will have a more experienced group of linemen in Pittsburgh and an organization that seems destined to want to run more. Kugler is also only 43 years old and may relate better to the current offensive line better than Larry Zierlein did. Also Kugler played tackle in college at Texas El-Paso as well.

2009 Offensive Line Stats
Exp = Combined career starts for the two guards, two tackles and center on team with the most starts in the current season.
Rush 1st = Rushing first downs.
Rush Neg = Rushes for negative yards.
Rush +10Y = Rushes for 10 or more yards.

Rk	Team	Exp	Att	Yds	Avg	TDs	1st	Neg	+10Y	Sacks	QB Hits
1	NYJ	560	607	2,756	4.5	21	132	42	71	30	52
2	TEN	507	499	2,592	5.2	19	115	50	65	15	44
3	CAR	313	525	2,498	4.8	18	123	59	76	33	62
4	MIA	254	509	2,231	4.4	22	129	37	53	34	63
5	BAL	260	468	2,200	4.7	22	115	46	51	36	72
6	NO	215	468	2,106	4.5	21	115	38	51	20	52
7	DAL	578	436	2,103	4.8	14	110	40	61	34	78
8	CLE	297	498	2,087	4.2	10	102	41	57	30	61
9	CIN	203	505	2,056	4.1	9	109	50	55	29	56
10	JAX	296	447	2,029	4.5	19	114	34	50	44	125
11	KC	246	438	1,929	4.4	8	91	53	49	45	83
12	NE	440	466	1,921	4.1	19	114	35	50	18	70
13	MIN	326	467	1,918	4.1	19	99	51	56	34	83
14	GB	412	438	1,885	4.3	20	102	32	42	51	93
15	ATL	295	451	1,876	4.2	15	105	32	46	27	59
16	BUF	91	424	1,867	4.4	6	81	37	42	46	103
17	NYG	525	443	1,837	4.1	14	103	43	52	32	74
18	DEN	354	440	1,836	4.2	9	95	36	53	34	61
19	PIT	256	428	1,793	4.2	10	96	40	47	50	77
20	STL	296	411	1,784	4.3	4	79	40	53	44	95
21	OAK	207	410	1,701	4.1	7	81	31	42	49	95
22	PHI	241	384	1,637	4.3	14	87	29	43	38	61
23	TB	276	404	1,627	4	5	80	37	43	33	94
24	DET	349	409	1,616	4	9	82	54	45	43	94
25	SF	268	371	1,600	4.3	12	77	40	41	40	84
26	SEA	193	395	1,566	4	7	80	45	39	41	91
27	WAS	392	391	1,510	3.9	8	72	29	36	46	94
28	ARI	329	365	1,494	4.1	16	77	42	51	26	93
29	CHI	463	373	1,492	4	6	71	34	32	35	78
30	HOU	157	425	1,475	3.5	13	93	39	38	25	92
31	SD	199	427	1,423	3.3	17	80	39	32	26	53
32	IND	386	366	1,294	3.5	16	69	43	37	13	43

2009 Offensive Line Power Rushing Stats
3rd & 4th Down with 2 or less yards to go

TEAM	3rd RUSH	FD	FD%	4th RUSH	FD	FD%	TOT RUSH	TOT FD	TOT FD %
MIA	35	30	85.71%	7	7	100.00%	42	37	88%
TEN	16	12	75.00%	5	5	100.00%	21	17	81%
CIN	29	22	75.86%	3	3	100.00%	32	25	78%
JAX	38	28	73.68%	10	8	80.00%	48	36	75%
NYJ	26	18	69.23%	10	9	90.00%	36	27	75%
OAK	24	17	70.83%	3	3	100.00%	27	20	74%
NO	28	23	82.14%	10	5	50.00%	38	28	74%
HOU	29	21	72.41%	5	4	80.00%	34	25	74%
GB	13	10	76.92%	2	1	50.00%	15	11	73%
BAL	27	19	70.37%	6	5	83.33%	33	24	73%
CAR	29	22	75.86%	7	4	57.14%	36	26	72%
NE	34	25	73.53%	12	8	66.67%	46	33	72%
ATL	24	16	66.67%	6	5	83.33%	30	21	70%
PHI	28	20	71.43%	5	3	60.00%	33	23	70%
SF	18	13	72.22%	4	2	50.00%	22	15	68%
IND	22	15	68.18%	3	2	66.67%	25	17	68%
CLE	27	17	62.96%	7	6	85.71%	34	23	68%
MIN	31	21	67.74%	5	3	60.00%	36	24	67%
PIT	25	15	60.00%	7	6	85.71%	32	21	66%
PIT 08	24	16	66.67%	5	3	60.00%	29	19	66%
NYG	28	17	60.71%	6	5	83.33%	34	22	65%
BUF 08	25	16	64.00%	3	2	66.67%	28	18	64%
TB	19	13	68.42%	3	1	33.33%	22	14	64%
CHI	26	15	57.69%	4	4	100.00%	30	19	63%
DET	20	13	65.00%	7	4	57.14%	27	17	63%
DAL	25	17	68.00%	4	1	25.00%	29	18	62%
KC	20	12	60.00%	8	5	62.50%	28	17	61%
WAS	20	13	65.00%	5	2	40.00%	25	15	60%
SEA	28	17	60.71%	4	2	50.00%	32	19	59%
STL	25	14	56.00%	6	4	66.67%	31	18	58%
DEN	27	17	62.96%	6	2	33.33%	33	19	58%
BUF	19	9	47.37%	3	3	100.00%	22	12	55%
SD	16	9	56.25%	6	3	50.00%	22	12	55%
ARI	21	9	42.86%	4	3	75.00%	25	12	48%

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